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Scott Kleeb on Education
Democratic Challenger
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Deeply committed to science & technology education
Q: What role do you think the federal government should play in science and technology education?A: As a father, I am deeply committed to improving science and technology programs in our schools. To remain a global leader, the
United States must continue to make great strides in science and technology. To do that, we must ensure that our schools prepare our kids to enter into the increasingly competitive and technological global economy.
This begins with improving our achievement in math and science and our education system generally. Moreover, we must actively recruit high quality math and science teachers dedicated to giving our girls and boys the education they deserve.
Already we are seeing corporations encouraging their engineers to teach in our schools and hosting math and science teacher camps. We must do more to continue this trend.
Source: 2008 Senate questionnaire by SEA & 18 science organizations
Sep 9, 2008
Accountability should enhance and support, not to punish
The No Child Left Behind (NCLB) legislation was a milestone in education policy. However, Scott believes it's time to deliver the promise of this important measure.- End unfunded mandates. Washington must stop passing the buck onto the states.
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Allow state flexibility. While national standards are an important indicator of how well our kids are being educated, states must be permitted some flexibility in how they implement and execute programs.
- Improve accountability standards.
Scott believes that teachers and school administrators should be held accountable for their students' growth and success. However, accountability standards must be designed to enhance and support, not to punish. Scott is committed to fighting for our
teachers and our students by implementing accountability standards that work.
- Restructure AYP (the Annual Yearly Progress approach). Scott is a proponent of comprehensive education practices designed to help a student grow over time.
Source: Campaign booklet, Nebraska's Brand of Change, p.30
Aug 19, 2008
More college via Pell Grants, & G.I. Bill
Scott Kleeb understands that getting a college degree is not a luxury; it is crucial to getting ahead. Yet, the cost of higher education remains out of reach for too many Nebraskans. Scott is committed to making a college degree and other
post-educational programs more accessible and more affordable to all Nebraskans by:- Proposing a National Defense Education Act. Fifty years ago, the launch of Sputnik sent shockwaves around the world. America responded; now we must invest in a
National Defense Education Act for the 21st Century.
- Providing a tax credit for families paying for college.
- Expand funding for Pell Grants.
- Increase loan forgiveness opportunities. Provide scholarship incentives for young people to enter
service-oriented fields that assist underserved communities, including joining the Peace Corps and AmeriCorps.
- Incentives for mid-career education. Provide grants and scholarships to help middle-class professionals get ahead.
Source: Campaign booklet, Nebraska's Brand of Change, p.32
Aug 19, 2008
Recruit high quality math and science teachers
Q: What should the government do to prepare K-12 students for the 21st Century?A: We must actively recruit high quality math and science teachers dedicated to giving our girls and boys the education they deserve.[We should also] support children early
in development because we know that a well-fed child is both a healthier child & one more equipped to learn. And [we should] instill in our children a love of learning--something that can't be achieved when we limit teachers to just teaching to the test.
Source: Scientists and Engineers for America (SEFORA) questionnaire
Aug 8, 2008
Support early childhood education and quality childcare
Support Early Childhood Education and Quality Childcare: Make a difference for infants and young children so they are ready to start kindergarten by providing universal voluntary preschool and affordable, high quality childcare opportunities for families
Additionally, increase funding for two of the most successful programs in recent American history, both Early Head Start and Head Start.
Source: Campaign website, www.ScottKleeb.com
May 14, 2008
Reform No Child Left Behind
Inadequate implementation and funding by the Bush administration failed to provide high-quality teachers in every classroom and failed to adequately support and pay those teachers.
While our schools must be held accountable for teaching our children, our government must also be accountable to our schools for providing the resources they need to educate our children.
Source: Campaign website, www.ScottKleeb.com
May 14, 2008
Bring more qualified teachers into the classroom
- Create initiatives to bring more qualified teachers into the classroom while supporting full spectrum curriculum development which means a focus on the arts as well as the basic skills a child needs to be successful.
- Use early middle school intervention strategies such as teach teams and more intensive instruction. Additionally, expand high quality after school opportunities, summer programs, and college outreach programs such as Upward Bound and AmeriCorps.
Source: Campaign website, www.ScottKleeb.com
May 14, 2008
Don't punish struggling schools
Nebraska has 246 school districts with less than 600 students. I believe we should celebrate these schools, not cut their budgets, or threaten to toss them into larger, lower-performing districts, all because of short-term budget pressures.
The budget pressures are real, it is true. But what I would like to propose is this: Let's get a federal government that doesn't boil down education policy into a crusade to punish struggling schools.
Source: Campaign website for Congress, scottkleeb.com, "Issues"
Nov 1, 2006
Page last updated: Dec 03, 2008