On the Issues

Education

As a member of the House Education and Labor Committee, Susan is fighting to improve public education and to increase access to higher education.  Since serving on the San Diego City School Board, Susan has advocated for quality education from early childhood until the time our students graduate from college.

No Child Left Behind
Susan is calling for changes to the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) to make the initiative more workable for teachers, students, and administrators.  Currently, NCLB relies too heavily on punitive measures and does provide enough support to those responsible for educating our children.  Susan is advocating for a new approach to encourage student achievement -- focusing on helping struggling schools rather than relying on sanctions.  In addition, she is advocating for a number of enhancements to support local school districts and teachers, including new funding for early childhood education, grants to recruit and train new teachers and principals, and financial assistance to educators who seek professional development. 

Mentoring
NCLB sets out to close the achievement gap and puts a heavy emphasis on academic gains -- both of which are important goals.  However, Susan recognizes that children still need emotional support and strong role models.  A mentoring gap exists in the United States leaving millions of children without a role model.  As Co-Chair of the House Mentoring Caucus, Susan was proud to introduce the Mentoring America's Children Act or H.R. 2611 to connect mentors with children in need of a strong role model to give children the encouragement and support they need to do well in school.

Early Childhood Education
Susan has heard from educators in the San Diego area about the need for quality early childhood education.  Children greatly benefit from pre-kindergarten programs and perform better in elementary school.  Because early childhood education is so important, Susan joined with a number of her colleagues on the House Education and Labor Committee to introduce the Providing Resources Early for Kids (PRE-K) Act of 2007 or H.R. 3289.  The legislation authorizes up to $1 billion in federal funding to improve state-funded early childhood education programs.

Teacher Development
Dedicated and inspirational teachers are the key to student learning and student success.  Susan is an advocate for providing teachers with the resources they need to pursue professional development.  Susan has introduced legislation, including the Support Our Schools Through Quality Teaching Act of 2007, that would provide financial resources for teachers who would like to seek professional certification from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards.  The bill would target teachers in at-risk or struggling schools.  The only way to eliminate the Achievement Gap and to inspire gains in student learning is through America’s dedicated and hard-working teachers. 

College Cost Reduction Act
When it comes to helping college students, Susan is a cosponsor to the College Cost Reduction Act of 2007 (H.R. 2669) -- the single largest investment in higher education in decades.  The $19 billion initiative cuts student loan interest rates by half, greatly increases Pell Grant funding, and provides loan forgiveness for those entering public service.  Students entering college today will save thousands student loan interest costs once H.R. 2669 is signed into law.  During debate on H.R. 2669 on the Education and Labor Committee, Susan offered an amendment to giving the men and women who serve in the military a temporary deferment from repaying student loans after returning home from combat when they are activated while in college.