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    Ensuring our children have the proper tools to succeed in life is a top priority. My wife, two of my daughters, and one of my son-in-laws are Tennessee educators. Congressional Medal of Honor recipient Sgt. Alvin C. York once said one of the great liberating influences in life is an education. York, returning from the battlefields in France during World War I, came back to Tennessee regretting he never received an education. He spent the rest of his life making sure citizens of the Upper Cumberland realized the liberating influences of an education through his numerous philanthropic works. I, like Sgt. York, believe a quality education and perseverance can open doors and set you down the path to success. It's also my firm belief that educating our children starts and continues at home, not just in the classroom. One reason we have seen a sharp increase in graduation rates over the years is due to our emphasis of funding and expanding public schools in rural areas. The 1940 U.S. Census reported only 2.7% of people twenty five years old and older had four years of high school in the Fourth Congressional District. The national average was 24.5%. In 2000, the ratio increased to 69% while the national average rose to 84.1%.  
     
 
Holding schools accountable for teaching kids is extremely important to Davis. He stands behind the goal of No Child Left Behind, at the same time he believes we must not leave states with the burden of an unfunded federal mandate. If NCLB is expected to succeed, Davis believes we must rectify certain problems and fund it at the levels originally set.  
 
 
 
Davis is opposed to school vouchers. It's his firm belief vouchers may destroy public education by siphoning needed resources away from schools who already are struggling on many levels.  
 
 
 
Davis supports legislation that increases the amount of money teachers are permitted to deduct for classroom supply expenses. These expenses often times come straight from the teacher's pocket.  
     
 
There have been attempts to drastically alter the funding for the Head Start Program. These attempts would lower standards and remove services currently being offered. Davis has fought and will continue to fight against these harmful changes.  
     
  Davis supports the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. He believes it's our civic responsibility to help give these students the education needed to function in life.