Education

I am a proud product of the Nevada public school system and a supporter of our public schools and teachers across the state.

I believe education is a top priority for Nevada and  the nation and I do not believe that unelected federal bureaucrats are a better judge of educational practices than our local teachers, school administrators, parents and community leaders.

The Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), most recently passed as the No Child Left Behind Act in 2002, has been due for reauthorization since 2007. One of Congress’ priorities this session is the reauthorization of the ESEA. When the ESEA is reauthorized it should include revisions that give our children every opportunity for success by eliminating bureaucratic roadblocks and implementing best practices in education quality and school policy.

While I believe America's children have unlimited potential, the schools that serve them require significant improvement. America is increasingly losing its global competitiveness, which we must regain through educational curriculum focused on science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) courses.

Our nation is unique in its diversity, its economy and its vision. Although I do not believe we should pattern ourselves after any other country, it is helpful to look to other countries with well-educated citizens, like Germany and India, to see what successes they have achieved. Some of these successes, particularly in STEM curricula areas, may provide seeds for ideas that could be reworked and implemented for American students.

I also believe that while all teachers should be given a base salary, creating incentive bonuses for teachers that are tied to improved student performance would encourage increased creativity and enthusiasm in the classroom. Better teachers should receive compensation for their skills and additional efforts. 

Such incentives would also encourage well-educated individuals to enter into and to stick with teaching, which will itself promote improved student performance. Ultimately, teacher pay is something that schools and local administrators should determine.

I care deeply about the future of our nation's educational system and believe we need to empower local leaders to allocate funds which will improve student achievement and then determine what path is best for their students to take.

I recently joined the House in passing the reauthorization of  the ESEA, the Student Success Act (H.R. 5). This legislation would allow the allocation of funds to meet the needs of each state, including family engagement initiatives as determined by local authorities.

H.R. 5 aims to put the power of education decision making back in the hands of local communities and states. The legislation aims to restore local control of education, reduce the federal footprint, improve teacher effectiveness and empower parents. H.R. 5 would make several substantive changes to current law, most notably eliminating the over burdensome Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) standard set by the No Child Left Behind initiative and repealing the ‘Highly Qualified Teacher’ requirements that do not constitute teacher effectiveness. H.R. 5 creates and maintains a rural education program within the Department of Education and gives local leaders the ability to fund career and technical programs at the need of the state or locality.

H.R. 5 would also consolidate 70 of the duplicative and wasteful Department of Education K-12 programs into one Local Academic Flexibility Grant for schools to promote academic achievement, allowing state and local autonomy over decisions in the classroom. Additionally, H.R. 5 gives parents more school choice through public school vouchers and limits the authority of the department of education to circumvent Congress in educational policy. H.R. 5 currently awaits further action by the Senate.

Legislative Action in the 113^th Congress:

Original cosponsor of the A PLUS Act  (H.R. 2456)

Cosponsor of the School Nutrition Flexibility Act (H.R. 1303)

Letter to Secretary of Education concerning Common Core privacy information

Letter to Senate Leadership urging passage of Student Loan Interest Legislation  (Polis, Meehan)

Letter to House Education and Workforce Committee Urging the Reauthorization of the ESEA