Education | Senator Susan Collins

Senator Collins has a strong record of supporting education at all levels, including promoting early childhood education; improving our public school system for kindergarten through 12th grade; and working to increase the affordability of higher education. As a member of the Senate Appropriations and the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committees, Senator Collins will continue to work to ensure that Congress provides robust funding and targeted legislation for the most effective educational programs aimed at helping teachers and students.

Senator Collins has made engaging with Maine’s students and faculty a top priority, visiting nearly 200 schools during her time as a Senator.

Senator Collins Receives PTA Congressional Voice for Children Award

Washington, D.C. — The National Parent Teacher Association (PTA) honored U.S. Senator Susan Collins today with its 2017 Congressional Voice for Children Award for her “outstanding leadership and commitment to improving education and advancing issues impacting children’s health and well-being.” Maine PTA President Tracy Walker and Maine PTA Vice President Haley Tripp presented the award to Senator Collins in her Washington, D.C., office.

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Senator Collins Visits University of New England’s College of Dental Medicine

Washington, D.C. — In advance of the University of New England’s first graduating class from the College of Dental Medicine, U.S. Senator Susan Collins was led on a tour of the facility by UNE President Danielle Ripich and the Dean of the College of Dental Medicine, Dr. Jon Ryder. During the tour, Senator Collins met dental students and was shown the simulation clinic and wet lab of the Oral Health Center.

Senator Collins Announces She Will Vote Against the Confirmation of Betsy DeVos to be Secretary of Education

Click HERE to watch Senator Collins’ floor statement

Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Susan Collins, a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, spoke from the Senate floor today to announce that she will not support the nomination of Betsy DeVos to be Secretary of Education:

Collins, King Announce More Than $2.5 Million in Funding for Head Start in Maine

Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King announced today that two Maine organizations will receive a total of $2,559,275 from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) for Head Start and Early Head Start programs. Midcoast Maine Community Action will receive $1,331,706, and Androscoggin Head Start and Child Care will receive $1,227,569.

Collins, King Announce Over $1.2 Million in Funding for Promise Early Education Center

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King announced today that the Department of Health and Human Services’ Administration for Children and Families has awarded Promise Early Education Center in Lewiston $1,227,569 to support early childhood education.

Collins, King Announce $3.7 Million Preschool Development Grant in Maine

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King today announced that the U.S. Department of Education and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services have awarded $3,735,439 in grant funding to the State of Maine to continue to expand access to high-quality preschool for children from low-income families.

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Senator Collins Speaks at Reeds Brook Middle School's Blue Ribbon Ceremony in Hampden

Hampden, ME — U.S. Senator Susan Collins congratulated the students, faculty, and staff at Reeds Brook Middle School’s Blue Ribbon Ceremony in Hampden today. The event celebrated Reeds Brook’s recent designation by the U.S. Department of Education.

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Senator Collins Speaks at Sea Road School’s Blue Ribbon Ceremony in Kennebunk

Kennebunk, ME — U.S. Senator Susan Collins congratulated the students, faculty, and staff at Sea Road School’s Blue Ribbon Ceremony in Kennebunk today. The event celebrated Sea Road School’s recent designation by the U.S. Department of Education.

Collins, King Announce $20 Million Department of Education Grant for Spurwink Services in Maine

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King announced that Spurwink Services in Portland has been awarded a five-year, $20 million Investing in Innovation (i3) Scale-up grant from the Department of Education. The funding will support Spurwink’s expansion of its Building Assets, Reducing Risks (BARR) model that aims to improve student academic achievement in high schools. Senators Collins and King wrote a letter in July supporting Spurwink’s grant application.

Collins, King Announce More Than $1.5 Million to Help Improve Maine Schools

Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King today announced that the U.S. Department of Education will award a total of $1,518,333 in School Improvement Grants (SIG) to Maine to help improve high school graduation rates and narrow achievement gaps in public schools across the state.

Senators Collins, King Congratulate Kennebunk Educator on Receiving Prestigious Award for Leadership

Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King congratulated Sea Road School Principal Stephen D. Marquis, Ph.D., of Kennebunk on being named a 2016 recipient of the Terrel H. Bell Award for Outstanding School Leadership. Dr. Marquis is one of only eight principals across the country who will receive the award at a ceremony on November 7, 2016.

Senator Collins Announces That Efforts to Construct New Caribou Elementary School Has Cleared Important Hurdle

Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Susan Collins announced today that the National Park Service (NPS) recently approved a request by the State of Maine and the Maine RSU 39 School System to transfer land in Caribou that will allow for the construction of a new school building for grades Pre-K through 8th.

Senators Collins, Boxer Praise Unanimous Senate Passage of Resolution Celebrating Afterschool Programs

Bipartisan Resolution Commemorates the Nationwide Lights On Afterschool Event

Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senators Susan Collins (R-ME) and Barbara Boxer (D-CA) praised the unanimous Senate passage of their resolution recognizing Lights On Afterschool, a celebration of afterschool programs nationwide.

Collins, King Announce $9 Million for the Maine Department of Labor

Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King announced today that the Maine Department of Labor will receive $9,000,000 from the U.S. Department of Education to expand vocational and educational opportunities for Maine students with disabilities.

Collins, King Congratulate Three Maine Schools Awarded National Blue Ribbon Recognition

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King applauded Falmouth Middle School, Reeds Brook Middle School in Hampden, and Sea Road School in Kennebunk for being recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as 2016 National Blue Ribbon Schools. These Maine schools are three of only 329 public and private schools across the nation being recognized for this achievement in 2016.

Senators Collins, King Announce $67,184 to Support Advanced Placement Testing for Low-Income Students

Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King today announced that the Maine Department of Education has been awarded $67,184 from the U.S. Department of Education through the Advanced Placement Test Fee Program. The award will be used to partially subsidize the cost of Advanced Placement (AP) tests for low-income high school students.

