Many of our children's basic cognitive foundations are solidified before traditional elementary education begins. We will secure assistance to families with children in preschool, create partnerships for early learners, and provide for full-day kindergarten. Representative Suzanne Williams, D-Aurora, is introducing legislation to advance our goal of providing a form of education to children in low performance schools at the earliest possible opportunity. Teachers along with parents are the most important equation in our students' success. We are working on programs to recruit, retain, and train high quality teachers for our schools.
Character education is a strong component for ensuring respect and safety within schools.
Representative Suzanne Williams is introducing legislation to encourage school districts to establish character education programs, with input from parents and the community. House Democrats are committed to establishing a plan to develop the school grading system to broaden accountability criteria beyond just standardized test scores. We are focused on maintaining high standards through tracking student preparedness, and developing a system that respects the unique differences between schools and school districts in geography, funding, and their student population. Improving our education system continues to be at the forefront of our legislative agenda. Our schools deserve to have a say in how to best educate students.