Press Release: CAP and GOWN Act

CAP and GOWN Act

Senator Jeff Bingaman (D-NM), and Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) are introducing legislation to the Senate HELP Committee to help high schools struggling with high drop-out rates. It is entitled the 'Championing America's Pupils through Graduation On-Time Without Neglect Act' or the 'CAP and GOWN Act.

In a statement Senator Bingaman released to the press, Bingaman wrote:

Too many of our nation's high schools are performing poorly, and far too many American students are dropping out of high school. In order to ensure our nation's competitiveness in the 21st Century, it is essential that the Department of Education address the problems of "dropout factory" high schools.

The bill authorizes the Secretary of Education to provide grants to states and local education agencies to implement dropout reduction efforts. The bill also provides a comprehensive strategy to increase graduation rates. It is a necessary supplement to the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, which addresses dropout reduction but does not provide enough clear strategies for the Department of Education.

The bill also creates programs to vocationally train American students for jobs in a green economy. Senator Murray and I both strongly believe that American students need to be prepared for competition in the future economy that will depend on green jobs.