The Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions will please come to order.
Education is important. It can lift entire families and generations out of poverty, giving children opportunities they otherwise will not have; opportunities to achieve the American Dream.
But not all children get those opportunities because not all children have access to quality education. The status quo is not working.
The scores from the 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) were the lowest we’ve seen in over 30 years. Only one-third of high school seniors are at a proficient reading level. And nearly 60% of employers say high school graduates are not job ready.
Some of my colleagues say the solution to this is increased funding. We’ve tried that. Throwing more money at schools does not work. The idea that this is solely a resource issue defies the facts.
School choice is the avenue for fostering the innovation we need to meet students’ learning needs.
Education is not one-size fits all. The status quo overlooks students who learn differently. There’s a demand for innovative approaches for teaching students with specific and sometimes complex needs. Some charter and private schools are already doing this.
My wife, Dr. Laura Cassidy, operates a charter school designed to serve students with dyslexia. Their curriculum provides early and necessary interventions to support students who are struggling to read.
Other schools, like Ohio’s Oakmont centers and Sail Future Academy in Florida, specialize in meeting “at risk” students where they are to improve their academic achievement.
I’m also impressed with the St. George Municipal School Unit in St. George, Maine, which provides hands-on learning in trades that support the local economy such as boatbuilding, woodworking, metalwork, and technology.
These types of schools, schools with more tailored educations, should be accessible to all children. School choice does that – putting parents in charge of their child’s education, allowing them to choose the education that best fits their child’s needs.
Now, some parents may choose to keep their child in public school. There are plenty of great public schools with fantastic teachers. And if you’re pleased with your child’s education, then you should be able to keep them there. But while some students may thrive in public school, others may struggle. Each child is unique and has unique learning needs. If a parent recognizes, their child’s needs aren’t being met at school, they should be able to find a different school that better suits their child’s needs.
I also want to point out the positive impact school choice has on public schools. When you empower parents with choice, they will naturally choose the education that’s best. This prompts lower performing schools to improve. Healthy competition drives results. It's a win-win.
Our children deserve the best chance at success. That’s what you want as a parent and as a grandparent; that’s why I support school choice.
Provisions from my Educational Choice for Children Act included in President Trump’s historic Working Families Tax Cut, further enables parents to take their children out of failing public schools and send them to private or charter schools through scholarships.
This isn’t a partisan issue. The American people want school choice. It’s supported by nearly three quarters of K-12 parents. Republicans overwhelmingly support school choice. Importantly, more than half of Democrats support it as well.
School choice is not about public school versus private school; it’s not about teachers versus parents; it’s not about Republicans versus Democrats. It’s about giving a parent access to that innovative educational program which is best for her child. So that her child can maximize her talents and achieve her dreams.
With that, I recognize Senator Sanders.
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