Education
We must ensure that every child in the United States has access to a high-quality education. I am committed to increasing our nation’s investment in early learning programs, elementary and secondary schools, public universities, and career and technical education programs. I will fight for policies that strengthen our education system by closing the achievement gap, raising standards for student achievement, and giving our teachers the support they need to help all kids reach their full potential. I understand that having a well-educated workforce is critical for our nation to remain competitive in a 21st century economy.
To guarantee that all students are given an opportunity to succeed, Congress must do more to meet the challenges facing our schools. I believe we need to reauthorize the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) to ensure that all graduating students are college- and career-ready, and to reauthorize the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) to support job training efforts for the careers of tomorrow. I believe we need to expand access to higher education by strengthening the Pell Grant program, and to reduce the burden of student debt by protecting low interest rates for federal student loans. I also believe we need to do more to support STEM education, as well as student innovation and creativity. I am committed to working with my colleagues in Congress to support each of these goals for the people of the 1st Congressional District.
More on Education
WASHINGTON, DC – Congresswoman Suzan DelBene released the following statement on today’s draft order from Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Tom Wheeler to permanently increase the funding cap of the federal E-rate program, which has provided vital assistance to schools and libraries with the cost of telecommunications and Internet services since 1997:
Led by Rep. Suzan DelBene (D-WA), Rep. Ron Kind (D-WI), Rep. Scott Peters (D-CA) and Rep. Jared Polis (D-CO), 43 New Democrat Coalition Members sent a letter to Dr. Ralph Cicerone, President of the National Academy of Sciences, requesting a report on the state of digital literacy in America’s education system. The Coalition argued that “in a more connected and technologically-advanced economy, digital literacy is fundamental.” In a similar letter, Coalition leaders received the bipartisan support of Rep. Charlie Dent (R-PA) and Rep.
The school district here is getting federal money to pay expenses related to the Oso mudslide.
The U.S. Department of Education awarded the district a $10,341 Project School Emergency Response to Violence grant. The grant program, also know as Project SERV, is intended to cover costs for schools affected by a violent or traumatic event. Darrington was granted its full request for funding, said McKenzie Boyd, the district’s business manager.
The Bear Creek School (TBCS) was one of 50 private schools nationwide selected as a Blue Ribbon School of Excellence on Tuesday, and the only school in the state of Washington, public or private, recognized this year by U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan.
Today, Congresswoman Suzan DelBene announced that the Department of Education has recognized the Bear Creek School in Redmond as a National Blue Ribbon School of 2014. The National Blue Ribbon Schools Program recognizes schools based on their overall academic excellence. The Bear Creek School was selected because their standardized test scores in reading and math placed them among the top-performing schools in the state, and their graduation rate was 95% or higher.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congresswoman Suzan DelBene welcomed an announcement from U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today that the USDA will begin taking applications from states for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Employment and Training (SNAP E&T) pilot program, which was included by Rep. DelBene in the Farm Bill reauthorization enacted earlier this year. The provision is based on a bill Rep. DelBene introduced called the Enhancing Employment and Training Through Education Act of 2013 (H.R. 1929).
WASHINGTON, DC – This week, many Washington parents are receiving letters from school districts about their schools’ failure to meet adequate yearly progress (AYP) standards under the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act. Under NCLB, schools’ AYP status this year is based on whether 100 percent of students pass the state reading and math assessments—a goal that is simply unattainable. Congresswoman Suzan DelBene released the following statement today about these letters and the flawed federal policy that categorizes most schools in Washington as failing:
WASHINGTON, DC – Congresswoman Suzan DelBene released the following statement reacting to today’s draft order from Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Tom Wheeler to update the federal E-rate program, which has provided critical discounts for schools and libraries for telecommunications and Internet services since its enactment in 1997:
MOUNT VERNON — Rep. Suzan DelBene stopped by Skagit Valley College’s Mount Vernon campus Monday morning in part to see the campus’ new Lewis Hall take shape.
THE skyrocketing price of textbooks is one reason more college students are finding higher education increasingly unaffordable. “Open” texts — free or low-cost online alternatives to the printed renditions — are a promising potential solution. Students seem to love ’em.
But there need to be more open textbooks, and they should be as good, or better, than the materials they replace. Only then will more professors embrace them and start ordering them for their classes.