| For immediate release July 15, 2009 |
Contact: Erin Donar
202-225-3611
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Kildee Leads Effort to Improve Affordability and Quality in America’s Educational System |
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| Legislation Codifies President’s Education Agenda |
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| WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Dale E. Kildee (D-MI), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary and Secondary Education, joined with other top Democrats to introduce the Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2009. This legislation will expand early childhood education, invest in K-12 facilities, make college more accessible and affordable, and strengthen community colleges to help our workers gain the necessary skills to compete in the global economy. These benefits come at no cost to taxpayers and will actually save $87 billion and direct $10 billion in savings to the U.S. treasury over ten years. “Education has long been the foundation of our country and is critical for the collective success of our nation,” said Congressman Kildee. “By improving our educational system at all levels, we are not only benefiting our students, we are ensuring that America’s current and future workforce can compete in the global economy. These are goals I have been working towards my entire career and I am extremely proud of this landmark legislation.” Strengthening Early Education Throughout Congressman Kildee’s career, early education has been one of his highest priorities. Today’s legislation will provide $10 billion over ten years to improve education for children five and under, helping prepare them to enter kindergarten. It also provides $5 billion for school modernization projects that will create healthier, safer and more energy-efficient learning environments for all school children. “As a former teacher, I believe the best way to prepare our youth for success in their academic and professional lives is to provide every child with quality early education. This legislation will not only improve the quality of early education, it will also ensure that older children have access to more modern, healthy and environmentally friendly learning facilities,” said Congressman Kildee. For more details on investments in early education, click here Supporting Early College and Dual Enrollment Programs Today’s legislation supports another of Congressman Kildee’s top priorities - early college and dual enrollment programs. The bill establishes a competitive grant program for community colleges, which can be used to support early college high school partnerships and other types of dual enrollment programs. These programs combine high school and college curricula to allow students to earn credit toward a postsecondary degree while still in high school. This encourages students to pursue higher education, while saving them time and money in the process. “With tuition rising in an historically harsh economic climate, early college and dual enrollment programs will provide high school students with the opportunity to earn up to two years of college credit at no cost to their families - a critical boost towards earning college degree," said Congressman Kildee. Investments in College Affordability This legislation also includes landmark investments in college affordability. Similar to what President Barack Obama proposed in his FY 2010 budget, the bill will originate all new federal student loans through the more stable, cost-efficient and effective Direct Loan program starting in 2010. This change will generate $87 billion in savings over the next ten years that will be used to boost Pell Grant scholarships, keep interest rates on federal loans affordable and create a more reliable and effective financial aid system for families. This legislation also simplifies the FAFSA form, used to apply for financial aid. “In today’s competitive, global economy, an advanced degree has replaced a high school diploma as a requirement for a successful career in many fields. These improvements will help make the dream of advanced education more affordable for millions of Americans across the country,” said Congressman Kildee. • For more details on converting to Direct Loans, click here. Improving Education at Our Community Colleges Community colleges will benefit from competitive grants, as well as funding to renovate and improve facilities, among other provisions. These colleges offer programs that allow workers to gain the skills they need to succeed in their current jobs or transition to new careers. “Education is one of the most important ways to ensure the success of our workforce, and our community colleges play a leading role in that effort. Particularly in my home state of Michigan and other auto-producing states, community colleges provide our workers with the training they need to help retool our auto facilities and build the next generation of advanced vehicles,” said Congressman Kildee. • For more details on how this bill will strengthen community colleges, click here. • For a complete summary of the legislation, click here. • For more details on how this legislation will help students and families, click here. ###
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