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Education

Public schools play an important role in Oregon and across the country, and strengthening public education and improving access to higher education will grow our economy and benefit our communities. It was an honor to work with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to pass the Every Student Succeeds Act, which replaces No Child Left Behind (NCLB). The Every Student Succeeds Act will reduce high-stakes testing—which narrowed curriculum and stifled teaching and learning—and facilitate more decision-making at the local and state level. The law includes my commonsense provision to streamline testing in schools so educators can focus more of their time on teaching and helping students learn and thrive. As a member of the select panel of House and Senate members tasked with crafting the final version of the bill, I successfully added language to encourage STEAM, interdisciplinary educational programs that integrate arts and music into science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) courses.
 
I worked my way through community college, college, and law school, so I know how important it is to make higher education available and affordable. I've consistently opposed efforts to cut financial aid for low-income students, and I support robust funding for Pell Grants and legislation to prevent the doubling of Stafford loan interest rates. The growing amount of loan debt and default faced by graduates is a serious problem, and I am working with my colleagues to improve loan counseling, curb rising costs, and make repayment manageable for millions of current loan borrowers.
 
The future of our economy will rely on an educated and innovative workforce to create and fill the jobs of the 21st century. As the founder and co-chair of the Congressional STEAM Caucus, I'm working to ensure that today's K-12 and higher education programs meet our country's future needs, especially in STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and design, and math) fields that produce skilled workers and creative thinkers.

 

More on Education

Schrader, Bonamici Call for Committee to Investigate Oregon’s Chemawa Indian School

April 16, 2019 Press Release
We led several of our Oregon delegation colleagues in seeking answers from the Administration about the lack of accountability and transparency at Chemawa, running into many obstacles in doing so, not least of which is an order from Indian Affairs leadership restricting Chemawa staff from speaking with us.

Bonamici Challenges DeVos on Student Rights, For-Profit Colleges

April 10, 2019 Press Release
I’m troubled by Sec. DeVos’ answers to my questions during today’s hearing.

Bonamici, Guthrie Reintroduce Empowering Students through Enhanced Financial Counseling Act

April 8, 2019 Press Release
Students pursue higher education to work toward a brighter future, but too often the burden of student loan debt holds them back from reaching their full potential.

Members of Congress Celebrate Public Schools Week

March 27, 2019 Press Release
Our communities are stronger when everyone has access to a quality public education.

Parents Gone Wild

March 20, 2019 In The News

The fantastic college-admissions scandal calls to mind one of the most famous sayings in American life: “We have met the enemy and he is us.” Its wise author, the great cartoonist Walt Kelly (he created Pogo) would have gotten a kick out of explanations for the alleged fraud, which have become an exercise in turning away from the mirror and blaming someone or something else.

College-Admission Scandal Draws Scrutiny in Washington

March 15, 2019 In The News

The admissions bribery scheme revealed this week in a federal indictment has prompted lawmakers in Washington to consider policies that could curtail the influence of wealth in college admissions.

10 Democratic Representatives Share Their Top Priorities in This New Congress

March 7, 2019 In The News

PAPER had the chance to head down to Washington DC for a media mixer with Democratic members of the House of Representatives hosted by Congresswoman Maxine Waters. While there, we spoke to numerous congresspeople — including several freshmen representatives — about their top policy priorities in this new, divided government. We asked them about the legislation they'd actually be willing to work with Trump to enact, the policies favored by the President that they'll stop at nothing to change (or outright oppose) and what their goals are for the coming year.

Congresswoman Bonamici Accepting Entries for 2019 Congressional Art Competition

February 22, 2019 Press Release
The Congressional Art Competition is a wonderful opportunity for high school students to share their talents with people who visit the U.S. Capitol from all over the world.

Teachers, students rally in Salem for increased school funding

February 18, 2019 In The News

Salem teacher Jamie Keene went to urgent care early this year after one of her fourth-grade students caused her to pull a muscle in her back.

With 33 students in her class at Schirle Elementary, Keene said one regularly hits her, pulls her hair and twists her arms when he gets overstimulated in class. He'd benefit from more individual attention and a smaller class, she said.

New Civil Rights Subcommittee in U.S. House

January 31, 2019 In The News

The Democratic majority on the U.S. House of Representatives' education and labor committee has created a new subcommittee on civil rights and human services, which also will include a focus on equal employment opportunities, nutrition programs and the Older Americans Act.

Representative Suzanne Bonamici, an Oregon Democrat and former consumer protection lawyer for the Federal Trade Commission, will lead the subcommittee. She also will serve on the higher education and work-force investment subcommittee.