Issue Position: Education Priorities

Issue Position

Every child, regardless of family income, should have access to a quality education. As a parent of three, I am proud to report that I voted with the majority in Congress to bring federal spending for elementary and secondary education in fiscal year 2004 to the highest level in history. This includes increases in spending on such priorities as special education, teachers, and funding for disadvantaged students and schools.

While I support increasing our investment in education, I also believe we must get results from that investment. No Child Left Behind (NCLB), the comprehensive overhaul of the 1965 Elementary and Secondary Education Act, recognizes that money alone cannot guarantee every American child the chance to learn and succeed. High standards, accountability for results, local control, and parental involvement are essential. NCLB provides reforms and resources to help states put a highly qualified teacher in every public classroom and ensure every child reads by the third grade. It gives parents annual report cards on school achievement, and new choices when schools consistently underachieve. It expands local control over federal education funds and provides new flexibility for every local school district in America.

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