Issue Position: Schools and Education

Issue Position

*Our children deserve our commitment to quality education. I want our children to reach farther and keep America competitive in a global economy. We do that by supporting our kids with good schools, colleges and universities, and we make that education achievable without putting a mountain of student debt on their backs. That's why I support President Obama's efforts to make higher education more affordable.

*My words are backed by actions. I've fought and succeeded in controlling tuition increases at the University of Maryland as a member of Maryland's General Assembly. I also believe that we need to expand programs for career and technical education (CTE), because a high school degree is not enough for many of today's jobs and a college education is not right for everyone. CTE helps prepare our young people for jobs in high-demand fields that pay wages that can support a family. I co-sponsored legislation supporting apprenticeship and workforce development programs in Maryland's secondary schools and community colleges (HB 644, 2009).

*Lastly, I will work to fund re-building old school facilities. We need modern, technologically up-to-date, and energy efficient learning centers. I see it at my kids' school and you probably have seen it too -- "temporary" classroom sheds put in place to address overcrowding, but that have lasted for a decade or more. Investing in our schools is a wise investment in our kids, and it also provides jobs that we need today.

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