Education

OUR CHILDREN'S FUTURE

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"Education has always been a passion of mine. I am dedicated to improving educational opportunities for every American at every level, from preschool and beyond.

I have been a leader in reducing class sizes so that all of our schoolchildren receive the attention they need. In 1998, I introduced a national class size reduction initiative modeled after Wisconsin's highly successful SAGE program. SAGE (Student Achievement Guarantee in Education) lowers class size in early primary grades, allowing teachers to spend more time with individual students. Small class size, in addition to teaching quality and parental involvement, makes a real difference in academic performance, especially in the early grades.

I believe that local school districts should maintain control over decisions that affect our children's day-to-day classroom experiences. For this reason, I have opposed conditions set by the federal government that would require mandatory testing of all students. We should leave the means and frequency of assessment up to the states and local school districts who bear the responsibility for – and most of the cost of – educating our children. Every state and every school district is different. A uniform federal testing policy is not the best approach for students.

Higher education is one of the most vital keys to open the door to success in this country. Without a college degree, or significant post-secondary education, it is a lot harder to find a successful path through today's labor market-- and without Pell grants from the Federal Government, many individuals simply can't consider college. I am proud to have successfully expanded the size and availability of Pell grants and will continue this work so that every American can realize the dream of a college education."

ACHIEVEMENTS

Legislator of the Year: Senator Feingold was named "2001 Legislator of the Year" by the United States Students Association (USSA) for his work to increase Pell Grants to keep up with rising student costs, helping make higher education affordable.

Senate Voting Record: In their most recent ratings, the Children's Defense Fund gave Senator Feingold a perfect score of 100% for his Senate voting record.

Opposing No Child Left Behind: Senator Feingold strongly supports maintaining local control over decisions that affect our children's day-to-day classroom experiences, and is committed to ensuring that the federal dollars spent on education meet the needs of local school districts. He voted against the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 because he believes it did not bring us closer to these goals. He also opposed the mandatory testing provisions of the act, and has introduced, with Senator Jim Jeffords (I-VT), the Student Testing Flexibility Act to allow local school districts that have demonstrated academic success the flexibility to seek a waiver of those new standardized testing provisions.

Supporting WIC and Head Start: Compelling studies indicate that we can make the most difference for children in their developmental, preschool years. Unfortunately, many underprivileged children do not receive that essential early attention and start elementary school far behind their classmates. Because of this, Senator Feingold has strongly supported early childhood programs such as Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) and Head Start.

Recently, Senator Feingold has joined colleagues in the Senate in pushing for substantial increased funding for Head Start. The funding levels proposed by the Bush Administration could result in 500 children being cut from the program, at a time when Head Start is already only available to sixty percent of eligible three and four year olds.

Increasing Pell Grants: Senator Feingold has sponsored an amendment and successfully passed a $450 increase to the maximum Pell Grant award, a cornerstone of student aid packages in Wisconsin and across the country. This was the largest increase to the Pell Grant program in recent history, allowing more Americans the opportunity of a college education. Senator Feingold is currently leading a bipartisan coalition of senators in an effort to raise the grant from $4000 to $4500. Senator Feingold has also secured funding for important programs such as the Leveraging Educational Assistance Partnership (LEAP), which uses federal and state funds to provide need-based grants to academically qualified students.

Increasing Scholarship Opportunities: Senator Russ Feingold introduced and passed the International Academic Opportunity Act of 2000 which provides scholarships to qualified low-income students to study abroad while attending a U.S. college or university. After September 11, the critical importance of understanding our world and improving relations abroad became clear to every American. Senator Feingold has been a leader on international issues since he entered the Senate.

Modernizing Our Classrooms: Currently seven million students in the United States attend schools with safety code violations. Our children's safety should always be a top priority, and that is why Russ supports the School Modernization Amendment to prioritize $22 billion out of a balanced budget for rebuilding our crumbling schools.

Ending Discrimination: Senator Feingold believes that all students, regardless of their sexual orientation, should feel safe in school. To combat harassment, Senator Feingold supports a study introduced by Minnesota Senator Paul Wellstone on how schools are implementing the policy guidelines relating to sexual harassment directed against gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender students.

Ending Scholarship Fraud: In November of 1999, the Senate passed legislation, sponsored by Senator Feingold and Senator Abraham (R-MI), cracking down on scholarship fraud.

Providing Equal Opportunities: Senator Feingold offered an amendment to the Senate's FY 2001 budget to provide more money for grants under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). This amendment would finally enable every disabled student to be served based on his or her individual needs.

Endorsements

- Wisconsin Education Association Council
- American Federation of Teachers

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