Issue Position: Education

Issue Position

* Reforming No Child Left Behind.
Paul believes that we should either fund NCLB or we should end it. He also believes that every local school district faces its own unique challenges and successes. Federal education policies should reflect that reality. No Child Left Behind imposed requirements on hundreds of New Hampshire public schools without providing the funding necessary to meet the strict goals the law imposed. The law also compromises local control of schools, forces teachers to teach to tests and is punitive. Paul believes in teacher accountability but knows there are better ways to hold teachers accountable for student performance and better ways to assess student progress than NCLB. In the Senate, Paul Hodes will work tirelessly to help reform education, promote high student achievement and teacher accountability while ensuring appropriate investment in New Hampshire schools without imposing burdensome, unfunded mandates.

* Modernizing our Public Schools
He has led the fight to modernize our aging public schools. Paul has championed programs to help New Hampshire school districts use low-cost renewable energy and fought to offset rising fuel costs faced by rural districts. Combating these problems allows every local dollar to be spent educating students. As your Senator, Paul Hodes will continue fighting to ensure that school districts aren't crippled by rising energy and fuel costs.

* Meeting the Needs of Special Education Students.
The costs of special education are increasingly a burden on New Hampshire's municipalities. While progress has been made in increasing the share of federal funding for special education, the federal Government has never lived up to its commitment to fund 40% of special education costs. Paul Hodes believes the federal government must meet its obligation to provide special education funding to local communities. In the Senate, Paul Hodes will continue to fight to win full funding for special education programs in our schools.

* Expanding Access to Affordable College Loans.
Paul fought for sweeping student loan reform to make student loans more accessible and affordable to all students who seek higher education. These reforms will end unfair lending practices and cap student loan repayments to 10 percent of a recent graduate's income. These reforms generate billions in savings that allow lending to be provided to thousands of additional Granite Staters. In the Senate, Paul Hodes will continue fighting to expand access and lower the cost of student loans.

* Lowering the Cost of College Education.
Paul has aggressively worked to make a college education attainable for any American who seeks it. Paul has backed reforms that expand Pell Grant funding and other need-based financial aid. In the Senate, Paul will work to ensure that federal aid programs keep pace with the cost of higher education. Paul Hodes believes that a college education is essential for success in today's economy. The cost of a college education has risen far faster than inflation, leaving college unaffordable for millions of middle-class families. A $5,000 college tuition tax credit would help New Hampshire families afford to send their children to college without breaking the bank or building up debt.

* Linking Education to the Workforce.
Paul Hodes believes in expanding partnerships between New Hampshire schools and local businesses. Partnerships between local educational institutions ensure that existence of a capable and talented workforce in the local community. New Hampshire businesses such as Red River Computer, in partnership with Red River Community College, are already taking advantage of agreements to boost their businesses while also helping New Hampshire students. Paul has also proposed developing the New Hampshire-developed "FIRST" program, a collaborative approach to inspiring the engineers of tomorrow, into a national program.

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