Issue Position: Education

Issue Position

Per-pupil federal expenditures on education have nearly tripled in terms of real dollars, and more than 100 federal education programs exist today. Despite these expenditures, has the achievement gap been eliminated? Are current generations better educated?

In 2014, taxpayers will spend on average roughly $140,000 on a child entering kindergarten before that child finishes high school. Central New York families should have a greater say over that investment.

Decisions on what gets taught, how, and when in our public schools are best made by classroom teachers and education professionals on the local and state level, not by federal bureaucrats. As an example, Common Core threatens to further expand federal intervention at the expense of families and local communities.

Our educational system has to adapt to the changing global economy. John believes we should refocus on the basics and respect the importance of technical education, recognizing that a traditional college experience is not suited for every American student.

Finally, John supports the federal government fully funding the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) for special needs students. It is a grossly underfunded federal mandate, and its costs are weighing down local school systems and local taxpayers.

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