Education
All children deserve a quality education. During my service in Congress we have more than doubled federal education funding and enacted historic education reforms to increase the decision-making authority of parents, teachers and local schools.
Today we are investing more than ever in our schools – and we are expecting more than ever in return. Children should be learning and those who aren’t should get extra help – the No Left Behind Act is as simple as that.
No Child Left Behind
For 35 years the federal government spent billions on education without insisting on results for our children. The No Child Left Behind Act put an end to that era.
The No Child Left Behind Act put a new focus on holding schools accountable to parents and children. Annual assessments developed by each state and school report cards allow parents and communities to identify whether or not improvements are being made in educating students.
The No Child Left Behind Act is transforming our education system from a one-size-fits-all system run from
Washington, D.C. to a flexible system with decision-making authority in the hands of parents and teachers who know our children best.
More dollars are being sent directly to the classroom and schools are allowed greater flexibility in deciding how best to spend them.
Higher Education
With tuition costs on the rise, students and their families face the tough question of how to finance a college education. Working to make higher education more affordable for all those who wish to achieve their dream of graduating from college must continue to be a priority.
Congressman Hastings announces funds for Columbia Basin College.
This year alone the federal government will contribute $117 billion to higher education. Most of these funds go directly to students by way of loans, Pell grants and federal work-study programs established by the Higher Education Act.
Please visit the Department of Education to find detailed information about federal financial aid opportunities.
Supporting Rural Schools
With Congressman Hastings support, the Secure Rural Schools Act was enacted into law in 2000. This landmark law provides rural areas that have significant federal forest lands with critical funding needed for schools, roads and local forest management programs. Funding for schools and roads are limited in these areas because surrounding tax-exempt federal lands limit the tax base. Chelan, Kittitas, Klickitat, Skamania and Yakima counties receive substantial funding because of this law. However this law has expired and must be renewed by Congress to continue this funding.
Hastings is working with a team of Republican and Democrat lawmakers to extend the law and ensure that federal help continues to be provided for schools in rural communities.
Federally Impacted Schools
Congressman Hastings is working to refocus federal education policy on meeting commitments to schools heavily impacted by federal land ownership – including the Glenwood, Grand Coulee Dam, Granger, Kennewick, Mabton, Mt. Adams, Quincy, Richland, Sunnyside, Toppenish and Wapato school districts.
The federal government’s Impact Aid program was established in 1950 to compensate school districts for the substantial and continuing financial burden resulting from the loss of tax revenue due to federal land ownership. Because the program has not been fully funded, many federally impacted school districts have been left unable to make critical facility upgrades.
In 2008, when the House of Representatives considered a bill to drastically expand the federal government’s role in school construction and maintenance (activities historically funded at the state and local level), Hastings offered amendments that would have helped ensure that the federal government’s existing responsibilities to federally impacted schools were met before creating a brand new $20 billion spending program for other schools. While Democrat leadership blocked the House of Representatives from debating or voting on his amendments, Hastings continues working to uphold the promise made to federally impacted schools.
Click on the video below to watch Hastings' speak on the House floor in support of fairness for rural schools:
Healthy Nutrition for America’s Children
Morgen Owings Elementary in Chelan, Warden Middle School, Lincoln Elementary in Toppenish, Mansfield Elementary, Manson Elementary, and Orondo Elementary are six of the 25 schools in Washington state currently participating in the Fruit and Vegetable Snack Program. This program makes available to school children free fresh fruit and vegetable snacks. The Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program is a common sense way to increase students’ attentiveness and learning in the classroom while also teaching them healthy eating habits and about the nutritious products grown by Central Washington farmers.
Congressman Hastings has long been a leading advocate in Congress for the program, which began as a four state pilot initiative under the 2002 Farm Bill. In 2003, Hastings authored legislation to expand the program to all 50 states. During debate over the Child Nutrition bill in 2004, the pilot program was made permanent and expanded to eight states, including Washington. An additional six states have been added since then.