{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.gallego.senate.gov/news/press-releases/what-they-are-saying-senator-gallego-unveils-his-plan-to-strengthen-americas-education-system/", "What They Are Saying: Senator Gallego Unveils his Plan to Strengthen America\u2019s Education System", "2026-09-14", "2026", "2026-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "AZ", "Ruben Gallego", "G000574", "www.gallego.senate.gov", "gallego", "https://www.gallego.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 Senator Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) released his new plan to reform and strengthen America\u2019s public education system. The four-pillar plan, \u201cClass in Session: A Plan to Fix America\u2019s Public Education System,\u201d provides a pathway to bolster public education for every American student \u2014 especially those in rural, tribal, and high-poverty communities who often face barriers that extend beyond the classroom.\n\nRead the full plan HERE.\n\nSince its release last week, the plan has received support from AFT: Education, Healthcare, Public Services, National Education Association (NEA), Arizona Education Association (AEA), Pima County Joint Technical Education District (JTED), The School Superintendents Association (AASA), National Center for Teacher Residencies (NCTR), Somerton School Board President Juan Castillo,and Flagstaff Unified School District Superintendent Michael A. Penca.\n\nHere\u2019s what they are saying:\n\nNEA AZ: \u201cSenator Ruben Gallego is making clear that solving challenges facing public education requires more than talking about the problem\u2014it requires real commitment to investing in students, educators, and the public schools they rely on. From the educator retention crisis and the rising cost of entering the teaching profession to student mental health, academic recovery, and ensuring every student has a pathway to college or a career, this initiative recognizes the interconnected challenges our public schools are facing\u201d said AEA President Marisol Garcia.\n\n\u201cSenator Gallego has consistently stood up for public schools and public educators, and we welcome his continued leadership in advancing a national education agenda that invests in people and communities at the heart of our public education system.\u201d\n\nSomerton School Board President Juan Castillo: \u201cAs a lifelong educator and school board president, I strongly support the priorities outlined in this plan. Investing in our educators, protecting vital programs such as Title I and IDEA, expanding afterschool and summer learning, and preparing students for college and careers are essential to the future of Arizona. Every student, regardless of their ZIP code, background, or family income, deserves access to a high-quality public education and the opportunity to succeed.\u201d\n\nJTED: \u201cPima JTED applauds Senator Ruben Gallego\u2019s comprehensive Education Plan for strengthening public education and ensuring all students have the opportunity to improve their lives through a quality education\u201d said CEO and Superintendent Kathy Prather. \u201cWe can attest to the need to address inequities in teacher pay to attract and retain talented educators, and we have proven that enhancing and supporting Career and Technical Education helps students develop the academic, technical, and workplace skills needed for a successful life.\u201d\n\nSee additional coverage below of Senator Gallego\u2019s education plan:\n\nAZ Mirror: \u2018We can\u2019t just be anti-Trumpers\u2019: Gallego pitches education vision for Democratic majority [Caitlin Sievers, 9/8/2026]\n\nIf Democrats take control of one or both chambers of Congress in November, U.S. Sen. Ruben Gallego wants to be ready.\n\nOn Tuesday, Gallego released a wide ranging plan to reverse President Donald Trump\u2019s dismantling of the U.S. Department of Education, and to improve public education across the country with increased support from the federal government.\n\n\u201cWe can\u2019t just be anti-Trumpers,\u201d Gallego told the Arizona Mirror. \u201cWe have to actually have a vision of where we want to go with education.\u201d\n\nKTAR News: Sen. Ruben Gallego unveils 4-part plan to restore America\u2019s public education system [Shira Tanzer, 9/14/2026]\n\nU.S. Sen. Ruben Gallego has introduced a four-part plan to restore the public education system across the country.\n\nThe Arizona Democrat\u2019s goal is to increase access to education for every student, including those in rural, tribal and high-poverty areas, as well as to improve teacher retention, protect education funding and create school-to-workforce pathways.\n\nGallego told KTAR News 92.3 FM that the plan was created to improve schooling nationally, but it\u2019s also personal.\n\n\u201cI have a 9-year-old boy. I worry about his education all the time,\u201d he said. \u201cAnd I have two other kids that are coming right behind him that will be starting school not too long after. And so, this is really a reflection of my worries about them, my hopes for them \u2014 and for the millions of other American kids too.\u201d", 1, "2026-09-15T09:50:21Z", "2026-09-15T09:52:05Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.gallego.senate.gov/news/press-releases/what-they-are-saying-senator-gallego-unveils-his-plan-to-strengthen-americas-education-system/"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.5555617865175009, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}