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Casco Bay High School Principal Named Maine’s 2016 Principal of the Year

Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Susan Collins met with Derek Pierce, the principal of Casco Bay High School in Portland, in her Washington, D.C., office. Mr. Pierce is the recipient of the 2016 Maine Principal Association’s (MPA) Principal of the Year Award.

“Innovation, creativity, and devotion to students and teachers are the hallmarks of strong and effective leadership in our educational system,” said Senator Collins. “I am proud to congratulate Mr. Pierce, a leader who so clearly embodies these attributes.”

Collins, King Announce National Science Foundation Grants for UMaine and Bates Totaling More than $400,000

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King announced that the National Science Foundation (NSF) is awarding a total of $427,309 in grant funding to the University of Maine and Bates College. The University of Maine will receive a $299,451 grant as part of an NSF initiative to promote the development of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) talent in populations that have traditionally been underserved or underrepresented in the STEM fields.

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Senator Collins Meets with Four Maine Teachers Who Received Prestigious Education Award

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Susan Collins met with four Maine teachers who received Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching. The winners, who accepted the awards earlier this week at a White House ceremony, are Cary James of Bangor High School, Lauree Gott of Veazie Community School, Laura Stevens of Dora L. Small Elementary School in South Portland, and Marielle Edgecomb of Peninsula School in Winter Harbor.

Collins, King Announce Nearly $800,000 in Grant Funding for UMaine to Support Low-Income and First-Generation College-Bound Students

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King today announced that the U.S. Department of Education has awarded a total of $773,280 in grant funding to the University of Maine System and the University of Maine at Presque Isle to help students succeed in higher education.

Collins, King Announce More Than $1.6 Million in Funding to Expand Access to Rural Broadband & Invest in Telemedicine Innovation in Maine

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King today announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture has awarded a total of $1,644,596 in grant funding to four Maine school districts and a rural health care provider through the Distance Learning and Telemedicine Loan and Grant program. The funding will help connect rural communities with medical and educational experts in other parts of the country, increasing access to health care, substance misuse treatment and advanced educational opportunities.

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Senator Collins Meets with Maine’s National Youth Correspondents

Washington, D.C.— U.S. Senator Susan Collins today met with Sophia Wood of Auburn and Elise Kenney of Orono, Maine’s National Youth Correspondents who are attending the Washington Journalism and Media Conference hosted by George Mason University and the Newseum. Sophia is a rising sophomore at Edward Little High School, and Elise is a rising senior at Orono High School.

Senators Collins, King Announce Nearly $2.8 Million for Opportunity Alliance Head Start Programs

Washington, D.C.—U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King announced that The Opportunity Alliance will receive $2,771,947 to support its Early Head Start and Head Start programs. The grant was awarded through the Department of Health and Human Services’ Administration for Children and Families.

Collins, King Announce More than $1.6 Million in Grant Funding to Support School Improvement in Maine

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King today announced that the U.S. Department of Education is awarding $1,663,407 in school improvement grant funding to the State of Maine. This funding will allow the state to award competitive subgrants to school districts that demonstrate the greatest need for funds and the strongest commitment to raising student achievement in low-performing schools.

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Senator Collins Meets with Students from Woolwich Central School

Washington, D.C. —U.S. Senator Susan Collins met with eighth grade students from Woolwich Central School during their recent visit to the nation’s capital.

Collins, King Encourage Maine High School Students to Apply for U.S. Senate Youth Program

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King are encouraging Maine high school students to apply for the United States Senate Youth Program (USSYP), which has begun its statewide selection process for the program’s 55th Annual Washington Week. The USSYP brings two students from each state, the District of Columbia, and the Department of Defense Education Activity to Washington to experience an intensive week-long educational program about the workings of the Senate and the federal government overall.

Collins, King Announce Nearly $13 Million in Funding For Head Start in Maine

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King announced that five Maine organizations will receive a total of $12,905,079 from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) for Head Start and Early Head Start programs across the state. The five organizations are Androscoggin Head Start and Child Care based in Lewiston, Aroostook County Action Program based in Presque Isle, Midcoast Maine Community Action based in Bath, Penquis Community Action Program Inc.

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Senator Collins Meets with Leaders of Maine Afterschool Programs

Washington, D.C.—U.S. Senator Susan Collins met with leaders of the Maine Afterschool Network and the Maine Seacoast Mission this afternoon at an Afterschool Showcase event in Washington, D.C. During the event, Senator Collins was presented with a Superhero Cape award for her bipartisan work to reauthorize and improve the 21st Century Community Learning Centers, a program that supports afterschool programs.

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Senator Collins Welcomes UMaine Students Participating in the “Washington, D.C., Leadership Institute” to the Nation’s Capital

Washington, D.C.—U.S. Senator Susan Collins recently met with students from the University of Maine who were enrolled in the “Washington, D.C., Leadership Institute.” The one week, immersive class gives participants the opportunity to meet with leaders in government, the military, business, non-profits, athletics, education, and the arts.

Senate Passes Legislation Coauthored by Senator Collins to Help Children of Fallen First Responders Attend College

Washington, D.C. –Last night, the Senate passed a bill authored by U.S. Senators Susan Collins (R-ME), Bob Casey (D-PA), Pat Toomey (R-PA), and Joe Donnelly (D-IN) to increase the amount of Pell Grant aid available to qualifying students who are the children of fallen law enforcement officers, firefighters, EMS workers, and fire police.

The bipartisan legislation, the Children of Fallen Heroes Scholarship Act, makes the child of a fallen first responder with financial need eligible for the maximum Pell Grant award.

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