George Allen on Education

	George Allen on Education Republican Senate Challenger

Froze college tuition while governor

Allen spent most of his time criticizing Kaine for supporting increased spending and chastised him for serving as chairman of the Democratic National Committee. He told the audience that while he froze college tuition as the state's chief executive, Kaine increased it by 33 percent. But Allen did take a moment to defend himself [from attacks as a big spender], saying he supported a balanced-budget amendment and a line-item veto. Source: Washington Post on 2012 VA Senate debate , May 11, 2012

Lower student loan rates; freeze tuition rates

George Allen's campaign says that the former senator supports extending lower interest rates for student loans. The campaign also said that Allen supports the federal government playing a part in student loans.

Student loans have quickly become a hot button issue for candidates nationally and here in the Commonwealth. At Saturday's Republican Senate Debate in Roanoke candidates Bob Marshall, E.W. Jackson, and Jamie Radtke all came out forcefully saying the federal government should be out of the student loan business. "When you have the federal government giving loans it does artificially inflate prices and tuitions for schools," Radtke said.

George Allen was quiet on the issue saying only he wants to freeze tuition costs and make college more affordable.

Source: WSLS-10 Roanaoke on 2012 Virginia Senate debate , May 5, 2012

School choice & vouchers, over one-size-fits-all

In the Senate, George Allen introduced the "Flexibility for Champion Schools Act" to ensure that unnecessary federal intrusion does not cause States, such as Virginia, with successful accountability programs in education to have to dumb down their higher academic standards to comply with the one-size-fits-all standards of federal bureaucrats.

Governor Allen has been a proponent and remains very supportive of School Choice Initiatives such as in the District of Columbia, where the federal Government has purview. School Choice has shown very positive results in both the quality and cost of education, especially in urban areas.

If elected to the US Senate, George Allen will again be an advocate for School Choice/Vouchers for parents and schoolchildren in the District of Columbia and other areas where the federal Government has educational jurisdiction.

George Allen will continue to support flexibility for the States to have school choice or charter schools as the people in that State deem best.

Source: 2012 Senate campaign website, www.georgeallen.com, "Issues" , Jul 22, 2011

Supports parents choosing schools via vouchers

Allow parents to use tax-free savings accounts to send their children to any publicly-funded school, or any participating school: public, private or religious.
Support charter schools where teachers and professionals receive authorization and funding to establish new schools.
Promote education flexibility by giving federal funds, in the form of block grants, to the states to spend it as they see fit.

Source: 2000 National Political Awareness Test , Sep 20, 2000

Testing has brought accountability

Measuring performance through testing has brought accountability into the schools. With School Performance Report Cards, students, parents and taxpayers will see how well their schools are performing. This competition for excellence is leading to improved schools and a better education for Virginia’s students. Recognizing that these standards are more challenging, the State gave school districts additional tools to implement the reforms, including funding an early reading initiative. Source: Web site Allen2000.com , Sep 9, 2000

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

To increase appropriations for after-school programs through 21st century community learning centers. Voting YES would increase funding by $51.9 million for after school programs run by the 21st century community learning centers and would decrease funding by $51.9 million for salaries and expenses in the Department of Labor. Reference: Amendment to Agencies Appropriations Act; Bill S Amdt 2287 to HR 3010 ; vote number 2005-279 on Oct 27, 2005

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

To provide an additional $5 billion for title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965. Voting YES would provide:

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

Reference: Elementary and Secondary Education Amendment; Bill S Amdt 2275 to HR 3010 ; vote number 2005-269 on Oct 26, 2005

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

Vote to adopt an amendment to the Senate's 2006 Fiscal Year Budget Resolution that would adjust education funding while still reducing the deficit by $5.4 billion. A YES vote would:

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.

Reference: Kennedy amendment relative to education funding; Bill S AMDT 177 to S Con Res 18 ; vote number 2005-68 on Mar 17, 2005

Voted NO on funding smaller classes instead of private tutors.

Vote to authorize a federal program aimed at reducing class size. The plan would assist states and local education agencies in recruiting, hiring and training 100,000 new teachers, with $2.4 billion in fiscal 2002. This amendment would replace an amendment allowing parents with children at under-performing schools to use public funding for private tutors. Reference: Bill S1 ; vote number 2001-103 on May 15, 2001

Voted NO on funding student testing instead of private tutors.

Vote to pass an amendment that would authorize $200 million to provide grants to help states develop assessment systems that describe student achievement. This amendment would replace an amendment by Jeffords, R-VT, which would allow parents with children at under-performing schools to use public funding for private tutors. Reference: Bill S1 ; vote number 2001-99 on May 10, 2001

Voted NO on spending $448B of tax cut on education & debt reduction.

Vote to reduce the size of the $1.6 trillion tax cut by $448 billion while increasing education spending by $250 billion and providing an increase of approximately $224 billion for debt reduction over 10 years. Reference: Bill H Con Res 83 ; vote number 2001-69 on Apr 4, 2001

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

Allen scores 27% by the NEA on public education issues

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.

In pursuing its mission, the NEA has determined that it will focus the energy and resources of its 2.7 million members toward the "promotion of public confidence in public education." The ratings are based on the votes the organization considered most important; the numbers reflect the percentage of time the representative voted the organization's preferred position. Source: NEA website 03n-NEA on Dec 31, 2003

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