HRC AFT questionnaire

Secretary Clinton: “When I Was First Lady Of Arkansas, I Chaired The Arkansas Educational Standards Commission Where I Worked To Raise Standards For Arkansas' Schools, Increase Teacher Salaries, And Lower Class Size.” “I have been working to improve and support our public schools for decades. Throughout my career I have worked to ensure that every child reaches his or her full potential, and I know a quality education is essential to reach that goal. When I was First Lady of Arkansas, I chaired the Arkansas Educational Standards Commission where I worked to raise standards for Arkansas' schools, increase teacher salaries, and lower class size. I continued in this effort as First Lady of the United States and as a Senator, working throughout my career to provide dedicated resources and support to teachers and to recruit, support, and retain more outstanding teachers. We need to attract a whole new generation to teaching because it is critical that our students have well- prepared and well-supported teachers.” [Hillary Clinton Questionnaire, American Federation of Teachers, 7/12/15] Secretary Clinton: The Initial Promise Of No Child Left Behind “Was Largely Broken Because Schools Struggled To Meet The Mandates Imposed By The Law And The Implementation At The Federal Level Was Problematic.” “When the No Child Left Behind Act was enacted, I viewed it as a historic promise between the federal government and educators. I hoped that it would lead to a greater sense of shared responsibility for our schools' success. Unfortunately, that promise was largely broken because schools struggled to meet the mandates imposed by the law and the implementation at the federal level was problematic.” [Hillary Clinton Questionnaire, American Federation of Teachers, 7/12/15] Secretary Clinton Supported The Every Child Acheives Act Of 2015. “I applaud Senator Patty Murray and Senator Lamar Alexander for coming together in a bipartisan fashion to unanimously pass the Every Child Achieves Act of 2015 out of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions committee to reauthorize NCLB. I believe this bill addresses some of the real challenges with NCLB while retaining our commitment to high academic standards, and to assessments that give parents and teachers the information they need to know how students are performing and if and where they need help to improve. I believe that this bill will correct for some of the real challenges that schools and communities experienced in implementing the law and will ensure that principals, educators and local communities are lifted up as full partners and innovators in improving public education. I also applaud the forward-looking investments in education contained in the bill, including a new commitment to improving early learning.” [Hillary Clinton Questionnaire, American Federation of Teachers, 7/12/15] Secretary Clinton: “Teachers And Parents Alike Are Concerned About The Amount Of Time Being Spent On Test Preparation, And Worry That Children Are Missing Out On The Most Valuable Experience In The Classroom—A Teacher Sparking A Student's Curiosity And Love For Learning.” “One of the issues that I am most concerned about is testing. Tests are intended to provide parents and educators with an understanding of how well kids are learning. Having that understanding is crucial. And it is important to remember that testing provides communities with full information about how our low-income students and students of color are doing in comparison to other groups so that we can continue to improve our educational system for all students. But I understand the frustration many parents and educators feel about tests. Teachers and parents alike are concerned about the amount of time being spent on test preparation, and worry that children are missing out on the most valuable experience in the classroom—a teacher sparking a student's curiosity and love for learning.” [Hillary Clinton Questionnaire, American Federation of Teachers, 7/12/15] Secretary Clinton: “I Am Mindful That We Need To Find The Right Balance…I Do Think That Senators Murray And Alexander Struck The Right Balance In The Every Child Achieves Act.” “So I am mindful that we need to find the right balance—and that starts with bringing parents and educators back into this conversation about how we ensure a robust and engaging curriculum that engages students in the love of learning rather than narrowing our schools to focus primarily on test preparation. I do think that Senators Murray and Alexander struck the right balance in the Every Child Achieves Act by continuing to maintain the federal requirement for annual statewide testing in grades 3-8, but ensuring that accountability for improving schools will be based on multiple measures of performance. And I think it will be critical for states and communities to continue to strike the right balance and not layer test upon

