Issue Position: Education Reform

Issue Position

Every Child Deserves the Best Possible Public Education

U.S. Congressman Pat Tiberi has demonstrated his commitment to quality education. During the 109th Congress he served as the Chair the Education and Workforce Subcommittee on Select Education which has jurisdiction over issues related to international and graduate education programs, the nation's Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Hispanic Serving Institutions, programs and services for older Americans, programs related to the arts and humanities, services for at-risk youth, and child abuse prevention programs. He influences education policy nationally by his work on the No Child Left Behind bill and in the district by his tireless effort supporting Central Ohio's educational institutions.

Working to Make No Child Left Behind Be the Best It Can Be

* Local Flexibility.

* Congressman Tiberi believes that local school districts know how to best address the needs of their local school children. Therefore, he worked to create an amendment to the No Child Left Behind Act that allows number of school distircts in every state to go to the Secretary of Education and present their own plan for the allocation of Title I federal funding for approval. This measure helps individual school distircts better meet the needs of their students. This amendment was included in the final version of the No Child Left Behind Act that the President signed into law on January 8, 2002.

* Providing Answers. Since No Child Left Behind was one of the largest federal education overhauls, Congressman Tiberi realized teachers and administrators would have some concerns over implementation and questions about specific reforms. So, he brought top officials from the U.S. Department of Education and legislative experts to Central Ohio to meet with area school board members and administrators to answer questions and resolve issues surrounding the new legislation.

Enhancing the Educational Experience for Students Nationwide

* Encouraging Students to Stay In School.

* Firm in the belief that every student should have access to the best possible education, Congressman Tiberi believes that all students should be able to graduate high school and have the opportunity to go to college. To encourage at-risk students to stay in school, Congressman Tiberi wrote a bill that expands an existing grant program to allow organizations that work to improve high school graduation rates and encourage college attendence to compete for federal funding. This bill was incorporated into H.R. 609, the College Access and Opportunity Act which passed the House on April 4, 2006.

* Expanding International Study Opportunities. In an increasingly expanding global marketplace, Congressman Tiberi believes that educational opportunities need to offer students the ability to better compete in the international arena. Congressman Tiberi wrote the International Studies in Higher Education Act that broadens the definitions of international study programs to include other areas of study, like international trade and international business. Congressman Tiberi's bill was incorporated into the College Access and Opportunity Act which passed the House on April 4, 2006.

Quality Teachers Benefit All Students

* Teacher Training Initiatives.

* Continuing education for teachers helps make them the most important resource in the classroom. Therefore, Congressman Tiberi works to ensure funding for teacher training programs in Central Ohio. He worked with Congresswoman Deborah Pryce to secure $5 million in the fiscal year 2002 Labor-HHS-Education funding bill for the Ohio Inquiry Learning for Schools Initiative at the Center of Science and Industry (COSI). This teacher in-service program helps improve the teaching techniques in math and science for teachers across the state. Congressman Tiberi also secured $99,000 in the fiscal year 2005 Labor-HHS-Education funding bill for teacher in-service training programs at the Franklin Park Conservatory.

* Access to Graduate Education. Congressman Tiberi feels that quality teachers ensure quality education for students and that is why he wrote a measure that enhances access for teachers to obtain graduate-level education in areas facing teaching shortages like math, science, and special education. Congressman Tiberi's provision was incorporated into the College Access and Opportunity Act which passed the House on April 4, 2006.

Congressman Tiberi, a Northland High School alumnus, is a graduate of The Ohio State University, where he earned a degree in journalism. The son of Italian immigrants, he is the first person in his family to graduate from college. In the spring of 2005, Capitol University awarded Congressman Tiberi an honorary Ph.D. in Humanities.

Supporting the Future of Central Ohio's Workforce through Educational Opportunities

* Science and Research Opportunities. In the fiscal year 2003 Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations Congressman Tiberi secured funding for the Minorities in the Sciences Program at Ohio Wesleyan University. This program is designed to offer science research opportunities and other experiences to encourage and promote interest in the sciences among minority students. This program also brings minority role models and mentors to campus.

* High-Tech Training. Honda and Aneheuser-Busch now utilize a program at Columbus State Community College that Congressman Tiberi helped establish that retrains manufacturing workers who would otherwise be displaced for high-tech jobs that are needed today.

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