Federal

Democrats in House Offer Their Own Agenda on Education

June 21, 2005 2 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print

House Democrats gathered on Capitol Hill last week to outline their “Strengthen Our Schools” agenda, with an emphasis on teacher-quality measures, expanded access to preschool, and far higher spending on some federal programs.

“Democrats believe that we must expand opportunities with a vibrant public education system which truly leaves no child behind,” Rep. Nancy Pelosi of California, the House minority leader, said at the June 14 event. “Yet Republicans insist on giving tax breaks to the superwealthy while shortchanging programs like Head Start, No Child Left Behind, student loans and grants, and other education initiatives by billions of dollars.”

She was flanked by a group of college students, some wearing school sweatshirts that seemed a bit out of place on a blisteringly hot day.

Some of the proposals touch on familiar territory for Democrats, such as subsidizing school construction and modernization, making college more affordable, and providing “full funding” for the No Child Left Behind Act and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.

One of the newer ideas is a comprehensive teacher-quality plan put together by Rep. George Miller of California, the ranking Democrat on the House Education and the Workforce Committee. The measure has broad support, ranging from the two national teachers’ unions to the Business Roundtable, an influential Washington lobbying group for corporate chief executives.

Professional Incentives

Mr. Miller’s bill would authorize a range of initiatives aimed at ensuring all children are taught by highly qualified teachers. For example, it calls for $2.2 billion to increase salaries for exemplary teachers who agree to teach in high-need schools. It would authorize $200 million for recruiting math and science teachers, and an equal amount for building career ladders in teaching. All told, the bill would authorize $3.4 billion, not including the cost of college scholarships and loan forgiveness, which would depend on the number of recipients.

Alexa Marrero, a spokeswoman for Republicans on the House education committee, questioned how Democrats would pay for the initiatives they put forth last week.

“Would other education programs be cut?” she said in an e-mail. “Would taxes be raised?”

Asked to respond, Thomas Kiley, a spokesman for Rep. Miller, declined to get specific.

“Democrats would make education a front-and-center priority,” he said in an e-mail, “and begin to undo the severe damage that Republicans’ misplaced priorities have done to the U.S. and our economy.”

Related Tags:

Events

This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Assessment Webinar
Reimagining Grading in K-12 Schools: A Conversation on the Value of Standards-Based Grading
Hear from K-12 educational leaders and explore standards-based grading benefits and implementation strategies and challenges
Content provided by Otus
Reading & Literacy Webinar How Background Knowledge Fits Into the ‘Science of Reading’ 
Join our webinar to learn research-backed strategies for enhancing reading comprehension and building cultural responsiveness in the classroom.
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Assessment Webinar
Innovative Strategies for Data & Assessments
Join our webinar to learn strategies for actionable instruction using assessment & analysis.
Content provided by Edulastic

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
View Jobs
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
View Jobs
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
View Jobs
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.
View Jobs

Read Next

Federal House GOP Passes Parents' Rights Bill in Clash Over Schools
The legislation seeks to give parents a role in what's taught in public schools, but it has little chance in the Democrat-run Senate.
4 min read
Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy, of Calif., right, speaks about the proposed legislation dubbed the "Parents Bill of Rights," on March 1, 2023, next to Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., on Capitol Hill in Washington.
Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy, of Calif., right, speaks about the proposed legislation dubbed the "Parents Bill of Rights," on March 1, 2023, next to Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., on Capitol Hill in Washington.
Jacquelyn Martin/AP
Federal How Schools Fare in Biden's Proposed Budget
President Joe Biden released his fiscal 2024 budget, which calls for more money for preschool, Title I, and special education.
7 min read
President Joe Biden speaks about his 2024 budget proposal at the Finishing Trades Institute, Thursday, March 9, 2023, in Philadelphia.
President Joe Biden speaks about his 2024 budget proposal at the Finishing Trades Institute, Thursday, March 9, 2023, in Philadelphia.
Evan Vucci/AP
Federal The Push for a $60K Base Teacher Salary Gains Steam as Bernie Sanders Signs On
Sanders' legislation complements a proposal in the House and comes as state lawmakers from both parties prioritize legislation to boost teacher pay.
6 min read
Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., outlines his priorities during an interview in his Capitol Hill office, Feb. 7, 2023.
Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., outlines his priorities during an interview in his Capitol Hill office, Feb. 7, 2023.
J. Scott Applewhite/AP
Federal Q&A Ending 'Government-Run Monopoly' on Schools Is Top Priority for Rep. Virginia Foxx
The Republican chair of the U.S. House's education committee plans to pass parents' rights and school choice bills.
5 min read
House Education and Workforce Committee Chair Rep. Virginia Foxx, R-N.C., greets then-Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar at the conclusion of a House Education and Workforce Committee hearing on "Examining the Policies and Priorities of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.' Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, June 6, 2018.
House Education and Workforce Committee Chair Rep. Virginia Foxx, R-N.C., greets then-Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar at the conclusion of a House Education and Workforce Committee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington in June 2018. Foxx spoke to Education Week about her priorities as she becomes chair of the committee for a second time.
Carolyn Kaster/AP