Clarke: Every Child Must Receive an Excellent Education

"The federal mandates of the No Child Left Behind Act have not been supported by federal dollars. We must ensure that every American child receives an excellent education. I will work in Congress to ensure this and every education program is fully funded and I will also work to find new ways to evaluate our childrens' educational abilities, besides just testing alone." - Yvette Clarke

We have a moral obligation to ensure that ALL our children receive a top-quality education. Strong schools build strong communities, and ensure our children's future. I am proud to be a public school graduate and know that my schooling created opportunities for me in higher education and professional success. Our schools are failing to provide the same foundation for our children because they are lacking critical resources such as science labs and computers that provide essential skills for competing in the global job market. Without music, arts and physical education programs, our schools will not be able to empower healthy and well-rounded students to become future teachers, authors, doctors and government leaders. To strengthen our education system, the cornerstone of our citizenship and democracy, we must ensure adequate funding, a qualified workforce and stronger community partnerships.

Some of the keys to a first-class education (including safe, well-maintained schools) are no mystery. We need fewer students per teacher. We need highly motivated and well-trained teachers and administrators. We need sufficient staff to make repairs on a timely basis. We need long-range plans to renovate schools and to build new ones. We need parents who are fully engaged in their children's education and schools that are responsive to those parents.

Funding is a big part of the solution and implementing the decision in the Campaign for Fiscal Equity lawsuit must be a priority. This would be a significant step towards correcting the current education funding formula, one that denies NYC school children the "sound, basic education" that they need and deserve. The CFE decision must be implemented now.

With appropriate levels of funding, we will be able to hire more teachers, to pay them competitive wages, and to provide them with high-quality training. We will be able to hire adequate staff to keep our schools in good repair and to give those schools the supplies they need. We will be able to build more schools so that students can learn in less crowded conditions. We will be able to make schools a reasonable size so that administrators will be able to engage with parents whose voices are often not heard or ignored. We will be able to fund our school health clinics and provide school nurses.

Listening to Parents

I know that schools work best with strong community partnerships and parental involvement. I have been an advocate of our school PTAs and will continue to keep the lines of communication open to ensure parents as well as educators have a more effective voice in education policy. Because a child's education should begin and be reinforced at home, I support increasing programs that prepare parents with the skills and resources to be effective models for their children.

Closing Achievement Gaps

Low-income students and students of color are three times more likely than wealthy and white students to drop out of school. Our best chance to end the achievement gap is to make universal free preschool available to every New York child, and I will fight for full funding in the next budget cycle.

Higher Education

CUNY and SUNY offer a high-quality education, but at an increasingly less reasonable price. I will not allow the state budget to be balanced through tuition increases on those New Yorkers who cannot afford it. Clarke will seek our fair share of federal funds such as Pell Grants for Brooklyn students.

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Endorsements

Hon. Betsy Gotbaum
NY Public Advocate

Hon. C. Virginia Fields
Manhattan Borough Pres.

Hon. Anthony Weiner
U.S. Congress

Hon. Donna Christian-Christensen
U.S. Representative for US Virgin Islands

Hon. Bill de Blasio
Councilmember, 39th CD

Hon. Kendall Stewart
Councilmember, 45th CD

Hon. Melissa Mark-Viverito
Councilmember, 8th CD

Hon. Annabel Palma
Councilmember, 18th CD

Hon. Rosie Mendez
Councilmember, 2nd CD

Hon. Helen Sears
Councilmember, 25th CD

Hon. John Liu
Councilmember, 20th CD

Hon. Melinda Katz
Councilmember, 29th CD

Hon. Helen Foster
Councilmember, 16th CD

Hon. Darlene Mealy
Councilmember, 41st CD

Hon. Alan Gerson
Councilmember, 1st CD

Hon. Miguel Martinez
Councilmember, 10th CD

Hon. James Sanders, Jr.
Councilmember, 31st CD

Hon. Phil Reed

Hon. Mayor Wayne Hall
Mayor Hempstead, LI

Hon. Nick Perry
Assemblymember, 58th AD

Hon. John Sampson
NY State Senator, 19th

Alan Fleishman
District Leader, 52nd AD

Rev. Dr. Paul Smith

Roberta Flack

Emily's List

Women Building for the Future PAC

National Women's Political Caucus

Women's Campaign Forum

Jim Owles Democratic Club

Stonewall Democratic Club

Caribbean American Leadership Summit

100 Clergy for Clarke

Progressive Democrat Political Association

Guyanese-American Workers United

Men and Women Against Domestic Violence

1199/SEIU

32BJ

District Council 9, Painters

Local 420, Hospital Wkrs, DC37 AFSCME

Mason Tenders District Council, LIUNA

United Food and Commerical Workers (UFCW), Local 1500

International Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT), Joint Council 16

UNITE / HERE!

Hotel Trades Council (NYC)

HERE, Local 6 (Hotel Workers)

Carpenters, Local 926 (Brooklyn)