Rep. Carson Introduces Legislation to Increase Education Access and Quality, Support Students and Teachers

Washington, DC – Congressman André Carson (IN-07) recently introduced two new bills to improve American education that support students and teachers alike.  

The Students Helping Young Students Act (H.R. 8550) will invest in college students who support and mentor K-12 students in after school activities. Currently, after school activities are not considered a community service under the Federal Work-Study program. Rep. Carson’s bill changes this by allowing college students to access Federal Work-Study funds for their participation in after school activities. Moreover, this legislation requires eligible schools to allocate federal funds to students who want to work with after-school programs. Through these changes, students who want to serve their community can be compensated for their important work, and the younger students will benefit from this mentorship, which has been shown to dramatically improve one’s educational achievements. This legislation has been endorsed by MENTOR: the National Mentoring Partnership. 

The second bill, the Interstate Teaching Mobility Act (H.R. 8551) will create a new voluntary program at the Department of Education (DOE) to allow licensed teachers to use their licenses across state lines. Currently, there is a troubling shortage of teachers in America that is partially caused by inconsistent and often cumbersome state-by-state certification and assessment requirements. These obstacles prevent many from teaching, which negatively impacts countless schools and students, particularly in under-served communities. Rep. Carson’s legislation will help America’s education system catch up to our increasingly mobile society by allowing teachers to more easily take teaching positions across state lines and at schools that desperately need teachers. This legislation has been endorsed by the National Education Association (NEA) and Third Way.  

“I am extremely pleased to introduce these two pieces of legislation that will help improve our education system,” Congressman Carson said. “The current COVID-19 crisis has further revealed the need to ensure our education system is adaptable and responsive to the challenges we face. However, even before this crisis hit, it was clear persistent inefficiencies and unnecessary obstacles were hurting teachers and students alike. It’s long past time that we make the kind of changes I am proposing in these bills. Both will help to ensure a high-quality education and secure increased community support and engagement in education.”