Education
![Doing math problem on chalkboard Doing math problem on chalkboard](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20121107172224im_/http://heck.house.gov/sites/heck.house.gov/files/styles/section_front_boilerplate/public/education.jpg)
The issue of Education is important to our district and to my work in Congress.
As a father of three, I believe that schools must have access to the resources they need to ensure student success. Additionally, I will work with my colleagues to enact legislation that ensures our children are afforded every educational opportunity they deserve by eliminating bureaucratic roadblocks. Since Nevada has the highest unemployment rate in the country, I assure you that job creation and turning our economy around is my top priority in Congress, and I recognize that long term economic strength is linked to a strong education system.
Education policy decisions should be made closer to home, by state and local officials, along with school administrators, teachers, and parents. States and localities, along with teachers and parents, should determine the best education policies for their children while the key responsibility of the federal government should be to ensure the fair and equal administration of those policies. As a member of the House Education and Workforce Committee, please be assured that I will be fully engaged in the process of reauthorizing the Elementary and Secondary Education Act.
As part of my efforts to ensure that education and workforce investment decisions are made at the local level, I recently introduced the Workforce Investment Improvement Act of 2012. The bill consolidates more than 20 programs into one flexible Workforce Investment Fund, helping to provide a more streamlined system for workers and job seekers to find the employment support they need.
In addition, our bill will:
• Consolidate 27 ineffective and redundant programs into one flexible fund for state and local leaders to provide employment assistance to its workers;
• Eliminate unnecessary requirements that stand in the way of a worker’s ability to receive the support and training they need immediately;
• Strengthen the role of employees over workforce development decision; Demand accountability to ensure the system is serving the best interests of workers, employers, and taxpayers.
I believe that Nevada’s struggling families and their unique employment situations require local solutions, not the failed, one-size-fits-all approach previously taken by Washington. This bill emphasizes workforce training to meet the needs of local businesses and ensures that decisions regarding the allocation of resources are made based on local input. By increasing the participation of employers and training organizations within our community, we will prepare our unemployed for the jobs that do and will exist, giving them a better chance at getting back into the workforce.
I am a strong supporter of science, technology, engineering and math education (STEM) to ensure our students are prepared for tomorrow’s global marketplace, and career and technical education (CTE) to ensure workers are better prepared for today’s jobs. STEM and CTE are critical for Nevada’s future, and these programs will ensure people have the tools they need to be successful today and tomorrow.
For more information concerning my work and views on Education, please contact my Washington, DC office.