Congresswoman Slaughter has been dedicated to providing the best educational opportunities to the citizens of New York. From ensuring that all children have the same opportunities to participate in school activities, to enhancing opportunities for educators to excel at what they do, she has worked tirelessly to remove barriers for children to get the access to education that is so crucially needed for the future of this nation. Below is a list of her efforts to improve the educational system for NY-28:
H.R. 2882, the High School Athletics Accountability Act
On June 16, 2009, Congresswoman Slaughter introduced H.R. 2882, the High School Athletics Accountability Act, which was the 37th Anniversary of Title IX. On the same day, she held a briefing featuring Olympic Gymnast Dominique Dawes and former Senator Birch Bayh, who was an original author of Title IX. H.R. 2882 has 89 bipartisan cosponsors, including 16 Democrats and 2 Republicans who sit on the House Education & Labor Committee.
H.R. 2882 would help high schools improve opportunities for girls in sports, and thereby encourage greater participation of both girls and boys in athletics. The legislation requires that high schools report basic data on the number of female and male students in their athletic programs and the expenditures made for their sports teams.
Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) Reauthorization
On July 28, 2010, Congresswoman Slaughter wrote a letter to Chairman Miller urging him to include H.R. 2882 in any Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) reauthorization legislation.
Op-Ed in the Sarasota Herald-Tribune
On June 22, 2009, Congresswoman Slaughter authored an Op-Ed in the Sarasota Herald-Tribune titled “A Double Standard in High School Sports” on the inequity that still exists in high schools athletics and the need for H.R. 2882 to become law.
State Legislation Similar to H.R. 2882
Legislation based on H.R. 2882 is also gaining traction in state legislatures. Three states have now passed similar legislation, two of which have already successfully implemented data reporting requirements.
Letter of Support for the Sankofa Project
Congresswoman Slaughter wrote a letter of support to The Sankofa Project for their instrumental work in getting legislation introduced in the DC Council and for hosting the inaugural Title IX Holiday Invitational and Conference Classic in December 2009. Congresswoman Slaughter’s letter was featured in the souvenir program distributed to all event participants and attendees.
The Sankofa Project is committed to providing prevention and intervention programs and services to promote a desire for learning in youth who live in communities where education is often not valued by their peers. The Sankofa Project uses positive peer pressure, psychosocial and family mentoring support to help students, who might otherwise be left behind, identify their academic goals and make rewarding career path choices.
Rescission of the “Additional Clarification of Intercollegiate Athletics Policy”
On April 20, 2010, Congresswoman Slaughter praised the Obama Administration’s reversal of a discriminatory policy on women’s sports implemented by the Bush Administration. The ruling rescinds the 2005 “Additional Clarification of Intercollegiate Athletics Policy: Three-Part Test – Part Three.” Under that decision, schools could use non-responses to a simple, SPAM-like email survey to demonstrate that there was a lack of interest in athletics. Based on those responses, schools can and have justified cutting women’s programs.
Improving Public Education & Making College More Affordable
H.R. 1, the American Recovery & Reinvestment Act
On February 13, 2009, Congresswoman Slaughter supported H.R. 1, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) when it passed the House by a vote of 244-188. H.R. 1 was signed into Public Law 111-5 on February 17, 2009.
Education provisions in ARRA were designed to provide immediate relief to families squeezed by rising tuition costs in a difficult economy and provide immediate relief to state governments to stave off massive layoffs in public education, health, and social services.
The Congressional Budget Office estimates that ARRA has already helped save or create as many as 1.6 million jobs. Sources estimate 325,000 of the jobs saved were in public education.
ARRA also provided an additional $500 boost in the Pell Grant scholarship for the 2010 school year, benefitting up to seven million students.
H.R. 3221, the Student Aid & Fiscal Responsibility Act
On March 25, 2010, Congresswoman Slaughter supported H.R. 3221, the Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act (SAFRA) when it passed the House by a vote of 220-211. SAFRA was included in H.R. 4872, the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act which was signed into law on March 30, 2010.
This historic legislation, the largest investment in college aid in history, will transform the way our student loan programs operate by eliminating student loan middlemen and ensure that Americans have access to affordable, quality education opportunities to help make our economy strong and competitive again.
Over the next 10 years, SAFRA invests almost $700 million in New York State and over $98 million in NY-28 to increase the maximum annual Pell Grant scholarship to $5,550 in 2010 and to $5,975 by 2017. The legislation also invests $750 million to bolster college access and completion support resulting in $38 million for New York students over the next five years.
SAFRA saves taxpayers $61 billion over the 10 years by switching to the cheaper Direct Loan program, according to the Congressional Budget Office. In addition to investing in college aid, these provisions will also reduce the deficit by at least $10 billion over 10 years. Finally, the legislation makes federal loans more affordable for borrowers to repay by investing $1.5 billion to strengthen an Income-Based Repayment program that currently allows borrowers to cap their monthly federal student loan payments at 15 percent of their discretionary income. These new provisions will lower this monthly cap to just 10 percent for new borrowers after 2014.
