I am committed to improving our nation’s education system for our children.

The quality of education for our young people is critically important to our country’s future. 
We need common-sense improvements to the federal No Child Left Behind education law.  I have proposed significant changes to No Child Left Behind.  Specifically the State and Local Education Flexibility Act would allow greater flexibility to meet the needs of students with limited English, allows states to meet yearly progress requirements by using a growth model rather than comparing one class against a previous class and provides parents and schools more flexibility to meet the needs of special education students. The National Education Association and the American Association of School Administrators support the State and Local Education Flexibility Act.

The Fair Funding for Schools Act of 2009 would update several provisions in the Impact Aid Program. Impact aid provides funding to schools where federal operations, such as military bases, national parks and tribal lands cut into the local tax base.  The Fair Funding for Schools Act of 2009, which I sponsor, along with Representative Mazie Hirono (D-HI) would make the distribution of Impact Aid funds more equitable and efficient.