As Senator, Lee Jones will fight for a fully funded education system that seeks to support all students in achieving success.  Lee Jones will work to;

• Fully fund and modernize public education programs
• Make quality education accessible to all students from all backgrounds
• Create successful students by implementing the highest standards and focusing on more than just standardized testing
• Ensure that all students may choose to pursue higher education by creating and enhancing programs that make education affordable
• Increase the competitiveness of our students by expanding our education system to include pre-school aged children
• Reward current teachers and teaching as a profession by increasing teacher pay and providing teachers with needed resources for success

K-12 Education
A well-funded and well-staffed public school system is the foundation of our nation’s democracy and key to maintaining technological leadership in the 21st century.  However, support for education in the United States is failing. The “No Child Left Behind” Act has changed American education policy for the worse.

By shortchanging education funding, our children are being left behind, especially our most vulnerable kids.  Current education policies have failed to keep the promise of a fair and equal education while students with physical and learning disabilities as well as low-income children suffer as victims of that failed promise.
 
Lee Jones will fight any “No Child Left Behind” policies that are not fully funded with adequate safeguards to ensure the programs work for all students and educators.

We must expand state resources if we want to improve our educational institutions and programs.  We must work to modernize schools in order to compete with schools in other industrialized nations.  Lee Jones will work to revitalize failing schools by investing resources, developing curriculum, expanding programs for low-income children and financing pre-kindergarten education and special education.  Lee Jones will also oppose any attempt to implement a school voucher system that would send your federal tax dollars to private schools.

Higher Education
All American students deserve to have expanded higher education opportunities.  Lee Jones believes we can accomplish this if we provide one year of financial support to low-income students for college in return for part-time, career orientated employment.

Lee Jones believes we can further increase access to higher education by re-examining our financial aid policy.  Lee Jones will work to revise and update student loans exclusively through the Department of Education.  Lee Jones will also seek to revise and shorten the student aid application process to allow greater access to students wishing to pursue a college education.  Finally, Lee Jones will work to increase the availability of financial aid advisors in order to provide counseling for low-income students seeking an advanced education.

Early Education
Lee Jones believes that we must ensure the healthy growth and development of children under five by combining healthcare, childcare and other needed assistance programs for new families.

Lee Jones will work to serve academic needs and help develop early academic skills for all children.  Lee Jones will work to establish universal preschool for four-year-olds by offering Great Promise programs operated by the states.

Teachers
Lee Jones believes that teachers deserve an increase in pay up to $15,000.  Lee Jones will work to create incentives for teachers receiving national certification for excellence as well as for teachers in successful low-income rural and urban schools by using criteria designed with teachers.

Lee Jones supports establishing a national teaching university to train teachers where they could further their ability to serve as mentors and advisors in turning around poor-performing schools.  Lee Jones will also work to provide more assistance to teachers in their early years by limiting class size and teaching loads.

Testing
Teachers should be teachers and students should be students.  It is not beneficial to have teachers only giving tests and students only learning to take standardized tests.  Lee Jones will work to ensure that students and teachers will be able to participate in the education process with an emphasis on success rather than tests.

As Senator, Lee Jones will work to abolish cheap standardized tests while developing better evaluations such as essays and oral examinations.  Additionally, Lee will pursue expanded educational standards that can better gauge student progress over time.