My family is blessed to be able to send our children to college. But access to quality education should not be for some families; it should be available to all. Because quality education at all levels is crucial if we want to compete in today’s world — as individuals, as a community, and as a nation.
I know I have a special responsibility, as a member of Congress and the Committee on Education and Labor here in the House of Representatives, to help secure educational opportunities for our children. That’s why I was so glad to begin my days in Congress working on passage of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act — the stimulus package. The law provides an extra $3.4 million for the Northern Marianas to spend in our schools, including large amounts for educational technology, services for individuals with disabilities, vocational rehabilitation, and teacher training. There’s an extra $2.7 million for Pell grants for college. And there are millions more set aside for our Northern Marianas schools in a state fiscal stabilization fund, which, among other things, will be used to help modernize school buildings, making them more energy efficient and less expensive to run.
But I see this money as a great opportunity not only to improve our schools overall, but also to try new ideas, to inspire our teachers, and to break new ground in educational competitiveness and higher standards for our students. Some examples:
• KIPP charter schools, which operate across the continental United States, push students to excel by promoting individual responsibility and high academic expectations during extended school days and six-day weeks.
• In Prince George’s County, Maryland, Seat Pleasant Elementary uses federal funds to stay open an extra two hours twice a week to help students work on their math and reading skills.
• At Broadwater Elementary School in Helena, Montana, algebra starts in second grade, where students learn the basics behind mathematical theory and reasoning to prepare them for high-level math classes in middle and high school.
The best part of these innovative programs is that they produce results, boosting student achievement and spurring intellectual curiosity. They are all great examples of what can be done to help children excel with a bit of imagination and a few extra dollars. Let us not miss the opportunities that this stimulus money can bring. Let us instead work together to help give our children the chance to realize their dreams and to catch up and keep pace with the rest of the world.
GREGORIO C. SABLAN
CNMI Congressional Delegate
