Issue Position: Education

Issue Position

Issue Position: Education

Education has long been a top priority for me and my constituents. As a member of the House Democratic Education Task Force, I am working to ensure children can learn in a safe environment, to reduce class sizes and to repair crumbling classrooms. I will continue this effort on the Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education. I recognize that there is no silver bullet for fixing our education system, but I believe the federal government must do more to support those programs that have been proven to make a difference for our students. These programs include:

* Early childhood development initiatives such as Head Start;
* Special education programs such as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA);
* After school programs such as the 21st Century Learning Centers;
* Higher education programs such as TRIO and Upward Bound, which help students overcome class, social, and cultural barriers to higher education;
* Vocational and technical education programs such as the Carl D. Perkins Act;
* The Adult Basic Education/General Education Development (ABE/GED) Program; and,
* Student loan programs such as Pell Grants.

Since it passed in 2001, the No Child Left Behind has sparked controversy throughout New Mexico and across the country. This law-designed to increase accountability in our nation's schools-can only work as it was intended if we keep our promise to provide full resources to meet the new standards. Many educators in my district face unique challenges to meeting the law's requirements. I am committed to addressing the concerns expressed by educators about No Child Left Behind, and I respect their need for common sense flexibility. As Congress works on legislation reauthorizing the Act, we have an opportunity to fully fund the provisions that work and eliminate those that do not. I have hosted Education Roundtables with parents, teachers and administrators from all over my district as Congress prepares to update No Child Left Behind.

During the 110th Congress, the House has passed legislation to lower the price of college by lowering interest rates on student loans. This year, I supported The College Cost Reduction Act, which would save $4,100 for the average New Mexico college student with subsidized student loans. This legislation even paid for itself by redirecting public money away from private student loan firms-many of which offer unreasonable rates even after receiving public subsidies-and towards programs that directly help students. Tuition and fees at four-year public colleges and universities have risen 41 percent, after inflation, since 2001, putting college out of reach for more and more students. Interest rates on student loans have also risen, increasing the cost of college even more. The legislation I supported will help turn the tide for every student who relies on subsidized loans. The College Cost Reduction Act will also increase the maximum Pell Grant scholarship by $1,090 over the next five years, bringing an estimated $201 million to more than 42,000 New Mexico students, according to the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service.

Access to quality education-at the primary, secondary and postsecondary level-makes all the difference for our children, and for our economy. I am committed to improving our nation's education system and to supporting the proven education programs at the federal level that have helped so many of our children succeed.

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