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Education: Stronger Schools, Successful Students

EDUCATION: THE KNOWLEDGE TO SUCCEED

KAY HAGAN’S PLAN TO IMPROVE EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY

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Educational opportunity is central to economic opportunity. But America, once the envy of the world, is no longer the best educated country on Earth. Our education system now produces too many students who struggle in key subjects such as science and math, too few who graduate from high school, and serious gaps in achievement and opportunity based on class and race.

Kay knows that America can recapture its economic preeminence by reforming our education system for the 21st Century and making sure students have the chance to pursue higher education and advanced training. The combination of high expectations, effective teaching, a rich and rigorous curriculum, and ample access to higher education has repeatedly proven to be the most effective recipe for improvements in student achievement and economic dynamism. Under Kay’s leadership, North Carolina has implemented many of these solutions and, as a result, our attention to preparing students at all levels of learning is a model for the rest of the country to follow, though there is still progress to be made. In the Senate, Kay will work hard to make sure that parents can be confident that their children will have the chance to pursue their dreams just as far as their talents and hard work will take them.

KAY’S PLAN TO IMPROVE EDUCATION

Education is the cornerstone of North Carolina’s economy. Kay has been described as a “vigorous proponent of education,” and her plan will focus on the implementation of education policies at the federal level that have succeeded in providing North Carolinians with the skills they need to compete in the national and global economies.

Kay will work hard to:

• Expand Access To Pre-K Education
• Fix No Child Left Behind
• Build a Strong Foundation by Providing High-Quality High School Education
• Ensure Our Educational System Continues to Focus on 21st-Century Skill Sets That Prepare Students to Compete in a Global Economy
• Lower Costs and Increase Availability of College

As a state senator, Kay has been a leader in ensuring that North Carolina’s education system continues to improve. She knows that investment in education at all levels will produce well-prepared, knowledgeable, and, ultimately, successful citizens. Also, as co-author of five balanced budgets in North Carolina, Kay will work to restore fiscal responsibility. Instead of prioritizing tax cuts for the wealthy, Kay will prioritize her educational initiatives and she will fund them by freezing the estate tax at its 2009 level, which is estimated to save $175 billion over 10 years. [Democratic Leadership Council budget plan]

LOWER COSTS AND INCREASED AVAILABILITY OF COLLEGE

North Carolina’s university system is the crown jewel of state government. Nevertheless, too many North Carolinians do not have the opportunity to attend college because of the sticker shock of soaring tuition costs and the inadequacy of financial aid, even as the value of a college degree continues to rise. The inability of high school graduates to attend college has a profound impact on their future: the gap in earnings between young adults with high school degrees and college degrees has almost doubled since 1980. Kay has been a leader in securing funding for North Carolina’s public universities and community colleges. Since 1999, she has supported allocating more than $20 billion to the University of North Carolina System, with annual funding increasing by $1 billion during her tenure in the state Senate. As a U.S. senator, she will support the enactment of federal policies that assist families in paying for college and streamline financial aid programs to make them more efficient for the hard-working students who depend on them.

Simplify and Expand the College Tuition Tax Credit. Students currently may file for a tuition tax deduction or apply for one of two federal education tax credits – the Hope Credit and the Lifetime Learning Credit – to help offset college tuition costs. These credits, although important, have complicated eligibility requirements. Kay would simplify and enhance the education tax credit system by establishing a single tax credit worth $5,000 a year, good for four years of college education, and would replace the current complicated system that involves a tax deduction and two separate tax credits. The new tuition tax credit will help more middle class families send their high school graduates to college, where they will develop the skills they need to compete in the dynamic American economy.

Invest In Innovative Programs Such As North Carolina’s Learn And Earn. Kay worked closely with Governor Easley to spur the creation of the state’s Learn and Earn program. In the U.S. Senate, she will continue to promote current state programs, such as Learn and Earn, that allow students to earn two-year degrees while in high school, at no expense to the student, and she will propose a federal demonstration project, based on the principles underlying Learn and Earn, to give other students this same opportunity.

