Lamar Alexander on Education Republican Sr Senator (TN); previously candidate for President

Sub-sections under Education:
• School Choice
• Other issues under Education

Don't forgive loans from bankrupt colleges, with exceptions

[After a lawsuit], about 15,000 people have been flagged by the Education Department as eligible. About $80 million of the $150 million debt is attributed to the now-defunct Corinthian schools. Those eligible for loan forgiveness must have been enrolled at the school when it closed and not enrolled at another Title-IV school within three years.

Sen. Lamar Alexander, the Education Committee chair, previously argued the "Obama administration went too far in rewriting this provision by setting overly broad and vague standards and as a result, put taxpayers on the hook for too many loans."

1985: Raised state taxes to improve education

Allow organized voluntary prayer in public schools

Federal funding for HOPE scholarships for grade school

More teacher pay; but end tenure

Support public schools with local control

Test for high standards for teachers and students

Replace bilingual education with “English for Children”

Create Education Savings Accounts

Charter schools make public education better

Regulate all public schools like charter schools

Public scholarships for charter or private schools

$1,500 scholarship for poor kids to attend any school

Pass Model Charter School Laws in all 50 states

Give school decisions back to families

Voted YES on additional $10.2B for federal education & HHS projects.

Proponents support voting YES because:

Rep. OBEY: This bill, more than any other, determines how willing we are to make the investment necessary to assure the future strength of this country and its working families. The President has chosen to cut the investments in this bill by more than $7.5 billion in real terms. This bill rejects most of those cuts.

Opponents recommend voting NO because:

Rep. LEWIS: This bill reflects a fundamental difference in opinion on the level of funding necessary to support the Federal Government's role in education, health and workforce programs. The bill is $10.2 billion over the President's budget request. While many of these programs are popular on both sides of the aisle, this bill contains what can rightly be considered lower priority and duplicative programs. For example, this legislation continues three different programs that deal with violence prevention. An omnibus bill is absolutely the wrong and fiscally reckless approach to completing this year's work. It would negate any semblance of fiscal discipline demonstrated by this body in recent years.

Veto message from President Bush:

This bill spends too much. It exceeds [by $10.2 billion] the reasonable and responsible levels for discretionary spending that I proposed to balance the budget by 2012. This bill continues to fund 56 programs that I proposed to terminate because they are duplicative, narrowly focused, or not producing results. This bill does not sufficiently fund programs that are delivering positive outcomes. This bill has too many earmarks--more than 2,200 earmarks totaling nearly $1 billion. I urge the Congress to send me a fiscally responsible bill that sets priorities.

Voted NO on $52M for "21st century community learning centers".

Voted NO on $5B for grants to local educational agencies.

• $2.5 billion for targeting grants to local educational agencies
• $2.5 billion for education finance incentive grants

Voted NO on shifting $11B from corporate tax loopholes to education.

• Restore education program cuts slated for vocational education, adult education, GEAR UP, and TRIO.
• Increase the maximum Pell Grant scholarship to $4,500 immediately.
• Increases future math and science teacher student loan forgiveness to $23,000.
• Pay for the education funding by closing $10.8 billion in corporate tax loopholes.

Rated 27% by the NEA, indicating anti-public education votes.

The National Education Association has a long, proud history as the nation's leading organization committed to advancing the cause of public education. Founded in 1857 "to elevate the character and advance the interests of the profession of teaching and to promote the cause of popular education in the United States," the NEA has remained constant in its commitment to its original mission as evidenced by the current mission statement:

To fulfill the promise of a democratic society, the National Education Association shall promote the cause of quality public education and advance the profession of education; expand the rights and further the interest of educational employees; and advocate human, civil, and economic rights for all.

Support the goals and ideals of Charter Schools.

A resolution supporting the goals and ideals of National Charter Schools Week, April 30, 2007, through May 4, 2007.
• Whereas charter schools deliver high-quality education and challenge students to reach their potential;
• Whereas charter schools provide thousands of families with diverse and innovative educational options for their children;
• Whereas charter schools are public schools authorized by designated public entities to respond to the needs of communities, families, and students, and to promote the principles of quality, choice, and innovation;
• Whereas, in exchange for the flexibility and autonomy given to charter schools, charter schools are held accountable by their sponsors for improving student achievement and for their finances and other operations;
• Whereas 40 States and the District of Columbia have passed laws authorizing charter schools;
• Whereas more than 4,000 charter schools operating across the United States serve more than 1,140,000 students;
• Whereas, over the last 13 years, Congress has provided more than $2,026,225,000 in support to the charter school movement;
• Whereas the eighth annual National Charter Schools Week, to be held April 30 through May 4, 2007, is an event sponsored by charter schools and grassroots charter school organizations across the United States to recognize the significant impacts, achievements, and innovations of charter schools:
• Now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the Senate acknowledges and commends charter schools and students, parents, teachers, and administrators of charter schools across the United States for their ongoing contributions to education and improving and strengthening the public school system; and supports the goals and ideals of the eighth annual National Charter Schools Week.