Here in the Conejo Valley the issue raised most often by families I talk with at town hall meetings and other events is education. Voters in 24th Congressional District know that education is a top priority for me. To achieve that goal, a number of my colleagues and I have put forward an agenda to improve public education which includes reducing class size by hiring 100,000 new qualified teachers. President Clinton recently released a new Education Department report showing that reducing class size, especially in the early grades, leads to improved student achievement. Smaller class size reduces discipline problems and increases instruction time for teachers.
Smaller classes make the greatest impact in the early grades.
Here in the Conejo Valley people have made it very clear to me that we must make a commitment to improving public education. It is my hope that Republicans and Democrats can join together to pursue the goal of modern schools which have smaller classes and better discipline, prepare our children for the jobs of the future, and provide for improved learning.