Issue Position: Education

Issue Position

The necessity of quality education grows every year in middle Tennessee as the scope of good paying jobs has narrowed from the manufacturing industry to the service industry. The next generation of Tennesseans needs to be prepared to enter the workforce with a skill set that will allow them to put food on the table for their families. It all starts with a quality education, and we need to find ways to prioritize education in our budget.

To improve Tennessee's education system, we must start from the ground up. More often than ever before, single parents are working full-time jobs, sometimes two or three part time jobs, and leaving children at home without the needed guidance. These parents are providing for their families in the best way that they can, by making sure there is enough money available to purchase groceries and clothing for their families. While this situation leaves the children without a present parent, it means that educating children from home at an early age is becoming increasingly difficult.

The answer lies in the creation of public preschools and daycare. Preschool has proven to increase the educational performance of children later in school, resulting in higher graduation rates and college enrollment. We believe public preschool to be a worthy cause for the furthering of education in America.

As students enter primary school, they will likely come in contact with the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act. Since the passage of NCLB, there have been several positive results that should not be taken for granted. However, there are several issues that have recently arisen with the passage of this legislation, ultimately due to a lack of funding and proper execution. Brett will support amendments to NCLB to continue improving test scores and preparing our students for post-secondary schooling and the job force.

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