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Early
Childhood Education
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Special
Education
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No
Child Left Behind
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Title
IX
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Science,
Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) Education
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Higher
Education
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Helpful
Links
Early
Childhood Education
Comprehensive early childhood education is essential in shaping the way children think, learn, and behave for the rest of their lives. Research shows that quality child care, preschool and afterschool programs impact the physical, cognitive and social development of children. For over forty years, Head Start and a number of other federal programs have successfully provided educational services as well as health, nutrition, and other services to low-income children to prepare them to enter kindergarten
In the state of Connecticut there are over 7,000 children enrolled in Head Start and Early Head Start and 4,500 on waiting lists for child care assistance. Despite the continued need and positive results of programs like Head Start, President Bush’s fiscal year 2007 budget provides no new money for Head Start, thereby cutting 19,000 children across the country from the program next year. I will continue to support early childhood programs that lay the foundation for the future success of every child in school.
Letters
3/16/06 - Letter
to the Appropriations Committee urging inclusion of $7.3 billion for Head
Start programs
3/3/06 - Letter to
the Budget Committee urging inclusion of $7.3 billion for Head Start
programs
Information
from the Library of Congress
Special
Education
I am a strong supporter of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). IDEA is a fundamental civil rights program that provides funds to states for the education of children with disabilities. However, since 1975, Congress has placed yet another unfunded mandate on local communities. Since IDEA became law, Congress has authorized spending of up to 40% of the cost of the average per pupil expenditure on special education, but has failed to meet that commitment time after time.
On December 3, 2004, President Bush signed the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act
(P.L.
108-446), a major reauthorization and revision of IDEA into law. The reauthorization, among other things, included specific authorization levels for fiscal year 2007 and a timeline for the federal government to reach full funding by 2011. Unfortunately, the President’s budget request for fiscal year 2007 is $6.3 billion less than the amount authorized under the revised IDEA. The 2007 funding freezes the federal contribution at only 17 percent of the national average per pupil expenditure, still less than half the 40 percent “full funding” federal contribution ceiling allowed by IDEA. That is why I introduced the
Full Funding for IDEA Now Act (HR
1107) that would require the federal government to fully fund its share of IDEA now and end its long-standing failure to properly fund special education.
Press
Releases
11/19/04
- Larson: Despite Promises, Congress to Again Shortchange Special Education
(Education)
4/30/03
- Rules Committee Refuses to Allow Larson Amendment Mandating Full Federal
Funding for Special Education (Education)
4/29/03
- Larson Fights for Amendment to Fully Fund “IDEA” Special Education
Program (Education)
2/14/03
- Larson Introduces Legislation to Mandate Full Funding for “IDEA”
Special Education Program (Education)
Information
from the Library of Congress
No
Child Left Behind
I supported the No Child
Left Behind Act (NCLB) when it became law in 2001 because it promised to
strengthen education in this country by enhancing accountability in our
public schools, increasing overall funding for education for disadvantaged
students, for science and math education, and for technology programs. For
the fifth year in a row, President Bush’s budget has failed to provide
the funding promised in NCLB. The President’s fiscal year 2007 budget
falls $15 billion short of the authorized funding level for NCLB in fiscal
year 2007. These shortchanges have shifted the financial burden to our
states and towns to make up the difference. That is why I have cosponsored
the Keep Our Promise to America's Children and Teachers Act (HR
363) that would
allow a state education agency or school district to suspend
implementation of NCLB provisions until it is fully funded. I have also
cosponsored the No Child Left Behind Reform Act (HR
1506) that would give states more flexibility in measuring student
achievement.
On
March 1, 2004, I testified before the Connecticut General Assembly’s
Education Committee about the various failures of this law. Read the
testimony.
Press Releases
5/5/05
- Congressman Larson Speaks Out Against Education Secretary’s Ruling on
School Reform in Connecticut (Education)
Information
from the Library of Congress
Title
IX
As the father of two
daughters, I am a strong supporter of Title IX, which was enacted as part of
a the Education Amendments of 1972. It prohibits discrimination on
the basis of sex in federally assisted education programs or activities.
Learn more about my work on Title IX.
Science,
Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) Education
The Nation’s ability to remain competitive in the future global marketplace is directly tied to the ability of our schools to prepare our children in the areas that will fuel the 21st century: science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). I have long advocated for bridging the digital divide and investing in the STEM areas of education. Teacher excellence is linked to student achievement and that is why I have supported increased funding for the Math and Science Partnership program at the Department of Education. Math and Science Partnerships provide necessary professional development, which strengthens teachers’ ability to effectively teach math and science and strengthens our students’ math and science skills.
I am also a cosponsor of the Higher Education Science and Technology Competitiveness Act
(HR 226), which would provide incentives for states to establish partnerships in math, science, engineering and technology between community colleges and four-year institutions. The bill would coordinate technical programs at community colleges and four-year institutions to better serve students as well as meet the needs of private industry.
Creating an educated, skilled workforce in the science, technology, engineering and math areas are concepts that have been included in the
Democratic Innovation Agenda
Higher
Education
The Higher Education Act
(HEA) authorizes the federal government’s major student aid programs, as
well as other significant programs such as those providing aid to special
groups of higher education institutions and support services to enable
disadvantaged students to complete secondary school and enter and complete
college. On March 30, 2006, I voted against HR
609, which reauthorizes the Higher Education Act (HEA), but fails to
make college truly more affordable for working families. I supported a
Democratic alternative that would have, among other things, cut interest
rates in half for borrowers, created a pilot program for year round Pell
Grants, and simplified the student loan application process. Read
the statement I offered for the Congressional Record during the debate of
the bill. 
The federal Pell Grant
program offers need-based scholarships to undergraduate college students.
These scholarships, which account for nearly all federal grant assistance
to college students, offer valuable support for students and their
families who are attempting to contend with rapidly rising tuition costs.
The President’s Fiscal Year 2007 budget freezes the maximum Pell Grant
award at $4,050, where it has been held since 2003, while the average
tuition and fees at a four-year public college have risen $1,393.
This year, about 1.7
million college graduates will enter the U.S. workforce, each carrying an
average of $16,000 in student loan debt. I have cosponsored the Student
Loan Fairness Act (HR
1029), which would allow students and graduates to shop around for the
best loan consolidation deal. The bill would also repeal the restriction
that prevents individuals from reconsolidating or refinancing their
student loans. I am also a cosponsor of the College Loan Assistance Act
(HR 1338)
that would eliminate loan and origination fees charged to student
borrowers and allow students that are locked into high interest rate to
consolidate their debt into loans with lower interest rates.
Additional Information
Raid
on Student Aid
(Committee
on Education and the Workforce - Minority)
Press Releases
7/11/07
- Rep. Larson Praises Passage of College Cost Reduction Act of 2007 (Education)
1/17/07
- Larson Votes to Cut Interest Rates on Student Loans (Education)
Letters
11/2/05 - Letter
to the Speaker, Minority Leader, House Budget Committee, and the House
Education and Workforce Committee in opposition to $14.3 billion cut to
federal student aid programs
Information
from the Library of Congress
Helpful
Links
House
Committee on Education and the Workforce
House
Committee on Education and the Workforce, Minority Office
U.S.
Department of Education
Connecticut
State Department of Education
State
of Connecticut Schools and Libraries
Connecticut
Institutions of Higher Learning
Federal
Student Aid
Connecticut
Department of Higher Education Student Financial Aid
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