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In Rochester, we know that a good job comes from a good education and that all children deserve access to world-class schools and the support they need to unlock their full potential. Louise is bringing high-tech jobs to Rochester and is working to ensure our children join the talented workforce we need now and in the future.

This is why Louise has pushed to make sure every child has access to quality early childhood education and good public schools. Louise is fighting to make sure college students don’t graduate with mountains of debt.

Early Childhood Education

Louise knows that we have to invest in our children from an early age to ensure they have every opportunity to succeed. That’s why she has been a steadfast supporter of the Head Start and Early Head Start programs and in 2014 helped provide quality childcare and education to more than 1,400 local children, infants, and pregnant women by restoring $700,000 in funding to Rochester’s Action for a Better Community (ABC) Head Start Program. Louise didn’t end her efforts there, and in 2015, secured another $6.9 million for ABC Head Start.

Improving Public Schools

We must equip every public school student with the skills and knowledge they need to succeed in life. That’s why Louise is working with local students, teachers, families, and school administrators to improve our public schools. She is the lead Democratic sponsor of the bipartisan All Children are Equal (ACE) Act, which would help students and families by reforming and reinvigorating our support for schools serving low-income students. Her plan would ensure that underserved school districts receive the support they need and would bring an additional $12 million to schools around Monroe County.

Education for Homeless Children

The McKinney-Vento Homeless Housing Assistance Act was one of Louise Slaughter’s first major actions as a member of Congress. Still today, it is one of the laws she is most proud of. It was the first federal law regarding homelessness, and included support for homeless children. Louise ensured that homeless children could get the school supplies they need and continue to attend the same schools, even if their family moved to a shelter outside the school district. According to the State Education Department, in the 2013-2014 school year there were over 2,800 homeless students enrolled in Monroe County public schools receiving assistance from McKinney Vento. The same year, there were over 1,258,000 homeless students in the United States in total.

Louise is also committed to helping address the problem of LGBTQ homeless youth in Rochester. According to the Williams Institute, LGBTQ youth make up 40 percent of the homeless youth served by government agencies – and the average age, according to the Center for American Progress, is between 13 and 14 years old. Louise believes we need inclusive solutions to address the cycle of homelessness.