Education a Priority for Some Freshmen in Congress

By Michelle R. Davis and Erik W. Robelen

As the new crop of members of the House and Senate begin to find their footing in the 109th Congress, those with an interest in education say they want to do everything from push for tax credits for private school tuition to tinker with the No Child Left Behind Act.

The newcomers run the gamut from political greenhorns to experienced elected officials. But they all have one thing in common: They want to have an impact.

The House has 41 freshman members, and the Senate has nine. As they await their committee assignments, wandering through the maze that is the U.S. Capitol and scrounging for office furniture in temporary spaces, most of them are also thinking about what they want to accomplish in the next two or...