October 20, 2006

Tierney E-Alert: Improving Our Education System from the Cradle to College

Dear Friend:

Our children need a quality education to prepare them to thrive in the global economy and competitive world. Today, a K-12 education may simply not be enough. Children also benefit from preschool and kindergarten, and young adults need two to four years of college to be prepared for the workforce. Our educational system has yet to adapt to this new reality. In my capacity as the only New England member of the United States House Committee on Education and the Workforce, I continue fighting to reform and enhance our current educational system so that all students have access to a quality education at every stage of their development.

As I mentioned in an earlier e-newsletter, we continue to spend $8 billion dollars a month ($11 million per hour) in Iraq. The equivalent of thirteen days of such funding would fully pay to restore cuts that the President has proposed in 40 different education programs. A small fraction of the cost to extend the 2001 and 2003 tax cuts costing $1.7 trillion (yes, trillion) would also go a long way toward helping America retain its competitive edge.

Given that this issue is so important and affects so many of us, I thought you may be interested to see how it is being addressed.

Preschool

Many parents want to send their children to preschool, but are concerned about the financial burden. With incomes remaining stagnant and health care and home heating fuel costs continuing to rise, families often have little left over to pay for preschool.

That’s why I am examining the role that the federal government can play in supporting states, municipalities and families in their efforts to provide quality preschool. The earlier we educate our children, the more opportunities they will have for success.

The Head Start program, which serves children and families in need, is a good example of a successful early start program. Unfortunately, Head Start received no new funding this year in President Bush’s budget, and the current program is only serving 50% of preschoolers who are eligible. I believe funding for Head Start should be increased, and due to the fact that quality preschool requires skilled educators, I proposed a student loan forgiveness initiative for early education teachers, which was passed by the House of Representatives earlier this year, and now awaits action by the United States Senate.

K-12

Our children need a quality K-12 education to prepare them for college and beyond. Since the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act, the federal law that sets educational guidelines for states and schools, was enacted, I have consistently supported funding NCLB to the level originally promised by President Bush so that local communities have the resources they need to comply with new federal standards.

Regrettably, while states are required to implement the new system, the federal government has not provided the necessary funding to comply with the new guidelines. Many local schools have been forced to eliminate programs such as physical education, art, music and drama as a result of insufficient federal assistance coupled with drastic reductions in state reimbursements to communities. In fact, the Republican leadership has under-funded NCLB nationally by billions since the bill was signed into law in 2001, and the program will be shortchanged billions more if the President’s budget for fiscal year 2007 is approved. Without the promised federal funding, our local communities are fighting an uphill battle when making a good faith effort to comply with NCLB mandates.

I believe it's critical to hear from those who are directly affected by NCLB and get their opinion before Congress reevaluates NCLB sometime next year. As such, I continue to meet with teachers, administrators, parents and students to discuss what changes need to be made to improve the existing law. I also remain committed to working with my colleagues in Washington, DC to appropriately fund NCLB so that our children receive a quality education.

Higher Education

A college degree is the cornerstone of the American dream - opening the door to job opportunities and professional fulfillment as well as increasing earning power. The global economy is extremely competitive, and it is important to our country’s economic prosperity that every qualified student in America be able to pursue a college degree.

That is why I am working hard to make college more affordable for students and families. I support legislation to increase the value of Pell Grants, which are worth $900 less today than they were in 1975. Additionally, I have been working to ensure low interest rates on student loans and enhance work-study programs that provide campus and community part-time work for students. I specifically support the House Democrats' New Direction for America plan that would:

• Slash interest rates on college loans in half to 3.4% for students and to 4.25% for parents - saving the average student borrower $5,600.
• Dramatically increase the tax deductibility of college tuition by simplifying the maze of tuition laws to allow a 100% tax credit for tuition up to $3,000 - the equivalent of a $12,000 deduction for most middle-class families.
• Increase the maximum Pell Grant to $5,100, giving more than a quarter of a million additional young people the opportunity to pursue a college degree.

I have also authored the College Affordability and Accountability Act, which would renew the federal-state-school partnership to make college affordable by requiring states to maintain adequate funding for higher education, providing incentives for colleges to lower tuition costs and giving more information to students and families to help them make informed decisions about paying for college.

Investing in Math, Science and Technology Education

Our efforts to strengthen the entire system from preschool to college must pay particular attention to math, science and technology education. Focusing on such academic areas is critical to the future of our young people and will help ensure our country remains competitive in the global economy.

The World Economic Forum recently concluded that the United States has lost its position as the world’s most competitive economy, sliding from first to sixth in the Forum’s annual rankings. The rest of the world is increasing its capacity, its investments and its will to catch up and surpass us. We cannot afford to ignore this challenge.

I am working with colleagues to promote the Innovation Agenda, which would help Americans create new thriving industries to provide millions of good jobs and a better future for our children. In addition, this proposal would help produce an educated, skilled workforce in the vital areas of science, math, engineering and information technology. Under the plan, America would gain 100,000 new scientists, engineers and mathematicians in the next four years. It would also place a high-qualified teacher in every math and science K-12 classroom offering tuition incentives to talented undergraduates and paying competitive salaries to teachers. I will continue to fight for policies to improve our schools because a strong education system will help take America in a new direction - toward a strong and rejuvenated economy and a society where no student is denied access to a quality education.

Sincerely,

John F. Tierney
Member of Congress