Congressman Leonard Boswell believes that every American should have the opportunity to acquire a first-rate education and that every child deserves to go to school in a safe, constructive learning environment. Education has always been his number one priority.

Boswell understands that there are two keys to education – accessibility to quality instruction and affordability. This year, he authored the Universal College Credit Act which would provide a maximum $5,000 tax credit for tuition and related expenses for four years of undergraduate studies and up to six years of graduate studies for every American family. Since his election to Congress, Boswell has successfully pushed to more than double the maximum size of Pell Grants, which help low-income students attend college, and was proud to support the largest investment in college aid since the GI Bill which cuts student loan interest rates, expands the Pell Grant program, and provides loan relief to hard-working public servants.

Boswell has voted to make schools safer and make classroom sizes smaller. To maintain Iowa’s great educational reputation, he supports recruiting new, talented teachers, increasing technology in the classroom, funding school modernization, and paying the government’s fair share for special education.

Boswell also understands that No Child Left Behind (NCLB) is not working for many students, schools, and communities. Boswell strongly supports making substantial changes to elementary and secondary education policies in order to address the problems faced under NCLB, provide schools with the resources they need to succeed, and improve our children’s education. Educating children is more than providing the proper curriculum and guidelines. That is why Congressman Boswell has given his support to increasing funding levels for the Child Nutrition Reauthorization Act. He is committed to working with his colleagues to add $1 billion to child nutrition programs each year for ten years

As state budgets shrink and schools experience budget cutbacks, Boswell supported the American Recovery Act, which saved thousands of school jobs in Iowa and kept local teachers in the classroom. He has been an avid supporter of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) education and worked with his colleagues to ensure that those studying and shaping the biomass industry in Iowa have access to scholarships in training programs administered by the Department of Energy.