Issue Position: Education

Issue Position

Knowledge is opportunity, and knowledge is power. The long-term success of the American economy -- of America itself -- lies in the strength of our system of education. Our schools were once were the envy of the world, and they will be again. We must ensure that our students are learning the skills they need to regain a competitive edge and innovate -- like S.T.E.M. subjects and the four Cs of a 21st century education (critical thinking, collaboration, communication and creativity).

Closing the Opportunity and Achievement Gap

Many families, including mine, reap the benefits of strong public school districts. In many schools, American students are exposed to superb teachers, a wide variety of academic subjects and after-school enrichment activities.

But not all American children enjoy equal access to a high quality public education. Despite the commitment in the United States to the idea of an equal education for all, there remains a stubborn disparity between educational outcomes for children of different backgrounds and family incomes -- and it's growing. Connecticut ranks at the very bottom, with one of the widest achievement gaps of the fifty states. We must reduce that gap.

To help improve our public schools and keep our educational standards high, I voted for the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. The Recovery Act included funding for many important education initiatives. Every city and town in the Fourth District received important funds that helped keep teachers at work.

Early Childhood Education

In his State of the Union speech this year, President Obama called on Congress to make comprehensive, high quality preschool available to every American child. Research definitively shows that investing in the education of our youngest students makes a big impact on their academic careers. Yet fewer than a third of American 4-year-olds currently attend pre-K. Research shows that students enrolled in the head start program are significantly more likely than their non-Head Start peers to complete high school and attend college. I am especially pleased that Governor Malloy is working to ensure statewide access to pre-Kindergarten programs here in Connecticut, and I will continue to be his partner in that important endeavor.

Nationally, I have worked with my colleagues in the House and Senate to make sure that early childhood education ("ECE") programs are continuously improving, while reaching as many children as possible. Head Start and Early Head Start are great examples of ECE programs that have repeatedly proved their worth by substantially improving educational outcomes for low-income children.

Much more is needed. This year, I introduced two pieces of legislation that will improve our early childhood education programs and provide easier access to them as well. The Total Learning Act creates community partnerships that implement high quality early childhood curricula. The Total Learning Program at Bridgeport's Action for Community Development was the model for this legislation and is the gold standard with its use of multiple modalities, integration of social services and high level of parent involvement. And the Supporting Early Learning Act establishes two competitive grant programs ($350 million total in its first year) that will help states better their early learning systems. While all students stand to gain from these innovations, I am especially focused on improving outcomes for students from low-income neighborhoods.

Making College Affordable Again

College or post-graduate training is no longer a luxury. Yet more and more high school graduates are turning away from the spiraling cost of college and an uncertain future saddled with tuition debt.

Here in Connecticut, my office hosts an annual workshop on college affordability. The feedback from students and parents has been loud and clear: We need to make college affordable again. That's why I voted to increase Pell grants and improve access to college work-study programs. I supported legislation that prevented interest rates on student loans from doubling from 3.4 to 6.8 percent. And, most importantly, my colleagues and I passed the bipartisan Student Loan Certainty Act. That law stopped federal student loan rates from doubling last summer and fixed the interest rate for the life of the loan, providing certainty to borrowers.

Celebrating Local Success

In the face of so many challenges, it is important to stop and celebrate our victories. I was proud to announce last September that three of our district's schools -- St. Jude School in Monroe, Staples HS in Westport, and Weston HS -- were among the 286 National Blue Ribbon Schools of 2013. These schools set the national bar for high learning standards or extraordinary gains toward high standards. And I was thrilled that President Obama gave the Presidential Award for Excellence in Math and Science Teaching, an award given to only 102 educators nationwide, to Maren Sussman from the New Canaan Public Schools and Mary Servino from Bridgeport's Interdistrict Discovery Magnet School.

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