Education
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The issue of Education is important to our district and to my work in Congress.
Education reform is one of the biggest issues facing our country today. The federal government is spending massive amounts of money on K-12 education, but taxpayers are seeing little return on that investment. Pouring more federal money into the problem is not the solution and neither is imposing a one-size-fits-all solution. We need to focus on accountability, flexibility and local control, identifying and funding only what works, and expanding parental choice.
As a school board member, I saw that local control and community involvement were not to be underestimated. Giving communities the tools and the flexibility to address their particular needs not only encourages greater local involvement in education but also gives students an example of the ingenuity and perseverance that will serve them well in the world today.
We also need to expand our focus on higher education from just the traditional colleges. In a dynamic, global economy, Americans need to be able to train or retrain for the careers of the 21st century. Some will be able to pursue this through traditional colleges, but many will opt for the flexibility and practicality of schools with specialized, practical training. Supporting an array of educational facilities provides our workforce the greatest chance to compete and succeed in today's global economy.
For more information concerning my work and views on Education, please contact my Washington, DC office.
I look forward to your feedback.
The following is a list of bills Rep. Kelly has supported to improve American's education system and make our workforce more competitive:
- SUPPORTS LEGISLATION HELPING FAMILIES SAVE FOR ALL SCHOOL COSTS. Rep. Kelly authored H. R. 6148, the Families Saving for Education Act, to ensure that K-12 public school students continue to receive Coverdell Education Savings Accounts. Coverdell accounts give parents a tax free option to pay for educational supplies, books, and tuition.
- SUPPORTS REFORM OF K-12 EDUCATION TO GIVE TEACHERS AND LOCAL COMMUNITIES MORE CONTROL. Rep. Kelly voted for H.R. 3989, the Student Success Act, and H.R. 3990, the Encouraging Innovation and Effective Teachers Act. These bills reauthorize the Elementary and Secondary Education Act and limit the one-size-fits-all regulations from Washington, giving parents and local communities more control over educational decisions and free teachers from having to tailor their lessons to fit a federally-mandated standardized test instead of the needs of their students.
- SUPPORTS CHANGES THAT HELP RURAL AND SMALL URBAN SCHOOLS. Rep. Kelly is a cosponsor and voted to support H.R. 2485, the All Children are Equal Act. This bill eliminates the dual weighting system for Title I funds that discriminates against rural and small urban schools. For example, the 3rd district loses $1.6 million because of this outdated and discriminatory weighting system.
- SUPPORTS CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS. Rep. Kelly cosigned letters with other representatives to the Education Secretary opposing the “gainful employment” regulations the Department of Education proposed for career and technical schools, which held them to higher standards that traditional universities. Rep. Kelly also voted for an amendment to H.R. 1, the Full-Year Continuing Appropriations Act that prohibited funds from being used to implement these regulations. A federal judge recently vacated the regulation. Rep. Kelly cosponsored H.R. 3154, the Education for Tomorrow’s Jobs Act, which encourages local job creator involvement in K-12 education.
- SUPPORTS REFORM OF JOB TRAINING PROGRAMS TO ELIMINATE WASTE AND RESPOND TO NEEDS OF EMPLOYERS AND JOB-SEEKERS. Rep. Kelly voted in the Education and Workforce Committee to advance H.R. 4297, the Workforce Investment Improvement Act. This act eliminates dozens of ineffective and redundant employment programs and creates one flexible Workforce Investment Fund; gives job creators a stronger voice in workforce development decisions; and protects taxpayer dollars by improving accountability.
- SUPPORTS WORKER RIGHTS. Rep. Kelly cosponsored H.R. 972, the Secret Ballot Protection Act, which would ensure that all employees have the right to vote in secret ballot elections on any potential representation. He also cosponsored H.R. 3094, Workforce Democracy and Fairness Act which reins in the activist National Labor Relations Board and protects workers’ free choice.
- SUPPORTS WORKERS MAKING A LIVING WAGE. Rep. Kelly believes workers should be able to earn a living wage. He voted to uphold the wage-rate requirements under the Davis-Bacon Act that ensure workers make enough to live and raise a family.
- QUESTIONS THE ADMINISTRATION’S ANTI-WORKER, JOB-DESTROYING POLICIES. Rep. Kelly cosigned a letter to the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) expressing concern over its “activist, job-destroying agenda” designed to punish employers. He also cosigned a letter to Assistant Secretary of Labor Michaels requesting the Occupational Safety and Health Administration make public possible regulatory changes to existing crystalline silica standards. Rep. Kelly cosigned a letter to Assistant Secretary of Labor Main expressing concern regarding inconsistent and unpredictable enforcement by inspectors from Mine Safety and Health Administration.
Education Related Links:
See also information on student financial aid.
US Department of Education: http://www.ed.gov/
Pennsylvania Department of Education: http://www.education.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/community/pennsylvania_department_of_education/7237
Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency: http://www.pheaa.org/
School Districts in the Third District of Pennsylvania:
Armstrong County:
Armstrong: http://www.asd.k12.pa.us/asd/site/default.asp
Freeport Area: http://www.freeport.k12.pa.us/freeport/site/default.asp
Butler County:
Butler Area: http://www.butlerk12.com/basd/
Karns City Area: http://www.karnscity.k12.pa.us/pages/Karns_City_ASD
Moniteau: http://www.moniteau.k12.pa.us/
Slippery Rock Area: http://www.slipperyrock.k12.pa.us/
South Butler County: http://www.southbutler.org/southbutlercsd/site/default.asp
Crawford County:
Conneaut: http://conneautsd.org/
Crawford Central: http://www.craw.org/
Penncrest: http://penncrest.org/
Erie County:
Corry Area: http://www.corrysd.net/
Erie City: http://www.eriesd.org/ecsd/
Fairview: http://www.fairviewschools.org/fsddemo/index.shtm
Fort Leboeuf: http://www.fortleboeuf.net/
General McLane: http://www.generalmclane.org/
Girard: http://girardsd.org/
Harbor Creek: http://www.hcsd.iu5.org/
Iroquois: http://www.iroquoissd.org/
Millcreek Township: http://www.edline.net/pages/mtsd
North East: http://www.nesd1.org/
Northwestern: http://www.nwsd.org/
Union City Area: http://www.ucasd.org/
Wattsburg Area: http://www.wattsburg.org/
Mercer County:
Commodore Perry: http://www.cppanthers.org/CPWeb.htm
Farrell Area: http://www.farrellareaschools.com/
Greenville Area: http://www.greenville.k12.pa.us/
Grove City Area: http://grovecity.schoolwires.com/grovecity/site/default.asp
Hermitage: http://www.hermitage.k12.pa.us/
Jamestown Area: http://www.jamestown.k12.pa.us/
Lakeview: http://www.lakeview.k12.pa.us/lakeviewsd/site/default.asp
Mercer Area: http://www.mercer.k12.pa.us/default.aspx
Reynolds: http://www.edline.net/pages/reynolds/
Sharon City: http://www.sharon.k12.pa.us/sharoncitysd/site/default.asp
Sharpsville Area: http://www.sharpsville.k12.pa.us/
Warren County:
Warren County: http://www.wcsdpa.org/