Control Tuition Costs. Even with help from the federal government, many high school graduates face sticker shock at the recent astronomical rise of tuition at colleges and universities throughout the country. Kay will support legislation that encourages institutions to establish multi-year tuition and fee levels. Armed with such information, prospective college students will be able to accurately assess their ability to attend college without the fear of a debilitating tuition raise that makes college unaffordable.

Keep Interests Rates on College Loans Affordable. The College Cost Reduction and Access Act (CCRAA) passed by Congress last year made college more affordable by cutting interest rates in half on subsidized students’ loans through 2011, and did so without a new cost to taxpayers, because it eliminated subsidies to lenders provided by the federal government. Kay supported enactment of this law, but believes we should go further. As a U.S. senator, she will work to ensure that the low interest rates for subsidized student loans remain affordable after the expiration of CCRAA in several years. She will also lead the effort to reduce the interest rate on unsubsidized direct loans, in which approximately one-fourth of all colleges take part.

Offer Loan Forgiveness for Graduates Who Serve the Public. It is a great loss to America when willing young people find it impossible to serve the public because student loan debts are too expensive. Kay will amend current law to forgive federal loans after five years (rather than after 10 years under current law) for allied health professionals, such as nurses and technicians, as well as military service members, first responders and educators.

Meet Funding Obligations for Pell Grants.Over five million students, most of whom are low-income, receive a Pell grant from the federal government to help pay for crushing college tuition costs. After years in which the maximum Pell grant to college students did not keep pace with college tuition costs, the CCRAA enacted by the Democratic Congress finally authorized funding for Pell grants commensurate with students’ needs. However, as co-author of North Carolina’s state government budget, Kay knows that authorizing funding is only half the battle. As a U.S. senator, Kay will work hard to ensure that Congress actually appropriates the funds that it has authorized for the Pell grant program. Even small discrepancies between the amount of funding authorized and the actual money appropriated could eliminate many students’ ability to attend college. Kay will tirelessly advocate for Pell grant spending that requires Congress to live up to its promises. [Congressional Research Service, Federal Pell Grant Program of the Higher Education Act: Background and Reauthorization]

Encourage Students to Save for College. Kay recognizes that 529 plans have been essential in helping families save money to send their children to college. As a U.S. senator, she will sponsor legislation that provides a tax credit that matches, in part, a family’s contribution to a 529 plan. Middle class families would receive a credit equal to 50 percent of the contribution, up to a $2,000 credit per student, based on income limitations. In addition, she will require 529 plans to disseminate information about fees and risks associated with their plans to ensure that students and their families have complete information before entering into such plans.

Bolster Community Colleges and Workforce Development Programs. During Kay’s tenure in the state Senate, Kay supported the allocation of more than $7 billion in funding for community colleges, an increase in annual funding for community colleges of $350 million. Kay will extend this commitment to community college and workforce development programs in the U.S. Senate. She will:

• Promote an initiative to provide incentives for states that maintain or increase their investment in need-based student financial aid programs intended specifically for community college students.
• Introduce legislation to create grants for community colleges, which could be used for faculty hiring, infrastructure improvement, and curriculum development.

BUILD A STRONG FOUNDATION

FIX NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND

We need to fix the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) to make sure that the money and energy we invest in our public school system produces results. Kay recognizes that dramatic improvements in public education can only be attained with additional investments, but she also knows that dollars alone cannot solve lingering problems in public education. Therefore, reform is needed to ensure that our public schools are giving every student the tools they need to learn and succeed in the 21st Century economy.

Fully Fund NCLB. Since Congress passed NCLB in 2002, it has underfunded schools by $70 billion. The result is that NCLB is an unfunded federal mandate, which requires states to bear the costs of developing and administering tests pursuant to federal standards. In the state Senate, Kay saw first-hand the negative impacts of such federal mandates. She believes that the laudable goals of NCLB can only be achieved if the federal government meets its obligations under the law. Therefore, she will push for legislation that appropriates full funding of NCLB to state school systems. [National Education Association, 11/8/07]

Provide Flexibility to Schools Implementing NCLB. Local control of schools is the basic principle of American education policy. Unfortunately, however, NCLB is being implemented in a rigid manner that deprives state and local school systems the opportunity to devise their own methods of assessment of students. Kay rejects the notion that accountability of schools and attention to individual students’ needs and learning styles are competing values. Although Kay recognizes that effective standardized testing is a good measure of learning, she will encourage consideration of other valid and reliable measures that assess student success and permit teachers to foster intellectual creativity among students. Most importantly, as a U.S. senator, Kay will push for NCLB to include incentives for states to align their K-12 standards with the “real world standards” of college and the workplace, as North Carolina does, to ensure that the academic curriculum addresses the skills that students will need to succeed as adults.

