Education
Every child deserves a world-class public education, because education is the cornerstone of the American Dream.
Great schools create a vibrant economy, promote social mobility, and build an informed electorate. Jim Himes knows that we cannot be the country we hope to be without great public schools. Unless we equip every young person with the skills for success in the global job market, our children and our economy will suffer.
We are blessed to have many great public schools in our district. Our district is also home to schools that face tremendous challenges. All of these schools, however, have been undermined by No Child Left Behind – a law that was well-intentioned, but poorly implemented.
In Congress, Jim will strengthen our successful schools by finally fixing No Child Left Behind, and will work to turnaround our struggling schools by pushing for meaningful reform. Jim will not rest until a first-rate education is available to every American child.
Fix No Child Left Behind
The basic goals of the No Child Left Behind Act – monitoring our educational progress and identifying struggling schools – are critical, but the execution of this program has been disastrous. In Congress, Jim will work to fix No Child Left Behind by reforming assessments and testing requirements; redesigning accountability mechanisms so that they help struggling schools improve, rather than punishing them; and increasing federal resources.
Expand access to higher education
A college diploma is a critical first step to achieving the American Dream. Over the course of a career, a college graduate will earn on average $1 million more than a high school graduate without a college degree. But with tuition costs spiraling out of control, hard-working kids from middle-class families are being priced out of a college education – and the economic opportunity that comes with it.
To make sure that college remains within reach, Jim is proposing a generous, refundable Higher Education Tax Credit equal to 50% of the first $10,000 in college costs per student – effectively $5,000 per student for most eligible families. In addition, Jim will work to expand programs that effectively prepare lower-income students for college and guide them through the application process.
Early childhood education
Connecticut kindergarten teachers consistently report that children who attended a preschool program show greater readiness for learning – from math and reading to emotional development and social skills – than those who did not.
In Congress, Jim will work to expand early childhood education through funding for state-based programs as well as Head Start and Early Head Start. These investments are motivated by our best values, but they are also recommended by simple common sense: research has shown that we get a $7 return on every dollar spent on high-quality early childhood education.
Attract and retain first-rate teachers and principals
It takes great teachers to deliver great education. Nevertheless, we face significant obstacles in recruiting and retaining teachers, particularly in our “hard-to-staff” urban schools.
In Congress, Jim will fight for a new human capital strategy for our schools, focused on filling the pipeline with high-quality candidates, cutting down on attrition, drawing teachers to the schools where we need them most, investing in professional development, and equipping principals to serve as effective school leaders.
Close the achievement gap with proven best practices
Jim believes that we should combat the inequalities in our school system through increased federal grants for high-poverty schools and districts – enabling them to attract strong teachers, and providing them with resources to implement strategies with a proven track record of closing the achievement gap.
In Congress, Jim will call for the federal government to invest in studying successful urban schools, analyzing what works, and helping other school districts to take these best practices to scale across our educational system. These best practices might include increasing instructional time, using sophisticated data collection to monitor the needs of individual students, and finding innovative ways to help parents become involved in their children’s education.
This initiative would not take the form of a top-down mandate. Rather, Jim believes that the federal government should assist the many educators who want to implement new strategies, but can’t do so without expert guidance and added resources.
Modernize School Facilities
Many teachers report working in classrooms with crumbling walls, rodent infestations, poor lighting, inadequate ventilation, and severe overcrowding. Jim believes that our school infrastructure should reflect the value we place on education as a society. In Congress, he will work to increase the availability of school modernization bonds that enable local school districts to undertake needed repairs and renovations.
Click to read Jim’s full education plan (PDF)
