Kirsten Gillibrand United States Senator for New York
Education
"Investing in education is the most important investment we can make." -Kirsten Gillibrand, U.S. Senator
Sending More Students To College
The cost of attending college has risen almost four times faster than median incomes over the past 20 years, making college unaffordable for millions of New Yorkers.
Senator Gillibrand believes that a good education is a critical foundation for future success. She has been a strong supporter of legislation to make college more affordable. Last year, Senator Gillibrand voted for the largest increase in student aid since the GI Bill. In addition, she sponsored the College Affordability Tax Relief Act, to allow families to deduct up to $10,000 of the cost of college tuition from their federal taxes. Senator Gillibrand offered an amendment to the America COMPETES Act to provide scholarships for students who go into critical fields like engineering, technology, and mathematics.
Improving Childhood Education
As a mother of two young children, Senator Gillibrand is a strong supporter of improving early childhood and elementary education. She voted to reauthorize and expand the Head Start program. Senator Gillibrand strongly believes that No Child Left Behind must be revised to support teachers and provide adequate funding for urban and rural schools that need assistance.
Keeping Our Teachers
Senator Gillibrand is focused on ensuring educational opportunities, particularly during tough economic times. She worked both in the House of Representatives and Senate to secure an additional $2.5 billion this year for New York schools to prevent teacher layoffs and ensure students are not affected by budget cuts. Senator Gillibrand worked to provide $52.9 million in education technology funding so that schools from Glen Cove to Glens Falls could receive incentive grants for meeting key education performance measures and other high-priority needs such as public safety services.
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