Measure Schools’ Improvement As Well As Achievement. NCLB credits schools for students who have reached a level of proficiency on tests, but does not give credit for students who are improving, even dramatically, if they fall below the level of proficiency. Kay believes that the federal government should encourage states to implement a growth model to account for school improvement, similar to the growth model that North Carolina currently employs. Furthermore, she believes that NCLB’s binary evaluation system that either passes or fails a school based on test scores is an overly punitive, one-size-fits all sanction to a complex problem. Instead, Kay will support proposals that distinguish the consequences for schools that show marked improvement and those that miss by a significant measure. Moreover, she believes that the implementation of growth models should account for improvement among certain segments of the student population, such as special needs students and minority students. For schools that fail the accountability standards or do not demonstrate growth among each segment of its student population, Kay will support formalized structures to turn around struggling schools. Such procedures may include expert assistance, formal data gathering systems and longer school days. In addition, to address the needs of diverse learners, schools may be encouraged to adopt flexible scheduling or bridge programs for students who need extra support before progressing to the next grade.

Study Curriculum Guidelines and Recommend Best Practices. Kay believes states should have control over the curricula taught in their schools, but she recognizes the disparities that exist between states. She would support a commission to study curricula across the country and make recommendations so all schools have access to the best, most innovative ideas.

ACCESS TO MEANINGFUL PRE-K EDUCATION

Across the country, educators are calling for more access to quality, affordable early childhood education. Kay will work hard for full funding for Head Start programs, expansion of federal early childhood programs, and federal funding for pre-K teacher education.

Full Funding for Head Start and Early Head Start. Nearly 19,000 children are enrolled in Head Start programs in North Carolina. However, nationwide, only 45 percent of children eligible for Head Start actually attend it and only 3 percent of eligible children attend Early Head Start, the program for infants and toddlers. For too long, Washington has underfunded these important programs. Kay will work hard to support full funding for Head Start and Early Head Start and will support initiatives that examine ways to continually improve Head Start. [U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Head Start Program Fact Sheet]

Promote Smart Start Principles. There is growing support for federal involvement in early childhood education programs beyond Head Start, which only targets low-income children. In North Carolina, legislators, including Kay, have heeded their call by funding Smart Start, a public-private partnership that integrates education, health care, nutrition, child care, and other social services to provide all children, ages 0-5, a healthy environment under which they can begin their education. The Smart Start model has been successful in North Carolina because it provides long-term benefits for all participating children and promotes economic development by allowing parents to work. As a United States Senator, Kay will propose the creation of grant program that will gives states such as North Carolina valuable resources to share the Smart Start model with other states. Such a grant would aid North Carolina Smart Start’s National Technical Assistance Program, which has already counseled nearly a dozen states on how best to implement Smart Start principles. Kay will also fight for more funding for the Child Care Development Block Grant program and couple such increased funding with a requirement that states set aside a larger percentage of their block grant funds to quality care. Such a measure would provide help to the 33,000 North Carolina families eligible for child care subsidies who are on a waiting list for such care because the state currently does not have the resources to provide quality child care for all children.

Federal Funding for Pre-K Teacher Education and Curriculum Improvement. The quality of early childhood education has a direct impact on young children’s emotional, social, and intellectual growth. Therefore, it is essential that all early childhood programs feature qualified educators teaching an instructive curriculum. Kay will support expanded resources for teachers to receive the training they need to aid in the development of pre-K children and for studies to examine the effectiveness of current pre-K curricula to ensure that students are obtaining the skills they need for both short-term and long-term development.

