Issue Position: Education

Issue Position

Education is not only the right of every child; it is the cornerstone of America's economic future. It is a simple truth that nations who out-educate us now will out-compete us in the future. Now more than ever, we must commit to our national education system by investing in our public K-12 schools. Congress can help drive innovation and provide the robust resources that give every child the opportunity to receive a high-quality education, regardless of their ZIP code.

I am proud to support federal investments like Head Start, as well as a proposed package of robust funding for our youngest students, including a federal-state partnership to help get more students into pre-K classrooms and extend vital early childhood education opportunities to more families. Additionally, Title I funding is a critical investment that helps even the playing field for schools that serve low-income families.

As a Floridian and a mother of three students in the Broward public schools, I understand that we must continue to ensure that our schools have the funding to retain top-notch teachers and provide our children with the resources they need to succeed. Teachers are our best resource for our kids, and they can and must be brought in as partners as we move our nation's education policy forward. Teachers must be treated as the professionals they are, and with the respect, resources, and compensation they deserve.

As you may know, Congress has been discussing the reauthorization of No Child Left Behind, the nation's primary legislation concerning the education of children in public K-12 schools. As currently written, it is burdensome, outdated, and insufficient for providing our children with the 21st-century education they deserve. My own kids are in South Florida public schools and I have seen some of the problems with this law up-close. I urge Congress to diligently reauthorize this bill with meaningful reforms, and please be assured that I will continue to call for higher standards, better assessments, and equity for all students, along with rewarding excellence, and supporting our teachers.

I am committed to working with my colleagues in the House and with the President to provide a high-quality education to all of America's students, creating a nation prepared for the challenges of the 21st century.

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