Education
Congressman Dutch Ruppersberger comes from a family of educators: his wife, mother, sister and sister-in-law were all teachers in the Baltimore area and his son-in-law is a university administrator. So he understands that investing in the future of all young people is the key to creating and sustaining jobs. Dutch believes:
Education funding is a strategic investment – even during tough times.
As we make difficult budget decisions to reign in the federal deficit, Dutch believes that education should remain a top priority. As an appropriator, he advocates for full education funding each year, especially for formula grant programs that ensure ALL students have an equal opportunity to obtain a high-quality education, like Title 1 and IDEA. Dutch also supports funding to ensure children can learn in modern and energy-efficient buildings. On average, public schools across the country are more than 40-years-old and need an estimated $500 billion in repairs and upgrades.
We must show the teaching profession the respect it deserves.
Teachers aren’t only instructors – they are nurturers. As Baltimore County Executive, Dutch fought to give all teachers a pay raise. Dutch supports federal incentives for teacher preparation programs and professional development. He also helped pass legislation to extend the tax deduction for certain expenses of elementary and secondary school teachers. He believes we must do whatever we can to recruit and retain the best teachers we can, especially from under-represented groups.
Federal education policy should ensure equal access and that schools and teachers are held accountable in a way that makes sense.
Dutch supported the successful effort to replace “No Child Left Behind” with the “Every Student Succeeds Act” in December 2015. While Dutch supported the goals of “No Child,” it shifted too much control away from our states and focused too much on punishing failure instead of rewarding success. He believes we should reduce the number of federally-mandated standardized tests and use multiple measures to evaluate school and student success. He does not support federal mandates that base teacher evaluations on such tests.
College must be more affordable.
American college students now owe $1.2 trillion in education loans, which is second only to home mortgages in terms of consumer debt. Dutch supports legislation allowing federal student loans to be refinanced – like mortgages – when interest rates decline and expanding federal loan forgiveness programs for students who choose certain careers, like teachers. He helped pass legislation to strengthen the Pell Grant program and the American Opportunity Tax Credit for tuition and related expenses. As a STEM education champion, Dutch supports funding for scholarships to re-train retired STEM professionals as teachers.
Related Cosponsorships
Early Childhood Nutrition Improvement Act
Veteran Education Empowerment Act
Bank on Students Emergency Loan Refinancing Act
Safe Schools Improvement Act of 2015
Student Non-Descrimination Act of 2015
More on Education
(Washington, DC) – Congressman C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger, along with U.S. Senators Ben Cardin and Barbara A. Mikulski, as well as U.S. Representatives Steny H. Hoyer, Elijah Cummings, Chris Van Hollen, John Sarbanes, Donna F. Edwards and John Delaney (all D-Md.), announced Tuesday that Maryland has been awarded $15 million through the Preschool Development Grants program to provide high-quality preschool programs in 19 school districts across Maryland.
Congressman C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger invites all Second District constituents to workshops for those who need assistance securing financial aid for college. “College is Possible: Tips on How to Get in and How to Pay for It,” will be held at two locations in Baltimore and feature financial aid experts to help students and parents learn about ways to make the dream of going to college a reality. The event is free and open to all Second District residents.
(Baltimore, MD) – Congressman C.A. Dutch along with U.S. Senators Ben Cardin and Barbara A. Mikulski as well as Representatives Elijah Cummings and John Sarbanes (All D-Md.) today strongly lauded an announcement that Baltimore City Public Schools will receive more than $2.374 million in funding through the U.S. Department of Education Promoting Student Resilience grant program.
(Washington, DC) — Congressman C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger was represented today at the White House by local midshipman Dustin Shackleford as President Obama awarded the U.S. Naval Academy the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy for their 2015 victory in the round-robin college football series among the U.S. service academies.
(Washington, DC) -- Congressman C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger, along with U.S. Senators Barbara A. Mikulski and Ben Cardin, as well as U.S. Representatives Steny H. Hoyer, Elijah Cummings, Chris Van Hollen, John Sarbanes, Donna F. Edwards and John Delaney (all D-Md.) today announced the State of Maryland has been awarded $15 million through the Department of Education’s Preschool Development Grant program to provide high-quality preschool programs in 18 school districts across Maryland.
As many high-school and college students across the state head back to class this week, the Maryland Congressional delegation is working hard to ensure their education comes without crushing debt.
The cost of college has soared more than 300% in the last 30 years and student loan debt in the United States now exceeds $1.2 trillion – even more than credit card debt. Because that debt keeps young people from buying a home, saving for retirement, or even starting a family, it hurts our entire economy.
(Timonium, MD) – Congressman C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger today presented awards to the winners of his first-ever annual high school “App Challenge,” three students from Chesapeake High School in Essex. The academic competition, which was open to all high school students who reside in Maryland’s Second Congressional District, required students to create an original software application for mobile, tablet or other computer device on a platform of their choice.
Ruppersberger Launches “Faces of the Unemployed” Project, Urges Vote to Extend Unemployment Benefits
(Hanover, MD) – Congressman C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger (D-MD) on Monday was joined by jobless Marylanders in urging House leaders to allow a vote to restore unemployment insurance to nearly 33,900 Marylanders who have lost their benefits since the program’s expiration on December 28. A 5-month extension passed the U.S. Senate in April but, to date, House Republicans have blocked consideration of 11 bills to restore this vital safety net.
(Timonium, MD) – Are you a tech-savvy high school student who dreams of being the next Mark Zuckerberg? Have an idea for the next Candy Crush or Instagram? Congressman C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger is inviting you to compete in his first-ever annual “App” Challenge!
I am proud to announce an important step forward for my bill H.R. 3101, the Right Start Child Care and Education Act of 2013 (RSCCEA).
Recently, major provisions of my legislation were included in a bill which cleared the Senate, S. 1086, sponsored by Senator Mikulski, by a vote of 96 - 2. The language was included by Senator Boxer who introduced H.R. 3101’s Senate companion, S. 56. I am glad to see that several provisions from my Right Start tax credit legislation are moving forward. These tax credits will help many families around the country.