Date: 2014-07-23
Speaker: JACKSON LEE (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Chair. I rise to speak in support of H.R. 3136. the "Advancing CompetencyBased Education Demonstration Project Act." I thank Chairman SESSIONS and Ranking Member SLAUGHTER of the House Rules Committee for their management of the debate on the rule for H.R. 3136. I thank Congressmen POLLS and SALMON for their bipartisan work to draft this bill that the House is considering. Chairman KLINE and Congressman POLLS. thank you for managing the debate the debate on H.R. 3136. I appreciate and thank the bipartisan effort led by Chairman KLINE. Ranking Member MILLER. Ranking Member FOxx. and the sponsors of H.R. 3136. My appreciation to the Education Committee staff who worked with my staff on the Jackson Lee Amendment and for the Education Committees support of the Jackson Lee Amendment to H.R. 3136. As founder and cochair of the Congressional Childrens Caucus I am committed to seeing that every child and young person has the opportunity to grow up in a stable and safe home. The first step for a safe and healthy childhood is the stability of the lives of adults in the lives of children. I will speak more on the Jackson Lee Amendment when it is considered by the full House later today. The Jackson Lee Amendment would direct the Secretary of Education to conduct outreach to a number of underrepresented institutions regarding the federal education pilot grant program prior to the deadline for applications to be submitted for consideration for grant funds under the pilot program. This bill does not do everything that I would hope that a higher education bill would do. but it is a step in the right direction. It would create more opportunities for Americans to have access to more high quality education. flexible higher education opportunities that can meet their education needswhich can open up a world of opportunities for older college students or those who struggle to receive degrees while raising children and working full time jobs. H.R. 3136. the Advancing CompetencyBased Education Demonstration Project Act will support federally funded pilot programs at secondary schools for CompetencyBased Education programs that work to create certainty when a student progresses through a program that they are ready for the next step in their education. We know that not everyone learns in the same way or at the same pace. but it is important that learning occurs. Adults have added pressures when they want to pursue education to compete for better paying jobs. These programs may offer options that are not based on the traditional semester approach to classroom work. but on the steps that must be completed to move from one level of a training or education program to another. Competence in any subject should be the foundation of education of students. If a student is returning to the classroom after years of work experience. this approach would best prepare them for being job ready upon graduation. CompetenceBased Education plans will aid students to master the lessons learned and enhance the students educational experience. which will result in the maximum benefit to the student. The challenge for the United States in the coming years is the STEM challengewe have far more jobs in the fields of science. technology. engineering and mathematics available than people who are trained or educated to fill them. The future of the economy is in Science. Technology. Engineering and Math careers. The growth in STEM jobs is 3 times faster than job growth in nonSTEM jobs. Minority college students who major in STEM higher education make 25% more than minority graduates with nonSTEM educations. Minority students who take STEM jobs make 50% more than minority nonSTEM graduates. Women pursuing STEM higher education drop out of programs with higher grades than males who remain and graduate. More than twothirds of all STEM positions are filled by someone with a STEM degree. Because of the current shortage of STEM workers for STEM positions and the projected need for STEM trained employees. the Federal government is in a race to attract and retain STEM employees. According to Booze Hamiltons The Biggest Bang Theory. nearly a 25% of federal government employees are people who work STEM positions. Stem workers earn 26% more than nonSTEM graduates. By 2018 we will need: 710.000 Computing workers. 160.000 Engineers. 70.000 Physical Scientists. 40.000 Life Science workers. and 20.000 Mathematics workers. Mr. Chair. I ask that my colleagues vote in support of H.R. 3136.