test. There must be room for invigorating teaching and learning in the classroom.” [Hillary Clinton Questionnaire, American Federation of Teachers, 7/12/15] Secretary Clinton: “I Think Any Discussion Of Improving Our Public Schools Must Include Universal Access To Pre-Kindergarten.” “I believe we need to improve access to quality child care and early learning opportunities for all children. Every child, regardless of parental income, deserves access to high-quality pre-K. I think any discussion of improving our public schools must include universal access to pre-kindergarten. I believe we can start to close the achievement gap by investing in programs that increase children's school readiness and academic preparation while making it easier for parents to balance their responsibilities at work with their responsibilities to their children. We know children's brains develop more rapidly at this time in their lives than at any other and that high quality interventions make a real difference in the outcomes of children from low-income families. In the months ahead, I look forward to laying out a significant agenda to improve early learning in our country.” [Hillary Clinton Questionnaire, American Federation of Teachers, 7/12/15] Secretary Clinton: “As A Leader At The Clinton Foundation, I Led A National Initiative Called ‘Too Small To Fail’ Aimed At Supporting Parents To Improve Vocabulary And Brain Development In The Early Years To Close The ‘Word Gap’ And Better Prepare Children For School.” “I have been highlighting the importance of early childhood education for more than forty years. As First Lady of Arkansas, I helped bring the Home Instruction for Parents of Preschool Youngsters Program (HIPPY) to Arkansas. As First Lady, I hosted the first White House conference on early learning and the brain, championed the program ‘Prescription for Reading,’ in which pediatricians provided free books for new mothers to read to their infants as their brains were rapidly developing, and supported the Administration's work to create Early Head Start, which reaches children from birth to age three throughout country. As Senator, I co- sponsored the Education Begins at Home Act, which expands the Parents as Teachers program and other quality programs of early childhood home visitation. As a leader at the Clinton Foundation, I led a national initiative called ‘Too Small to Fail’ aimed at supporting parents to improve vocabulary and brain development in the early years to close the ‘word gap’ and better prepare children for school. As President, I will continue my lifelong work to expand early childhood and parent education programs.” [Hillary Clinton Questionnaire, American Federation of Teachers, 7/12/15] Secretary Clinton: “I Strongly Oppose Voucher Schemes Because They Divert Precious Resources Away From Financially Strapped Public Schools To Private Schools That Are Not Subject To The Same Accountability Standards Or Teacher Quality Standards.” [Hillary Clinton Questionnaire, American Federation of Teachers, 7/12/15] Secretary Clinton: “It Would Be Harmful To Our Democracy If We Dismantled Our Public School System Through Vouchers, And There Is No Evidence That Doing So Would Improve Outcomes For Children.” [Hillary Clinton Questionnaire, American Federation of Teachers, 7/12/15] Secretary Clinton: “Charters Should Be Held To The Same Standards, And To The Same Level Of Accountability And Transparency To Which Traditional Public Schools Are Held.” “Charters should be held to the same standards, and to the same level of accountability and transparency to which traditional public schools are held. This includes the requirements of civil rights laws. They can innovate and help improve educational practices. But I also believe that we must go back to the original purpose of charter schools.” Secretary Clinton: “Where Charters Are Succeeding, We Should Be Doing More To Ensure That Their Innovations Can Be Widely Disseminated Throughout Our Traditional Public School System. Where They Are Failing, They Should Be Closed.” [Hillary Clinton Questionnaire, American Federation of Teachers, 7/12/15] Secretary Clinton: “We Have To Do More To Link Student Loan Repayments To Income And To Help People Refinance Their Loans.” “First, too many young people are struggling under the burden of student debt and too many families are struggling to pay the rising cost of college. Second, too many students are starting but never completing college, which means they leave with debt but no degree. I will

be offering my own ideas for how to make college more affordable, how to make sure no one graduates with crushing debt, and how to hold colleges accountable to help more students graduate. Among other things, we have to do more to link student loan repayments to income and to help people refinance their loans. And we have to think about both four-year colleges and community colleges. I support President Obama's free community college proposal. I will be talking about ways to reduce the burdens on those entering four-year colleges too, as well as those who are out in the world trying to start a business or a family. I intend to introduce significant proposals on these subjects in the weeks and months ahead.” [Hillary Clinton Questionnaire, American Federation of Teachers, 7/12/15] Secretary Clinton: “I Will Make Incentivizing Increased State Funding Of Higher Education A Priority, And Explore Ways To Make Sure That The Federal Government Is Actively Partnering And Working With States To Address The Problem Of College Affordability.” “State budget cuts are a primary cause of tuition increases at public universities and reversing this trend is key to making college more affordable. That's why I will make incentivizing increased state funding of higher education a priority, and explore ways to make sure that the federal government is actively partnering and working with states to address the problem of college affordability.” [Hillary Clinton Questionnaire, American Federation of Teachers, 7/12/15] Secretary Clinton: “We Have To Do A Lot More To Protect Students And Families From Unscrupulous Institutions And Abusive Debt Servicers.” “We have to do a lot more to protect students and families from unscrupulous institutions and abusive debt servicers. There are a lot of non- traditional students who want to go back to school to improve their lives, but don't have access to much information or support to figure out how best to do that. Money and time are both tight, with a lot of them trying to juggle family, jobs, and school all at the same time. So they're particularly vulnerable to exploitation and deception.” [Hillary Clinton Questionnaire, American Federation of Teachers, 7/12/15] Secretary Clinton: “The Government Should Stop Funding Colleges Where Almost No One Graduates And Where Most Students Accumulate A Lot Of Debt But Can't Get The Jobs That Would Allow Them To Repay Their Loans.” “All students need more guidance in making decisions about where to go to school. We should protect them from institutions that will almost certainly not serve them well. The government should stop funding colleges where almost no one graduates and where most students accumulate a lot of debt but can't get the jobs that would allow them to repay their loans. In the months ahead, I will be laying out specific ideas and proposals on how to increase accountability in the for-profit sector.” [Hillary Clinton Questionnaire, American Federation of Teachers, 7/12/15] Secretary Clinton: “One Area Of The ACA That I Am Examining Is The So-Called ‘Cadillac’ Tax. As Currently Structured, I Worry That It May Create An Incentive To Substantially Lower The Value Of The Benefits Package And Shift More And More Costs To Consumers.” “As with any piece of major legislation, it's not perfect and would benefit from updates and fixes. One area of the ACA that I am examining is the so-called ‘Cadillac’ tax. As currently structured, I worry that it may create an incentive to substantially lower the value of the benefits package and shift more and more costs to consumers. As President, I would work to ensure that our tax code appropriately advances the health care interests of lower-income and middle class families.” [Hillary Clinton Questionnaire, American Federation of Teachers, 7/12/15] Secretary Clinton: “I Do Not Believe That We Should Be Contracting, Outsourcing, Or Privatizing Work That Is Inherently Governmental In Nature, Including School Services And State And Local Government Services.” “I do not believe that we should be contracting, outsourcing, or privatizing work that is inherently governmental in nature, including school services and state and local government services. In the Senate, I helped secure a measure that became law that blocked the Bush administration from downsizing the Federal Protective Service. I cosponsored legislation to protect city and rural letter carriers from having their work contracted out by the U.S. Postal Service to private firms and individuals. Lastly, I was an original cosponsor of the Honest Leadership and Accountability in Contracting Act.” [Hillary Clinton Questionnaire, American Federation of Teachers, 7/12/15]