Issue Position: Education and Labor- K-12 Education

Issue Position

Today's children must be prepared for the global challenges of the 21st century and equipped to build on the prosperity of the generations that came before them. Our public school system was built on the bedrock democratic principle that all children deserve an equal opportunity to quality education no matter where they live or what background they come from. Congress must do more to strengthen our federal commitment to K-12 education.

Representative Waxman has worked hard for measures that would modernize schools, reduce class size, recruit and provide the financial incentives for high quality teachers and principals, enhance school safety, require schools to meet academic standards, provide early childhood education, and expand school access to technology.

Representative Waxman has been a strong advocate of legislation to improve K-12 education, including co-sponsoring the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), which mandates that school districts provide specialized services to educate children with disabilities, and supporting greater funding for Head Start.

Representative Waxman is a strong supporter of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, which was enacted on February 17, 2009. The law allocated $77 billion for education funding and $33.6 billion for school modernization. These funds will help save and create teachers' jobs, promote innovative programs, and devote considerable resources for IDEA, Title I, and Title I improvement programs.

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