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Education

It is crucial everyone has access to high-quality education at all levels. As a former teacher, Representative Larson knows the importance of education and is working to ensure every student has access to what they need to succeed.  

During Rep. Larson's time in the Connecticut State Senate, he worked with Dr. Ed Zigler, a visionary fighting for education and families. Rep. Larson's legislation creating a pilot for Family Resource Centers, which were eventually expanded across the state, was based on Dr. Zigler's model for "school-based or school-linked childcare and family support services designed to promote the optimal growth and development of children beginning at birth." Now, he continues this fight to ensure all students have the resources to thrive. 

 

Pre-Kindergarten: 

Research shows the best way to lay a strong foundation for learning is giving students access to pre-kindergarten. All students benefit from starting school earlier, but the impacts are particularly pronounced for lower-income students. Universal Pre-K is a necessary tool to lower the achievement gap and Rep. Larson voted for to give every 3–5-year-old access to this essential education in our Build Back Better legislation that the House passed in 2021. 

 

K-12: 

All of our children deserve a safe and quality education, and the future of our country depends on keeping up with global competition. Rep. Larson is fighting to ensure the federal government is supporting our children and their educators. 

Our schools, like much of our national infrastructure, are in desperate need of repair. It is estimated there is $46 billion in work that must be done to bring them up to adequacy. Rep. Larson fought and voted for more than $1.1 billion for Connecticut schools to help them reopen and rebuild stronger through the American Rescue Plan.  Rep. Larson also introduced the America Wins Act, a bill that would provide $30 billion over ten years for education infrastructure. 

Above all, schools must be a safe and secure environment for students and teachers. Unfortunately, Congress has abdicated its responsibility to take action. Gun violence is a complex issue, but the answer is not allowing guns into our schools. For more information on Rep. Larson's gun violence prevention efforts, see here.   

 

College Education:  

The cost of college is skyrocketing, putting higher education out of reach for some and saddling others with decades of student debt. Rep. Larson has supported numerous pieces of legislation to forgive student debt. He is thrilled with President Biden’s announcement canceling up to $20,000 in student debt, along with other changes to the student loan programs that will help borrowers get out of debt faster to they can continue to build their lives. For details on these important changes please see our fact sheet, see here. 

Forgiving student debt is a good first step, but we must work to make college more affordable. Rep. Larson introduced the ACTION for National Service Act, which would give all students access to higher education. For every year of service an individual gives the country through a program like AmeriCorps, the person would receive funding equivalent to two years of state school tuition to be used for tuition payments or student loan repayment. For more information about ACTION for National Service, see here