Rob Andrews: “For years, the policy of this country has been that when we find schools that are filled with students who are…”

“For years, the policy of this country has been that when we find schools that are filled with students who are underachieving, we do not do anything about it. Year after year, wasted generation after wasted generation, we just keep sending more money and doing the same old failed thing. This bill promises to change that. How do we change it? We build schools where every child is in school well nourished, in a safe, clean classroom, being taught by a qualified, enthused teacher in front of a class that is a manageable size, with access to the right technology, with programs for significant parental involvement, for prekindergarten, for after school, for all of the things that we know work. But we also know this: All of those things that work cost money. The bill that I was proud to support that we are sending to this conference has a significant increase in the Federal investment in education. But that is only a target as it now stands. One of the goals of our conferees should be to work with the other body and make sure that that promise of greater investment in struggling schools becomes a reality.”