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Increasing the affordability and accessibility of our nation’s educational institutions is fundamental to our economic growth and our role in the global economy. Now more than ever we need to reassure our nation’s youth that we are willing to invest in their future and in our future as a nation. Education is the key to succeeding in our modern workforce. We must do everything in our power to guarantee a quality education to every child.
As we now know, education does not begin in kindergarten. That is why the Head Start program is so important. In 2006, Head Start gave over 900,000 American children an early start on education. With my active support, in November 2007, the House passed H.R. 1429, the Improving Head Start Act of 2007, which was signed into law in December 2007. The legislation ensures that a greater number of Head Start teachers are trained and educated in early childhood development. It also strengthens Head Start’s academic standards by emphasizing cognitive development and the results of scientifically-based research in topics critical to children’s school readiness. The Head Start program has received increases in funding of varying levels over the past two decades. The FY 2009 appropriation bill provides over $7 billion for Head Start, approximately $235 million over 2008.
Head Start gets children on the right path, and the No Child Left Behind Act seeks to ensure that every child remains on the educational road to success. The reauthorization of No Child Left Behind will be considered during this Congress. I look forward to working with my colleagues to secure even more effective ways of improving the quality of education for our children. Children will no longer be passed along to the next grade without being properly prepared for success. We must never give up on any child; they may learn at different rates, but every young student must be accounted for under the law.
Because every child is important, the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA), with my support, was passed by Congress and became law. IDEA provides billions of dollars in federal funding to assist states and local communities in providing free public education in the least restrictive environments for students with varying degrees of disabilities. The program has received consecutive increases in funding, receiving $11.5 billion in FY 2009.
Accessibility to education should not end with high school. College degrees are increasingly necessary for high paying jobs in the modern workforce. With the help of my colleagues, I have worked hard to ensure that everyone has access to a college education. Congress approved over $1.9 billion in FY 2009 for direct financial assistance to students and an all time high of approximately $17.3 billion for Pell Grants- financial aid awards made directly to college students.
With my support, the House passed the College Student Relief Act of 2007, in January 2007. The College Student Relief Act will affect 5.5 million people—middle and low income individuals and their families. Within the last five years, interest rates on student loans have increased by 2 percentage points. A typical student graduates from college with $17, 500 in debt. The Department of Education estimates that over the next decade, 4.4 million high school graduates will be unable to attend a four year college due to the cost. H.R. 5 cuts interest rates for undergraduate borrowers of subsidized student loans from 6.8% to 3.4%. This started to take effect on July 1, 2007. As higher education becomes increasingly important in the workforce, Congress must work to make certain that our Colleges and Universities are accessible to students irrespective of their financial situations.
I know that education is the key to success. I am committed to the challenge and will continue to fight to improve the quality of education our children receive.
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