Positions on Education of the 2016 Presidential Candidates

The positions on education of the 2016 presidential candidates vary depending on their political party, personal beliefs and many other factors.  To simplify your research process, we have compiled their statements on education, as found on their websites or though interviews.

Bernie Sanders

• Wants to make public colleges and universities free to attend.
• Wants to increase the amount of educators in colleges and universities.
• Voted against anti-Common Core amendment.

Hillary Clinton

• Does not support teacher evaluation and pay being affected by standardized test scores.
• Supports charter schools but believes they should be  “supplementary, not a substitute” for public schools.
• Supports the Obama Administration’s plan to eliminate unnecessary standardized testing
• Endorsed by the National Education Association, a teacher’s union with over 3 million members.
• Will make sure no student has to borrow money to attend a public college or university.

Ted Cruz

• Wants to expand charter schools.
• Opposes Common Core- believes education policies should be made on a local level where parents can get involved.

Donald Trump

• Wants to end the Common Core standards and return policy making on education to the states; he believes schools should be locally managed.
• Supports school choice.

John Kasich

• On October 15, 2015, “The Kasich Action Plan” was released. This proposes the shrinking of the Department of Education and transforming “more than 100 programs into four key block grants.”
• Believes teachers receive enough support from their communities and should not focus on their colleagues who try to cause problems in search of political gain.
• Supports school choice.
• Supports the idea of teacher’s pay being based off of merit or performance.

Amanda D.

Boston Tutoring Services

Sources:

https://ballotpedia.org/2016_presidential_candidates_on_education

http://www.cruz.senate.gov/?p=issue&id=36

http://feelthebern.org/bernie-sanders-on-education/
https://www.hillaryclinton.com/issues/k-12-education/