Representative Henry A. Waxman 30th District of California

The No Child Left Behind (NCLB) law promised increased resources in exchange for higher academic standards and new accountability measures. Unfortunately, the promised funding has not been delivered. Federal funding is also falling short in meeting the needs of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), which mandates that school districts provide appropriate services to educate children with disabilities. While Congress may provide up to 40% of the cost of these services, it has historically appropriated far less than that amount. As a result, states and local school districts are forced to divert resources from general education to address the needs of disabled students.

Rep. Waxman believes we must strengthen the federal commitment to education, from early childhood to K-12 to higher education. He is committed to providing additional resources for NCLB and IDEA to ensure that our schools can meet the needs of all students and prepare them for college and success in the global economy. He also supports full funding of Head Start, one of our most effective federal programs, to ensure that all children start school ready to learn. In addition, he is a member of the Pell Grant Caucus and supports robust financial aid funding to expand access to higher education for middle- and low-income students.