Congresswoman Frederica S. Wilson Receives House Support to Protect Low-Income Students

Statement

Today, the U.S. House of Representatives approved an amendment by Congresswoman Frederica Wilson (FL-24) and Congresswoman Gwen Moore (WI-04) to help ensure that low-income and minority children have access to effective teachers. The successful amendment ensures that a series of potential changes to teacher training programs would not be enacted if the changes are shown to cut funding from schools serving students in poverty. Congresswoman Wilson issued the following statement:

"Teachers matter. As a former educator, elementary school principal, and school board member, I can attest to a simple fact: There is no in-school factor that matters more for children's achievement than teacher quality.

Yet students in urban and rural low-income areas are so oftenassigned less qualified teachers than their wealthier peers. These young minds are treated as experiments in an educational Petri Dish.

I am so pleased that Congress took a stand for children and passed this crucial amendment."

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