Quality Public Education for All

Having been a teacher and principal in the public school system, I am acutely aware that providing education is a necessary and vital function of government. Improving education is crucial to ensuring that all people have the opportunity to succeed. My view of improving education is not limited to our youngest children. Our government must also provide for further education through increased college grants and continuing education for our workforce. Our schools cannot succeed without high quality teachers and I am committed to expanding programs that reward individuals for public service in education and elsewhere.

Replace No Child Left Behind. I strongly support full funding of our education system, even in a short-term fiscal crisis. However, I believe No Child Left Behind is poor policy made by a conservative administration. While it highlights the need to force school districts to increase their focus on minority and special education communities, its singular focus on testing and punitive measures when schools do not meet standards will only worsen the outcomes for our most needy students. I support a system which stops taking money away from the public schools system. We need to allow localized curriculum development and invest time and money in recruiting better teachers. To that end, instead of fully funding No Child Left Behind, I would support creating a national program that will train and reward college graduates who want to teach in the public school system. This program will help pay for their college loans. By easing the financial burden on energetic young individuals, this program will increase the incentives for talented people to serve our children.

Create high-tech classrooms. When elected, I will secure funds for capital improvements so that all students in the Hudson Valley can have access to cutting-edge technology. More computer labs, better science equipment, and increased access to recent educational technology will help our students become leaders in the twenty-first century workforce.