Education
Rep. Chu speaking to children in a classroom.
Education is a proven pathway for success. As a former educator and school board member in our community, I understand the needs of our schools. We need to fully fund education programs, give our teachers and students the resources they need, ensure our schools are environments for learning, and guarantee equal opportunity for all children.
Early Childhood Education
Investments in early education, when a child’s brain is rapidly developing, can lead to better academic and personal achievement lasting a lifetime. That is why every child and family must have access to quality childcare and early education. Through investments in programs like Head Start and by taking new steps to offer affordable childcare to families of all income levels, we can ensure that every child starts life on a level playing field with equal chances for a healthy, successful life.
K-12 Education
A child’s zip code should never determine the quality of their education. That is why I am committed to increasing federal investment in our public schools to guarantee equitable opportunities for every student. That means investing in school infrastructure to ensure that students are learning in safe and updated classrooms, reducing class sizes, training teachers, and fulfilling our promise to students with disabilities. That is why I introduced the Equal Access to Quality Education Act, a bill which will assist low-income schools in recruiting, training, and retaining profession-ready teachers. We also must prepare our students for a 21st century world by expanding science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) opportunities and ensuring access to arts and music education.
Post-Secondary Education
Colleges and universities are engines of our economy, but the rapidly rising costs of tuition have excluded too many students from attendance. And countless students who do attend find themselves saddled with crushing debt. That is why I believe every student should have access to a debt-free degree. That means increasing investment in financial assistance programs like the Pell Grant, allowing student debt to be refinanced and discharged in bankruptcy, and protecting Public Service Loan Forgiveness and income-based repayment plans. And with more job opportunities requiring an advanced degree, I believe we must also protect access to postgraduate education. My bill, the POST GRAD Act, would help make advanced degrees more affordable by reinstating subsidized loans for graduate students.
More on Education
Washington, DC — Rep. Judy Chu (CA-27) is the 9th most active member of the 116th Congress, according to a new report by Quorum Analytics, which studied legislative activity from the beginning of the session – January 1, 2019 – to the start of the August Recess – July 31, 2019. Rep. Chu issued the following statement:
Washington, DC - Today, Rep. Judy Chu (CA-27) reintroduced the Protecting Our Students by Terminating Graduate Rates that Add to Debt (POST GRAD) Act. The bill would once again make graduate students eligible to receive Federal Direct Subsidized Loans. That eligibility was ended by the Budget Control Act of 2011. Rep. Chu released the following statement:
Washington, DC — A bipartisan bill to help food insecure college students was introduced today by Reps. Judy Chu (CA-27) and Roger Marshall (KS-01). The Campus Hunger Reduction Act of 2019 makes institutions of higher education eligible for the Community Food Projects grant program, a grant through the US Department of Agriculture that helps nonprofits and public agencies address hunger through food distribution, outreach, increased self-reliance, and more.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – This week, a new survey of 40,000 students from 57 community colleges revealed that over 50% of students either couldn’t afford to eat balanced meals or worried about running out of food. According to the study, 41% of students skipped meals for financial reasons, and 12% said they would go entire days without eating because they did not have enough money. Last Congress, Rep.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Rep. Judy Chu (CA-27) introduced H.R. 7204, the Developing Innovative Partnerships and Learning Opportunities that Motivate Achievement (DIPLOMA) Act. The DIPLOMA Act would provide federal grants to states to support community schools and develop a comprehensive child and youth strategy. States would award subgrants to local consortia, in which a school works with at least one community partner.
Washington, DC — A bipartisan bill to help food insecure college students was introduced today by Reps. Judy Chu (CA-27) and Roger Marshall (KS-01). The Campus Hunger Reduction Act of 2018 makes institutions of higher education eligible for the Community Food Projects grant program, a grant available through the U.S.
Washington, DC — On Monday, Rep. Judy Chu (CA-27), whose district includes the California Institute of Technology (Caltech), which runs NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), submitted testimony to the House Committee on Appropriations to request $2,234,700,000 in funding for the Planetary Science Mission Directorate and to support all ongoing and upcoming missions taking place at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Rep.
PASADENA, CA - In preparation for the reauthorization of the Higher Education Act, Rep. Judy Chu (CA-27) held a February 2nd roundtable discussion with representatives from institutions of higher education in her district, including Citrus College, Pasadena City College, East Los Angeles College, the California Institute of Technology, and the seven Claremont Colleges.
Washington, DC — Today, the House of Representatives voted to pass the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2018, an omnibus spending bill to fund the remainder of Fiscal Year 2018. This Omnibus appropriates $1.21 trillion in base discretionary budget authority and $78 billion in Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO) funding. The Defense Appropriations bill sees a 14% increase over Fiscal Year 2017, while the remaining eleven appropriations bills see an aggregate 12% increase.
Washington, DC – Today, Rep. Judy Chu (CA-27) introduced the Streamlining FAFSA Act of 2017. This bill would ensure that all students are eligible to benefit from the Automatic Zero Expected Family Contribution (EFC) when applying for financial aid using the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA. Rep. Chu released the following statement: