Our public elementary and secondary schools face tremendous challenges. School enrollment is at record levels, America's classrooms are falling apart and there is a lack of teachers. The Chairman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus also commended the President's commitment to excellence in education for all Americans.
Hispanic students are among the nation's most educationally disadvantaged.
Unfortunately, this Hispanic education initiative did not receive the full funding it merits from Congressional appropriators. We must end politics at the schoolhouse door. I urge Congress to work on the President's education agenda. This plan would reduce class size to a national average of 18, modernizes 5,000 schools nationwide and makes the needed investments to provide schools and students with after-school programs, technology, and other tools to bring our schools into the 21st Century. Let's get to work on what really counts.