H.R. 1586, the Education Jobs & Medicaid Assistance Act
On April 16, 2010, Congresswoman Slaughter joined 52 of her colleagues in writing Senator Reid urging education funds be included in any upcoming spending measures.
On August 10, 2010, Congresswoman Slaughter supported H.R. 1586, the Education Jobs and Medicaid Assistance Act when it passed the House by a vote of 247 to 161. H.R. 1586 was signed into Public Law 111-26 on August 10, 2010. The legislation is completely paid for and reduces the deficit by $1.4 billion over 10 years.
H.R. 1586 will save 161,000 teachers from tragically timed layoffs. In New York, 8,200 K-12 teachers are spared, 460 of who work in the New York 28th Congressional District according to the National Education Association.
New York’s Race to the Top Application
In January 2010, Congresswoman Slaughter joined 30 of her New York colleagues in writing Secretary of Education Duncan in support of New York State’s Race to the Top (RTTT) application.
As a result of the Congresswoman’s support, New York State was awarded $696,646,000 as a winner in the second round of the federal Race to the Top competition. Of the ten states named winners, only Massachusetts’s application scored more points than New York’s. The funding will help advance the Regents reform agenda through 27 projects over four grant years.
$348.3 million of the RTTT funds will be awarded to participating LEAs (school districts and charter schools) over the course of the grant to support implementation and the remaining $348.3 million will be used to build the capacity of educators statewide and directly support new curriculum models, standards, assessments, teacher and principal preparation and professional development, and the statewide student data system.
New York State’s Race to the Top application incorporates reforms enabled by state legislation enacted earlier this year. The legislation (1) establishes a new teacher and principal evaluation system that makes student achievement data a substantial component of how educators are assessed and supported; (2) raises New York’s charter school cap from 200 to 460 and enhances charter school accountability and transparency; (3) enables school districts to enter into contracts with Educational Partnership Organizations (the term for non-profit Education Management Organizations in New York State) for the management of their persistently lowest-achieving schools and schools under registration review; and (4) appropriates $20.4 million in capital funds to the State Education Department to implement its longitudinal data system.
Expanding National Service & Promoting Civic Duty
Congressional National Service Caucus
Congresswoman Slaughter joined the National Service Caucus, a bi-partisan group of legislators who are committed to supporting and encouraging national service programs, encouraging community service, and as a result making a real difference in the life of millions of Americans. Established in 2004, the National Service Caucus includes nearly 60 members in both the House and the Senate.
Letters to the Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Education & HHS
On July 9, 2009, Congresswoman Slaughter joined 34 of her colleagues in writing the Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services and Education requesting $1.157 billion for national service programs administered by the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNS) in FY 2010.
On October 23, 2009, Congresswoman Slaughter joined 52 of her colleagues in writing the Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education expressing support for the Senate Committee-approved funding level of $1.157 billion for CNS programs in FY 2010.
On March 17, 2010, Congresswoman Slaughter joined 55 of her colleagues in writing the Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education requesting $1.42 billion for service programs administered by CNS in FY 2011.
H.R. 1388, the Edward M Kennedy Serve America Act
On March 31, 2009, Congresswoman Slaughter supported, H.R. 1388, the Edward M Kennedy Serve America Act when it passed the House by a vote of 275-149. H.R. 1388 was signed into Public Law No: 111-13 on April 21, 2009.
The Serve America Act triples the current number of volunteers serving in America who can help in our country’s recovery by meeting critical local and national needs in education, health care, energy and care for our veterans. The legislation also increases the full-time education award service members receive in exchange for their contributions to $5,350 for 2010.
H.Res. 718, National Day of Service & Remembrance
On September 9, 2009, Congresswoman Slaughter supported H.Res. 718, which recognizes September 11th of each year as a National Day of Service and Remembrance, when it passed the House by a voice vote. She was a cosponsor of this bi-partisan resolution that calls upon all Americans to engage in community service on or around September 11th by taking part in community service projects in their neighborhood. These projects are intended to honor and pay tribute to those who selflessly served their communities during and after the 9/11 attacks, when strangers came together to help those in need.
H.Res. 353, Supporting the goals and ideals of Global Youth Service Days
On May 5, 2009, Congresswoman Slaughter supported H.Res. 353, which supports the goals and ideals of Global Youth Service Days, when it passed the House by a vote of 424 to 0. She was a cosponsor of the legislation.
H.Res. 1247, Public Service Recognition Week
On May 5, 2009, Congresswoman Slaughter supported H.Res. 1247, which expressed the sense of the House of Representatives that public servants should be commended for their dedication and continued service to the Nation during Public Service Recognition Week, May 3 through 9, 2010, and throughout the year, when it passed the House by voice vote. She was a cosponsor of the resolution.
H.R. 1596, the Segal AmeriCorps Education Award Tax Relief Act
Congresswoman Slaughter co-sponsored H.R. 1596, the Segal AmeriCorps Education Award Tax Relief Act, which would exclude the AmeriCorps education award from gross income tax so those who serve can apply the full value of the award toward higher education.