Issue Position: Education

Issue Position

Since 1965, the overall funding per student in the United States has tripled, and today our country spends more than $10,000 educating each student every year. However, the educational investment our federal, state, and local governments make has yielded minimal improvement. Student test scores in math and reading have remained flat, and graduation rates remain stagnant.

As a member of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, I understand the quality of our children's education directly effects how we as a state and country will prosper at home and compete globally. Michigan cannot create a smart and successful workforce without a well educated youth, and it is important to our economic growth and ability to create jobs. I believe that successfully educating Michigan's future workforce depends on how much control we have in our state and community. While they may think so, bureaucrats in Washington do not know more than Michigan's parents about the needs of our children.

Return Control to State and Local Educators
As a member of Congress I have consistently supported legislative initiatives that would give the states, parents and teachers the ability to determine the educational needs of our children. In July 2013 I voted in support of H.R. 5, the Student Success Act, to reform the nation's K-12 education system by putting control back in the hands of parents, school leaders and local communities. The Student Success Act's emphasis on increased state and local control by these education leaders will help put more children on course for a successful future. It also removes the Secretary of Education's ability to incentivize states to adopt Common Core standards.

School Choice
Michigan parents should have the opportunity to choose the type of education their children receive. I believe that if federal scholarships are made available to some students in failing schools, they should be allowed to attend the educational institution of their choice, free from government interference. In May 2014, I joined my colleagues on both sides of the aisle in passing H.R. 10, the Success and Opportunity through Quality Charter Schools Act, which supports state efforts to develop and expand charter schools while supporting greater choice for parents and opportunities for children.

Student Loans
Since 2007, the interest rate on federal student loans had been determined by Congress rather than the market. In July 2013 I supported and the House passed a final version of H.R. 1911,the Bipartisan Student Loan Certainty Act, which reduces federal student loan interest rates, ties student loan interest rates to the market, and locks in the interest rate for students at origination for the life of the loan.If you are interested in learning more about what college financing options may be available to you, please visit here.

Higher Education Act

The House Committee on Education and the Workforce has begun the process of reauthorizing the Higher Education Act, and in June 2014, the Committee released a white paper outlining key principles that will shape our approach to reforming postsecondary education. The current higher education system is too expensive and bureaucratic, and I've supported meaningful, bipartisan solutions to reform federal policies so that more students can pursue the dream of a college degree. In July 2014, I voted in support of H.R. 3136, the Advancing Competency-Based Education Demonstration Project Act, a bill to spur innovation in higher education which included an amendment I offered to allow more students to participate in successful demonstration projects. The House also passed H.R. 4983, the Strengthening Transparency in Higher Education Act, which will improve transparency and ensure all students have access to the information they need to choose the right college and course of study. Finally, I supported and the House passed H.R. 4984, the Empowering Students Through Enhanced Financial Counseling Act on July 24, which will help students make smart decisions about financing their education.

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