Education Report Card: Working Hard, Improving Education For Students & Parents

Education Report Card: Working Hard, Improving Education For Students & Parents
Congresswoman Marilyn Musgrave (CO-04)
Northern Colorado Courier-July 2004

Parents, it is once again that exciting time of the year for your kids, summer break. All of the assignments were handed in and the final school bell has rung, it is now time for some fun in the sun. With all of the enthusiasm in being freed from the classroom for a few months, many children have likely forgotten about what still looms from their time at school - - report cards.

As a mother of four, I remember opening the mailbox to find my children's report cards and the excitement of learning how they scored in their studies. What a great tool to gauge how my children were advancing in their education.

For the residents of Northern Colorado that elected me to work on their behalf in the U.S. Congress, it is appropriate that I follow this seasonal trend and provide insight into my record on improving education for our state's children.

As a former school board member, teacher, and the only representative from Colorado currently serving in the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, I have worked hard to serve as a strong voice for our state in the Congress, and, as a result, had several accomplishments that will help provide parents greater opportunity advance their children's education.

In particular, I led the effort and succeeded in getting the U.S. Education Department to revise its guidelines in establishing "persistently dangerous" schools. Parents will now be provided more information on the safety of their children's schools and have a greater voice in ensuring their children are protected at school.

Because of my concern for the safety of children attending certain schools in Colorado and other parts of the nation, I held a field hearing with former-Representative Bob Schaffer (R-CO) and Rep. Tom Osborne (R-NE) to investigate the criteria that is used to define a school as "dangerous". As a direct result of my efforts, stricter standards will now be used that provide children attending schools classified as dangerous greater options in receiving an education in a secure environment.

Through my work on the Education and Workforce Committee, I have worked for important improvements to Head Start that strengthen academic results and better prepare our children for kindergarten. One of the key components I fought for was a new eight-state demonstration program, which would allow governors to coordinate successful state early childhood education programs with Head Start.

Last year, I introduced a bill to lend congressional support to home-school families, the Home-School Non-Discrimination Act of 2003 (HoNDA). This bill includes sense of Congress language supporting home education and makes six additional changes to federal laws that currently have a negative impact on home-schooled children.

Many of the current statutes that would be changed by my bill are a result of congressional neglect, not intentional harm to home schooling.

In addition, as a freshman Member, I had the rare opportunity last year to offer an amendment during debate before the entire House of Representatives. My legislation would have changed current law during re-authorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act to allow public school districts a new option in how they deliver services to special needs school students. My amendment received 176 "yes" votes, which is a significant increase of support in Congress from previous education choice bills.
Furthermore, I have actively co-sponsored legislation to improve access and affordability of higher education, including the Higher Education Affordability and Equity Act, which allows taxpayers making less than $100,000 to deduct the full amount of their student loan interest, as well as allowing tax-free treatment of scholarships, including room and board.

Many of the issues Congress debates are often esoteric; though they are important, their impact is not readily visible. The work we do in education, however, is critical because of the affects on our nation's children and the schools they attend on a daily basis.

The federal government only contributes about seven cents on the dollar to local schools, yet it establishes many of the policies, regulations and rules for local education programs. This makes no sense.

That is why I am fighting to return more of the education decision making and dollars spent on education back to the local communities. The key decisions for Colorado schools should be made by Colorado parents, teachers and local officials who best know how to meet the educational needs of the children.
Marilyn Musgrave was elected to the United States House of Representatives in January 2003, and she represents Colorado's Fourth Congressional District. Musgrave is a member of the House Committees on Agriculture, Education and the Workforce, and Small Business. To learn more about Rep. Musgrave please visit her official website at <