Student Aid And Fiscal Responsibility Act Of 2009
Floor Speech
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Mr. MURPHY of Connecticut. Madam Chair, I yield myself for such time as I may consume.
I would like to first thank Chairman Miller, Representative Andrews, Representative Hinojosa, the ranking member for their work on the underlying legislation. We are debating right now landmark legislation that is going to bring more access, affordable access, to hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of college students across this country.
Therefore, it is only fitting that as a component to this legislation, the Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act also heavily invests in birth-to-5 education. We know investing in early childhood education creates a pathway to later success in our educational spectrum.
Madam Chair, I have spent the last several months touring around my district talking with the people who make our early childhood education system work. I have hosted round table discussions in cities like Torrington and Danbury and listened to parents and providers and administrators; and there is one message I have heard loud and clear, and that is the lack of early education degree programs in Connecticut and across the country often makes it difficult to find highly qualified early learning teachers in Connecticut and across the Nation.
My amendment simply seeks to clarify that the very important Early Learning Challenge Fund included in this bill would allow for States to use some of that grant money to partner with local colleges and universities to create or to expand effective education and training programs for early learning providers.
I was a very strong supporter of our Head Start and School Readiness Act in 2007. That bill requires that Head Start teachers by 2011 have associate's degrees; and by 2013, 50 percent of Head Start teachers be required to have a bachelor's or master's degree. I think it is important to make sure that our Nation's kids have teachers and educators who have that academic background and education. But we need to make sure that our educational system feeds our early learning centers with those trained professionals.
I appreciate the chairman's help on this bill and appreciate Representative Andrews' support, and I urge the Chamber's support.
I reserve the balance of my time.
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