Both the State and Federal Government can work together rather than against each other to set high standards in education that will be rewarding to our children and the future generations. Our leaders must see education as the great equalizer and the path to a better future. Our country must stop short changing our children through cuts in education in order to fund unpopular wars and pork barrel projects. The more educated we are as a country, the greater will be the economic opportunity for the American people and better jobs for the next generation. Peter supports full funding and expansion of Head Start and other early childhood education programs.

Peter strongly supports a less burdensome approach to funding college education for our students without leaving them broke and financially handicapped upon graduating. Many of our college graduates start behind the eight ball as compared to other industrialized nations. They are saddled with a huge debt As we pay down our debt, the U.S. should consider providing free education at the college level in exchange for a two year commitment to a national service program in the economically depressed areas of our country. Graduates can volunteer to be a doctor, police officer or teacher or any other profession in a rural community, inner city or reservation for a couple of years. I believe this will create a win-win situation.

Peter wants to see more technical and trade schools built as an option for those who choose not to go to college. Foster an environment for life time learning to enable our work force to compete in a 21 st century economy.

There should be no federal government program that isn't fully funded. The American people are tired of unfunded mandates. It is impossible to make a full evaluation of whether the “No Child Left Behind was a dismal failure or may have met some measured success elsewhere, because it was never fully funded in the first place. I would like to see a Teachers Bill of Rights pass in congress that among other things gives teachers the recognition they serve. In 2006, it was reported that in the next five years, nearly 20% of our current teachers are expected to either going into retirement or enter the private sector. This underscores why we need to place a premium on teachers compensation package. In a nutshell, introduce some creative ideas to encourage teachers and stem the tide of high turnovers in the teacher's work force.

Peter believes in new ways of developing a partnership between teacher and community to fund advanced training and advanced degree for teachers in exchange for long term commitments to a particular school district. Our country will be best served by doing away with the ideological battles that currently undermine a comprehensive solution to the current challenges that plague our education system

Peter believes that student and teacher safety is no longer a guarantee and must be addressed... Click to read Peter's Proposed Teachers Bill of Rights

Peter recognizes the talent of the American people. Peter believes that we are a nation blessed with creativity, intelligence, and unique gifting in coming up with new inventions and witty ideas. It should come as no surprise that the people of America are indeed the largest recipient of noble prizes in science and technology breakthroughs.

Therefore our education system must be geared towards fostering an environment that promotes the continuity of such excellence at both the federal and local level. Peter supports comprehensive testing for our students based on written and other objective criteria to jog critical thinking rather than a one sides fits all formula to evaluate student performance.

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