Issue Position: Education

Issue Position

Issue Position: Education

Education is where the foundation of our children begins. I believe in a strong educational system that includes the cooperation and the coordination of parents, teachers and administrators. It is essential that we provide our community with a strong system that will prepare our children for the future of tomorrow. Throughout Pennsylvania's 3rd district there are various colleges and universities that thrive in community involvement and provide students with a strong educational background. I am prepared to work with my colleagues on legislation that will benefit the educational system so that our youth may continue to flourish.

The No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) celebrated its fifth-year anniversary on January 8, 2007. In looking back over the life-span of NCLB, the reforms have proven to head schools in the right direction. Teachers, principals and superintendents today are working with unprecedented determination to show they don't subscribe to the view that some children should be written off. I commend Pennsylvania's swift action on NCLB. The Commonwealth's dedication and commitment to the program establishes it as a national leader in education reform, ensuring that every child has the chance to learn.

While the new law has yielded limited successes within the education system, many educators cite concerns regarding lack of funding and achievement gaps between disadvantaged students and their peers, among other concerns. This year, Congress is slated to reauthorize the NCLB law. As a result, I have organized several NCLB forums in make sure local school systems have an opportunity to voice their views on the law and recommend the changes they would like to see in this year's reauthorization. I look forward to continuing to work with local educators and state officials as Congress considers the next step on education policy.

Access to higher education for every American who strives to achieve a college education is a priority for me and as a longtime advocate of breaking down the barriers to college savings; I have introduced and helped develop innovative legislation to make higher education more affordable.

The Higher Education Affordability and Equity Act (HEAEA), which is supported throughout the higher education community, will reduce the tax burden associated with saving and paying for college and offer a generous benefit for students and parents. This Congress, I have also re-introduced the Tuition Deduction Permanency Act, bipartisan legislation, to make the current $4,000 income tax deduction for qualified higher education expenses permanent. Over the past 13 years, several of my key education initiatives have been enacted in law. Such proposals include the expansion of the deductibility of interest payments on student loans, extending the income tax deduction for qualified higher education expenses and permitting the current tax-free treatment of withdraws from Section 529 plans, like the Pennsylvania Tuition Account Program (TAP) permanent, among others.

In my view, an education is an investment in the future. We should encourage the pursuit of higher education and broadened horizons among our youth. While in Congress, I will continue to work to ensure America's next generation receives the quality education they need to succeed in the future.

Education legislation that Rep. English has supported:

* Improving Education Results for Children with Disabilities Act of 2003 - English supported H.R. 1350 which reauthorized the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and help improve education results for children with special needs. The legislation was signed into law by the president on December 8, 2004.

* English supported the Job Training Improvement Act (H.R. 27), a bill which makes much-needed improvements to the nation's job training programs that give workers the skills they need to return to the workforce - a program vastly important for Pennsylvania's workers.

* The School Readiness Act (H.R. 2123) passed the House on September 9, 2005. English voted in favor of the bill which would help close the readiness gap that exists between Head Start graduates and their more affluent peers by increasing the academic focus of the program, providing better-trained teachers and encouraging collaboration among state and federal pre-school programs.

* The Ready to Teach Act - English supported H.R. 2211which reauthorizes teacher training programs under the Higher Education Act to ensure that the teachers of tomorrow are prepared to meet the needs of the nation's students, and are highly qualified. The bill makes specific improvements to align teacher training programs with the high standards in the No Child Left Behind Act, while strengthening reporting and accountability requirements to ensure the availability of accurate and useful information on the quality of the nation's teacher training programs.

* The Teacher Recruitment and Retention Act - English supported H.R. 438 which more than triples the amount of student loan forgiveness available to highly qualified reading specialists, and math, science, and special education teachers who commit to teaching in high-need schools for five years. The bill embodies the President's proposal to help states and schools meet the call of the No Child Left Behind Act and recruit and retain the highly qualified teachers they are lacking. This financial incentive, increased from $5,000 to $17,500, will help schools recruit and retain the high quality teachers they so desperately need.

* English supported the Workforce Reinvestment and Adult Education Act (H.R. 1261), a bill which makes much-needed improvements to the nation's job training programs that give workers the skills they need to return to the workforce - a program vastly important for Pennsylvania's workers.

* The Runaway, Homeless, and Missing Children Protection Act passed the House with English's support on May 20, 2003. The legislation authorizes funding for the organizations, shelters and centers that serve and protect runaway, homeless, missing and sexually exploited children, increasing the authorization for runaway and homeless youth programs by 19% over FY2003 and reauthorizing the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children for five years. The Act also funds a Presidential initiative to create maternity group homes.

* The School Readiness Act (H.R. 2200) passed the House on July 25, 2003. English voted in favor of the bill which would help close the readiness gap that exists between Head Start graduates and their more affluent peers by increasing the academic focus of the program, providing better-trained teachers and encouraging collaboration among state and federal pre-school programs.

* Throughout 2003 English signed onto to various letters to Education and Workforce Chairman Boehner and President Bush to ask that they give special consideration to the needs of rural children. Specifically, English asked the leaders for an increase in fiscal year 2005 which will put us on the path to increasing total spending for the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) and the Child Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) by $1.84 billion over ten years.

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