Joe Pitts: “I rise today to focus on the schoolchildren of our Nation. Parents in all 50 States are concerned that their children's…”

“I rise today to focus on the schoolchildren of our Nation. Parents in all 50 States are concerned that their children's classrooms are overcrowded, that their kids do not receive enough individual attention from their teachers, that classrooms are not yet connected to the Internet and many schools are not safe and well-supplied, and that basic academics are not being effectively learned. For 30 years, the Federal Government has been trying to improve America's schools by creating big Federal programs. While the goal was admirable, this strategy has failed the schoolchildren of America. It is time for a new approach. We know that effective teaching takes place when we begin helping children master basic academics, when parents are engaged and involved in their children's education, when a safe and orderly learning environment is created in a classroom, and when dollars actually reach the classroom. The Dollars to the Classroom Act addresses the linchpin of these four key education premises, directing dollars to the classroom so that a teacher that knows the name of your child can educate more effectively. Madam Speaker, I urge Members to improve the education of America's kids by supporting the Dollars to the Classroom Act.”