Latest News :

• 3.18.2010 - OPENING STATEMENT OF REP. MIKE CASTLE (R-DE), SENIOR REPUBLICAN, SUBCOMMITTEE ON EARLY CHILDHOOD, ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION
• 9.29.2010 - National Education Summit
• 9.28.2010 - CASTLE TO PARTICIPATE IN NBC'S NATIONAL EDUCATION SUMMIT
• 9.24.2010 - GILLIBRAND, POLIS, CASTLE INTRODUCE NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION ACT REAUTHORIZATION
• 8.30.2010 - CASTLE VISITS LOCAL CHILD CARE CENTER, URGES PASSAGE OF CHILD NUTRITION REAUTHORIZATION
• 8.4.2010 - Financial Education for College Access and Success Grant Program

Congressman Mike Castle believes all children should have access to a quality education.  When he served as Governor of Delaware (1985-1992), he reduced class size in elementary grades, worked to improve teacher education and advancement, raised teacher salaries and challenged institutes of higher education to lower their tuition.  Mike Castle has continued his commitment to education as Ranking Member of the Education and Labor's Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary and Secondary Education, where he has been active in some of the most important education and school nutrition initiatives of our time.

No Child Left Behind

• Republicans and Democrats collaborated to develop this landmark education proposal.

• Federal funding for education in Delaware has increased by more than 68.7 percent since the inception of this law in 2001.

• NCLB has many successes in DE.  Rep. Castle believes NCLB has helped disadvantaged students raise their level of achievement, and can continue to do so by giving states flexibility.

• The Vision 2015 proposal in Delaware compliments NCLB and has the potential to help every child to reach proficiency.  An important part of NCLB is that it allows states to remain flexible, and Vision 2015 is a good example of this.

Head Start

• In December of 2007, Congress passed and President Bush signed the "Improving Head Start for School Readiness Act" (H.R. 1429), which provides low-income children with access to educational, health, nutritional, and social services.

• Congressman Castle has authored Head Start bills for several years with his colleagues Reps. Miller (D-CA), Kildee (D-MI), and McKeon (R-CA).  These bipartisan laws have produced the successful Head Start program so more children are able to benefit.

• Since 1965, Head Start has served nearly 20 million low-income children and their families and currently serves over 900,000 children every day across the United States.  In Delaware, Head Start programs serve over 2,000 children, with over 800 additional three and four year olds receiving assistance through state government funding.

• Congressman Castle has advocated for Head Start teacher quality and improved fiscal management of Head Start programs.  He strongly supports Head Start and its potential to equip children for school.

Higher Education

• As a senior Member of the subcommittee overseeing higher education legislation, Congressman Castle has worked for over a decade on behalf of students and families in the effort to solve the college cost crisis, where tuition is outpacing annual family household income.

• He voted in support of legislation (H.R. 4137) which addresses the soaring price attending college and removes other obstacles that make it harder for qualified students to attend institutions of higher education.

• Congressman Castle voted in support of legislation (H.R. 2669) which provides funding for programs including; incentives for low tuition, funding for Minority Serving Institutions, and loan deferment for members of the Armed Forces at no new cost to taxpayers.

• He is outspoken on the skyrocketing cost of obtaining a college education or advanced degree and has advanced legislation to increase the transparency of college costs to ensure colleges and universities are being held accountable for tuition increases, to help students and schools keep textbooks accessible and affordable, and improve the efficiency of the financial aid process.