| GIBBSBORO, N.J. — Rep. Rob Andrews (D-Haddon Heights) today met with students, teachers and parents of the Gibbsboro Elementary School where he called on the United States Secretary of Education to change the way the department has interpreted the standards set forth in the No Child Left Behind Act. Last week, several South Jersey High Schools, including Moorestown, Eastern Regional in Voorhees, and Cherry Hill East and West, received warnings from the state for their failure to make adequate yearly progress. Additionally, 67% of New Jersey's high schools received similar warnings.
"This is not what was intended when Congress passed this legislation. The Department of Education is misinterpreting this law," said Andrews. "This legislation was intended to fix ailing schools--not badger those schools that continue to excel. If the Department of Education does not fix this problem, we will fix it in the Congress."
Congressman Andrews has already begun work to convince the United States Department of Education to re-evaluate how they interpret the new law. The Congressman met with New Jersey education leaders back in May of this year and is working with them to develop their case to present to the Secretary of Education. According to education leaders in New Jersey, the problem lies in the inclusion of special education and "English as a second language" students in the proficiency standards.
In previous years, those students have been excluded from the process of determining proficiency standards. The new federal law is vague in this regard and it is Congressman Andrews intention to first work administratively to correct this misinterpretation of the law. If he is not successful in convincing the Department to make this change on his own, he will lead a fight on the floor of the United States House of Representatives to fix this problem legislatively.
Congressman Andrews next spoke to the New Jersey Association of Colleges and Universities and New Jersey Presidents' Council at Rutgers University in New Brunswick. Congressman Andrews addressed the rising cost of higher education, which is placing the dream of going to college out of reach for most middle class students. As a member of the House Education and Workforce Committee, the Congressman will play a key role in this year's Higher Education Reauthorization Act, which regulates federal student-aid programs. Rep. Andrews is urging his colleagues on the committee to support more money for these highly successful student aid programs to help soften the blow dealt by these rising tuition rates.
"Today's economy demands some type of continuing education in order for workers to be effective in their chosen line of work. While obtaining such an education is no longer a luxury, the sky-rocketing cost seems to suggest the opposite," said Rep. Andrews. "I am working in the Congress to increase the amount of money available to students and their families to help them afford this significant and needed investment in their future."
Rep. Andrews also visited the George Washington School in Camden where he awarded teacher Wanda Ryan a proclamation for her 40 years of teaching excellence. The Congressman thanked Ms. Ryan for her years of service and pointed to the need for more Ms. Ryan's in South Jersey's classrooms. The Congressman is currently working on two proposals in Congress to encourage more qualified young people to enter into the field of teaching. The first proposal, H.R. 2211, the Ready to Teach Act, would authorize federal grants to the state to help pay for the cost of continuing education and training for teachers. This legislation would permit existing teachers to learn new skills and methods of teaching as well as to improve upon the skills they already possess.
The second proposal, H.R. 438, the Teacher Recruitment and Retention Act of 2003 aims to provide incentives to recruit more students to join the teaching profession. This legislation would encourage students to enter into teaching careers in mathematics and science in secondary schools, and special education in elementary and secondary schools, by providing for student loan forgiveness for these teachers. Both bills have passed the House of Representatives and await further action in the Senate.
"I am here today to thank Ms. Ryan for her outstanding years of service as an educator in this community. We need more brilliant men and women like Ms. Ryan to enter into a career in teaching to help continue to improve the quality of education in this country," said Rep. Andrews. "These two legislative proposals will help to attract the very best talent available to fill openings and to provide funding to help existing teachers pay for the cost of continuing education."
|
