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Educating Our Children

Education is an important local, state, and national priority -- and one of the best investments we can make.  My goal in education policy has always been to support action that works for Utah’s schools, parents, teachers, and students.   While education is primarily a state and local function, there are appropriate actions that can be taken federally to improve Utah’s schools.  Our local schools need additional, consistent resources, flexibility in using funds, limited bureaucracy, and support for improving quality.  If you have additional questions, please email me and I will respond to your concerns as soon as possible.

Jim Matheson's Signature

 

Reforming No Child Left Behind

In 2001 Congress and the President enacted the No Child Left Behind Act to increase financial support for schools, improve instruction, and create greater flexibility and accountability for results.  Despite the bill’s good intentions, the legislation’s implementation has strayed off course, overwhelming local schools and teachers.  These problems must be fixed. 

Congressman Matheson is working hard in Congress to reform No Child Left Behind.  He has introduced and co-sponsored legislation to:

  • Adequately fund No Child Left Behind so our local schools are not left paying the federal government’s bill, HR 2694
  • Adjust the definition of Adequate Yearly Progress so that test scores are not the only measures used in determining success and reflect the real progress of individual students, HR 224
  • Create flexibility in determining if teachers are “highly qualified” by relying more on state certification standards and recognizing the unique challenges faced by rural schools, HR 3036

Already, Congressman Matheson’s efforts have been influential in convincing the Department of Education to provide greater flexibility for Utah’s schools. 

Additional information:
Matheson Editorial on No Child Left BehindPDF icon
Provisions and Requirements of No Child Left Behind  PDF icon
Department of Education’s Guidelines for Implementing No Child Left Behind

Education Funding
While federal dollars are a small proportion of total education funding, they make up the vast majority of unrestricted, discretionary funding for Utah’s schools.  Congressman Matheson supports providing the increased, flexible funding that is critical to helping our local schools implement innovative ideas.  When federal resources flow directly to local schools without undue strings attached, they reduce class sizes and support after school, reading, and arts programs. 

Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)
When Congress passed the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requiring states to provide an appropriate education for special needs students, the Federal Government promised to share in the costs.  However, these federal obligations have never been met, placing costly burdens on our local schools. Congressman Matheson is working to keep the Federal government’s promise to provide 40% of the costs of special education, rather than only paying the 15% currently funded.  He is also working to ease the bureaucratic burdens that IDEA imposes on teachers.  Providing crucial special education funds will free-up state dollars, creating additional resources for our local schools to decrease class size and purchase new textbooks.  Congressman Matheson has regularly sent letters and cosponsored legislation to increase federal funding for IDEA.

Head Start
For nearly forty years, Head Start has served thousands low-income children and their families in Utah, ensuring that they are educationally, socially and medically ready for school.  Head Start is a program with a long-term record of success with enrollment correlating to IQ gains, improved high school graduation rates and higher achievement in writing, vocabulary and social skills.  Congressman Matheson supports reauthorization of Head Start in a manner that preserves the spectrum of services provided, maintains quality and strengthens, rather than compromises, this record.

Vocational and Technical Education
Congressman Matheson recognizes that students have diverse needs and diverse career goals, and vocational education plays a critical role in helping many students successfully enter the workplace.  In addition, it is instrumental in providing the skilled, technical workforce that drives our economy.  He has been concerned by recent proposals to eliminate federal support for the Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Technical Education program, has joined his colleagues in expressing support for continued funding, and voted in favor of HR 366 which reiterates the value of vocational education and continues the Perkins program. 

Student Aid
Federal student aid is the cornerstone to financing a college education for nearly all Americans.  As the costs of attending college continue to climb, Congressman Matheson recognizes the importance of preserving the purchasing power of federal loan and grant programs.  This assistance is vital to preserving access to higher education.  Recently, Congressman Matheson and his colleagues urged leadership of the House Education and the Workforce Committee not to “balance the budget by cutting billions in aid programs for college students, the single largest cut in the student aid program's history.”

TRIO
During the past four decades, the TRIO programs complemented student aid programs, by recognizing that for many disadvantaged and first-generation college students, financial assistance is not enough to guarantee their success.  Despite a track record of success, the TRIO programs are under attack right now in Washington.  As a member of the House TRIO Caucus and a regular supporter of TRIO programs, Congressman Matheson has worked to preserve successful TRIO programs.  He has sent letters to the Appropriations Committee regarding preserving TRIO funding and to the Education and the Workforce Committee regarding changes to the method of awarding TRIO grants. 


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