Education

Federal education spending continues to increase.  One-size-fits-all education policies continue to be forced upon local schools and ordinary American families.  Yet academic achievement has remained stagnant.

Our children, as the result of Washington bureaucrats, are falling victim to misguided policy decisions.

Federal policies, including No Child Left Behind and Race to the Top, have destroyed the ability of teachers, parents, and local school administrators to implement the best curriculum for their local schools.  Students are being prepared for end-of-grade tests, but not for the future.

Common Core standards, though not currently implemented at the federal level, mimic the same one-size-fits-all approach of the federal bureaucracy.  In response, I have co-sponsored House Resolution 476, which strongly denounces President Obama’s efforts to coerce states into adopting Common Core.

Parents and classroom teachers know their students the best, so our first priority should be returning education authority back to the states.  The Student Success Act (H.R. 5), which I helped pass, addresses the burdensome and ineffective provisions of No Child Left Behind and removes unnecessary red tape.  By giving local leaders more control over education decisions, we can restore accountability in our education system.

The Student Success Act also promotes school choice.  Parental choice is critical to education reform, promoting innovation and competition in schools.  Studies have shown students are much more likely to graduate when their parents are involved in their education.

As we work to return education authority to the states, we must fully support quality teachers and ensure they are appropriately compensated for the important work they do.  We must also urge teachers’ unions to end the illogical and counter-productive practice of preserving jobs for unqualified, unfit teachers.  Our children and our dedicated teachers deserve better.

Too many students graduate from college with a mountain of student loan debt, and sometimes find themselves unprepared for in-demand jobs.  The Smarter Solutions for Students Act (H.R. 1911), which I supported, prevented student loan interest rates from doubling and provides more certainty for students by removing politics from the process.

Students and their parents should have access to the best information available when choosing a college, including which colleges graduate the best prepared students.  The Strengthening Transparency in Higher Education Act (H.R. 4983), which I helped pass in July, simplifies and streamlines the publicly-available information regarding institutions of higher learning.

For years, Washington has tried throwing money at education, hoping for better results.  Now is the time to empower our communities to bring genuine improvement to our education system.