IMPROVE HIGH SCHOOL EDUCATION

The federal government plays a minimal role in financing high school education. This framework results in high schools that cannot afford to provide teenagers with the education they need to get into college and succeed in the workforce. The statistics are astounding: nearly 25 percent of high school students read below basic levels, 30 percent of high school students fail to graduate, and low-income students disproportionately are unable to afford higher education. Kay believes that such results are unacceptable and will work hard to ensure that high school students receive the education they need to graduate and get the training they need to obtain good jobs.

Focus on Small High Schools. In many respects, the current model of large comprehensive high schools – where students are often anonymous, facilities are regularly understaffed, and the curriculum is frequently outdated – does not educate high schools students adequately to enter the workforce or to qualify for college acceptance. Research indicates that, in comparison to traditional comprehensive high schools, small high schools, which have the ability to focus more on individual students’ needs and can be held more easily accountable for their shortcomings, have higher teacher morale, increased graduation rates, and higher proportions of students going to college. Moreover, a recent study by the Gates Foundation indicates that such schools are more cost-effective on a per-graduate basis than larger high schools. Kay will support increased federal funding specifically allocated to high schools and will promote demonstration projects with new approaches to high school education that focus on smaller, autonomous schools within larger high schools. [Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, High Schools for the New Millennium]

Prioritize Financial Literacy. Kay believes that a major component of secondary education is that students learn practical skills they will need to succeed in the 21st Century. As part of her commitment to ensure that students develop such skills, Kay has been lauded for her sponsorship of several pieces of legislation in the state Senate that required the teaching of a financial literacy curriculum in state schools. Kay will continue this commitment in the U.S. Senate by supporting legislation that allocates grant money to state educational agencies to promote the teaching of financial literacy. By emphasizing financial literacy, Kay believes that the students will receive both a short-term and a long-term benefit. In the short- and long-term, students will have the skills to manage their personal finances, navigate complex college financial aid regimes, afford homes and understand their credit scores. [Greensboro News & Record Editorial, 4/17/07]

ATTRACT AND RETAIN THE BEST TEACHERS

Instruction by a high-quality teacher is the linchpin of a student’s educational achievement. Across North Carolina, teachers instruct students with professionalism and dedication, and as a state senator, Kay has continuously crafted state budgets that have increased teacher salaries. In fact, teacher pay has increased every year Kay has served in the state Senate, and North Carolina leads the country in the number of National Board Certified Teachers. In the U.S. Senate, Kay will push for incentives to encourage more people to become teachers and will work tirelessly to promote more competitive salaries so that accomplished teachers will stay in the field. [National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, NBCTs by state]

Entice Teachers to Work in Disadvantaged Communities. The problem of attracting and retaining teachers is particularly acute in North Carolina’s poor urban and rural communities. Kay believes that every child deserves access to the highest quality education and therefore believes that these disadvantaged communities must be able to attract excellent teachers. As a U.S. senator, Kay will provide incentives to teachers to work in disadvantaged communities.

Encourage Math and Science Experts to Teach. Kay understands that science and math skills are vital to the 21st Century information economy. She will support efforts at the federal level to inspire math and science teachers to teach these valuable skills in low-performing schools.

Strengthen the Teach for America Program. Kay recognizes the success of the Teach for America program, which has attracted highly talented young adults to teach in poor schools throughout the country for two years. In fact, scores of recent graduates from our country’s highest-rated universities apply every year for the program. Kay believes we should increase funding for Teach for America so that it can expand its recruitment and publicity efforts. Moreover, Kay will support efforts to encourage the program’s motivated participants to stay in the teaching profession after their two-year stint.

Ensure Appropriate Compensation for, and Accountability from, Teachers. Across the board, teachers, who dedicate their time and energy to students’ development, should earn a salary more appropriate for their commitment and service. Kay understands that inadequate compensation, in addition to working conditions and demonstration of professional respect, affects teacher recruitment, and she believes it is vital to have teachers who can prepare students to be players in the global economy. We need to have highly trained teachers and they should be appropriately compensated.

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