Dear Friend,
This week, Congress passed the bipartisan Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) to finally replace No Child Left Behind. For too long, federal education policy has remained woefully outdated. ESSA will bring meaningful and much-needed reforms to our education system for Washington’s students, educators and school districts, and I was pleased to support it.
As co-chair of the Congressional Women’s High Tech Caucus, I’m particularly excited about how this law prioritizes computer science and STEM education in schools. Our state will see a 24 percent increase in STEM jobs by 2018, half of which are expected to be in computer science and information technology. That’s why I strongly support provisions in ESSA that expand access to these next-generation learning opportunities, and why I also recently introduced a resolution supporting the goals and ideals of Computer Science Education Week.
Even with passage of ESSA, there’s much more work to do. Too many of our schools still aren’t wired with the high-speed broadband and Wi-Fi they need to support 21st century learning. Last year, I helped lead an effort in Congress that made funding for Wi-Fi available for the first time to more than 950,000 students in 2,400 schools in Washington. In the coming months and years, I will continue fighting to close the digital divide and ensure kids are prepared for jobs of the future.
As always, my office is here to serve you. If you have questions or comments about the topics that matter most to you, I encourage you to contact me through my website. You may also keep up-to-date on what I’m doing by following me on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. If you need assistance dealing with a federal agency, such as the IRS or the VA, please do not hesitate to contact my Bothell office at (425) 485-0085.
Sincerely,
Suzan
