Senator Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) has announced his plan to bolster America's public education system.
What's In It?
Sen. Gallego's proposal, named "Class in Session: A Plan to Fix America's Public Education System," contains four key provisions. First, programs such as Title I, IDEA, Impact Aid, the Rural Education Achievement Program (REAP), Secure Rural Schools (SRS), and E-Rate would be strengthened.
Second, states and school districts would collaborate to raise teachers' salaries and improve programs related to residency, preparation, financial aid, and mentorship.
Third, the proposal would include measures to address chronic student absenteeism, learning loss, mental health, tutoring, and afterschool programs.
Finally, Sen. Gallego wants to expand access to college and career advising, dual enrollment, career and technical education, apprenticeships, and work-based learning opportunities.
What Gallego is Saying
"Even though I grew up poor, I was lucky enough to get a good enough education, make it to Harvard, and eventually become a U.S. Senator," the Arizona Senator said in a press release, adding, "Every kid deserves that same fair shot. Instead, Donald Trump's gutting of the Department of Education has left our most vulnerable students behind."
He continued, "My plan not only reverses these cuts but also provides a path forward for our nation's public schools, including by eliminating federal funding for vouchers, increasing teacher pay, tackling student absenteeism, and setting up workforce training programs."
Other Education Efforts
Last week, Representative Juan Ciscomani (R-AZ) introduced the bipartisan Earn to Learn Act, in which eligible students make a $500 deposit into an educational savings account matched by $8 for each $1 through public, university, and philanthropic support.
As a result, participants can earn up to $4,500 per academic year to cover educational expenses.
The proposed system is modeled after Arizona's Earn to Learn program, which has a 90% retention rate, and students in the program graduate with less than $10,000 in student debt on average.
