K–12 education

A world-class education for every child in every community.

“We need a president who will fight for strong public schools in every ZIP code and every community across the country. I want to be that president. I want to fight for you and for educators, and for students and for families. I think they go together.”

HILLARY, JULY 27, 2015

Hillary believes that every child, no matter his or her race, income, or ZIP code, should be guaranteed a high-quality education. That's why she has been working to improve and support our public schools for decades. As first lady of Arkansas, she chaired the Arkansas Educational Standards Commission, fighting to raise academic standards, increase teacher salaries and lower class sizes. As first lady of the United States, she chaired the first-ever convening on Hispanic Children and Youth, which focused on improving access to educational opportunities. And, as a United States Senator, she served on the Senate Health, Education and Labor Committee as a key member shaping the No Child Left Behind Act, with the hopes that it would bring needed resources and real accountability to improve educational opportunities for our most disadvantaged students. But the promise of No Child Left Behind was not fulfilled. Hillary knows that we have real work to do to fulfill the promise that every child in America should receive a high-quality education. That is why she will fight for policies that:

•Make high-quality education a priority for every child in America. Currently, Congress is debating the reauthorization of the No Child Left Behind Act. Hillary believes that it is critical that Congress retain its commitment to high academic standards for all children, which will include measuring how children are doing each year. Hillary believes that testing provides communities with full information about how our low-income students, students of color, and students with disabilities are doing in comparison to other groups so that we can continue to improve our educational system for all students. But she also understands 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 who sparks a student's curiosity and love for learning. That is why she believes 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.

•Support educators. Hillary knows that all the evidence on what most improves student learning points to good teachers. Yet we do not do enough to ensure that teachers receive the training, mentorship and support they need to succeed and thrive in the classroom. Hillary will invest in supporting our teachers, recruiting the best and brightest into the profession, and providing more teachers with training that involves real-world, hands-on learning experiences.

•Improve student outcomes. Hillary believes we can do more to meet the needs of students by providing opportunities geared toward their individual skills and educational goals. She will work to ensure students with disabilities, in particular, have the resources and support they need throughout their school years.

Hillary has been working to improve our schools for decades. When she was first lady of Arkansas, Hillary chaired the Arkansas Educational Standards Commission, where she worked to raise standards for Arkansas schools, increase teacher salaries, and lower class size. Hillary continued this effort as first lady of the United States and as a senator, working to provide dedicated resources and support to teachers ,and to recruit, support, and retain more outstanding teachers.