Kay Hagan

I think that a number of physicians are just very aware of the hardship, now, in our country, with the recession.

I think more needs to be done. And I think consumers and businesses need to know what they are getting, and for what price.

Actually, I had a neurosurgeon from North Carolina tell me that he needed a hip replacement.

I think that STEM education is critical.

Education is even a nationally security issue--an informed global citizen is much more able to interpret and contextualize global events.

I am thrilled to be in the U.S. Senate.

Thank you for the opportunity to address this committee and the students, faculty, and friends of the E. E. Waddell High School to discuss the ways in which the U.S. Department of Education is committed to fostering innovation in education.

I want to work together with my colleagues to make significant changes to the No Child Left Behind law.

Thank you, Senator Hagan, for inviting me here today to talk about innovation in North Carolina.

Poverty is the same in an urban area as it is in a rural area.

Thank you for your support of public education in the U.S. Senate as well as your previous support while you were a member of our North Carolina General Assembly.

Today, however, we have a tremendous opportunity to re-envision and renew what public education looks like.

It is no secret that to keep up with the demands of a global economy, every student must graduate high school with college- and career-ready skills.

I think that is critical not only in education, but in business.

How do we recruit the teachers to go into these fields and teach?

Can you talk about how that is accepted at the teacher level? I know there is so much talk on that around the country right now.

And North Carolina, I know, has professional development for principals and teachers.

I think in our country we have to overcome the notion of the, again, the agrarian calendar.

We have 70 early college high schools with 2 in planning and will be effective next year.

I think one of the tragedies in our public school district and the public school system is that we have so many of our children who come to school so ill prepared to enter school.

We want to build opportunity. It will make a huge difference.

I saw an advertisement in a school newsletter that said some of the northeast boarding schools were recruiting students to teach for 2 years in science and math.

Education should be equitable so all have the opportunity to be informed citizens who can thrive economically and civically in our now global environment.

What many of our schools need, to ensure that every student achieves success, is transformational change.

I can't begin to tell you how much I appreciate what you have done for education so far, and what you will continue to do.