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On the Issues
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Education
For the latest developments on Senator Lieberman's work on education issues, click here.
Innovation. In 2007, Senator Lieberman joined Senators Reid and McConnell in introducing the bipartisan America COMPETES Act that addresses the challenges in keeping the U.S. competitive in the global economy. The act passed the Senate by a vote of 88-8 and was signed into law by President Bush, becoming Public Law 110-69. This law includes many of the provisions of the National Innovations Act (NIA), authored by Senators Lieberman and Ensign. The NIA was based on the recommendations of the Council on Competitiveness and the National Academies "Rising Above the Gathering Storm" report, which makes it clear that we owe the economic vitality of the nation to the productivity of highly-trained people and the innovations they produce. This law addresses recommendations in these reports to support the nation's future health and vitality by ensuring that America remains the leader in innovation, research, and in the training of scientists and engineers. The law authorizes funding to help ensure that high school graduates are prepared to succeed in college; to increase the number of students graduating with degrees in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields; and provides professional development for current teachers in these subjects. In 2002, Senator Lieberman authored and helped win passage of the Tech Talent bill, to help fill the emerging high-tech talent gap in the U.S. labor market by spurring American universities to increase their math and science graduates. Included in the America COMPETES Act is a section reauthorizing and increasing funding for the National Science Foundation's Tech Talent (now known as the STEM Talent Expansion Program or STEP), which supports innovative higher education programs to increase the number of graduates in STEM fields. In the 108th Congress, Senator Lieberman was the lead Democratic sponsor of the 21st Century Pell Grant Plus Act, which he introduced with Senator Warner. This bill sought to encourage college students to study math, science, engineering, and critical foreign languages, skills critical to our economic health and security. The measure provided that students majoring in these fields would receive Pell grants of twice the amount they would otherwise be entitled to. A modified version of this bill was signed into law as part of the Higher Education Reconciliation Act of 2005.
No Child Left Behind. In 2001 Senator Lieberman worked hard to enact the No Child Left Behind law to guarantee that every child receives the attention he or she needs to succeed and excel in school and the workplace. He believes that improving our education system is a moral imperative. The law must soon be reauthorized, and in 2007 he held roundtable discussions to gather input from citizens and educators in Connecticut. Throughout the reauthorization process, he is committed to maintaining high standards and the basic principle that each child in America should have the tools to succeed in life.
On July 18, 2007, Senator Lieberman (ID-CT), along with Senator Mary Landrieu (D-LA) and Senator Norm Coleman (R-MN), unveiled legislation aimed at improving the current No Child Left Behind law. The Senators announced the All Students Can Achieve Act of 2007 (ASCA), introduced on August 3, 2007 as S. 2001, which focuses on improving teacher effectiveness and raising education standards for America's students. The Senators were joined at a press conference by former Georgia Governor Roy Barnes of the Aspen Institute's Commission on No Child Left Behind, Chancellor Joel Klein of the New York City Public Schools and Chancellor Michelle Rhee of the Washington, DC Public Schools. ASCA makes a number of important improvements to the No Child Left Behind law, while continuing its goal of ensuring that each and every student in America's public schools get a first-rate education. One of the bill's important aims is to increase teacher quality by more accurately measuring teacher success, improving teacher training and support, and encouraging the best and brightest to enter the teaching profession. Instead of the traditional focus on certification systems and years of experience, teachers should be evaluated, among other things, by the demonstrated improvement of the students in their classrooms. By focusing on student achievement, we can better understand which schools and classrooms need extra help and what kinds of professional development programs for teachers are the most effective. States and districts should be encouraged to place their most talented teachers in the schools that need the most help, so that the quality of a child's education does not depend on where he or she lives. State and local officials should also be free to experiment with recruitment initiatives and incentive systems to encourage bright, talented individuals to enter the teaching profession. For more information on "All Students Can Achieve," click here.
Instructional Technology. Senator Lieberman believes technology has been a driving force behind globalization. It is apparent that around the country more and more States are recognizing the importance of technology in the classroom and are in the process of transitioning from traditional methods of teaching to technology-based instruction and management. The funding source for many State initiatives in technology comes from the Enhancing Education Through Technology (EETT) program. The EETT program seeks to improve student achievement through the use of technology in schools. President Bush's budgets have repeatedly recommended eliminating this program. Senator Lieberman, working together with Senator Snowe, has spearheaded efforts to retain funding for the EETT program. Senator Lieberman recognizes the importance of EETT funds which support the key pillars of No Child Left Behind and the competitiveness efforts.
Higher Education. Senator Lieberman has long been concerned about the need to make the promise of a quality higher education a reality for more Americans. In this regard, he has focused on three pillars for strengthening higher education in America: resources - making college more affordable to students; readiness - ensuring that students are prepared for college when they graduate high school; and results - making sure that students graduate and move into high-wage jobs. He has encouraged partnerships between P - 12 and higher education systems to promote academic success in postsecondary education, to increase the percentage of academically prepared low-income and minority students, and to decrease percentage of college students requiring remedial coursework. A version of his legislation to promote P-16 alignment was included in the America COMPETES bill, now law. He has cosponsored bills to make college more affordable for students and their families by increasing Pell grants, reducing interest payments, and by making existing financial aid more flexible and accessible. He also cosponsored bills to provide college students with basic rights, and provide for income contingent loan repayments. Many of these provisions were enacted into law as part of the College Cost Reduction and Access Act of 2007.
Charter Schools. Senator Lieberman is one of the leading advocates of the charter school movement in Congress. He coauthored legislation in 1994 that created the federal charter school program, which provides critical start-up funding. And he sponsored and won passage of legislation in 1998 that substantially expanded the charter program and provided new incentives for states to start charter schools.
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Federal Resources
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Senator Lieberman has spearheaded efforts to reform America's educational system by boosting federal funding, expanding access to quality education, challenging educators to raise standards, and providing all Americans with the skills to compete in the global economy through the introduction of innovative legislation.