Thom’s Work on Education
As the former PTA President of his daughter’s public high school, Thom understands the importance of providing educational opportunities for all students. He also understands the importance of empowering teachers and parents – not federal bureaucrats – to play a large decision-making role at the local level. Thom has advocated for reforms making it easier for parents to engage in their children’s education and removing burdensome roadblocks on educators and local school districts. As the product of both community colleges and public universities, Thom has also focused on supporting North Carolina’s community college and public university systems.
Leading the effort to keep schools, students, and teachers safe
Thom led the effort to pass the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, landmark legislation that makes the largest investment in school safety in American history.
More than $300 million is being allocated to school districts across the nation through the STOP School Violence Act and the COPS program to institute school safety measures and support students’ physical, social, and academic needs.
Landmark Education Reform to Improve School Safety and Provide More Control to Parents and Teachers
Though imperfect, this legislation enacts important reforms to our education system by strengthening state and local control and ending the Common Core mandate as well as federal test-based accountability. We are taking the federal government out of the classroom and returning control to where it belongs: parents, teachers, local communities, and states. North Carolina students deserve the best and I’m pleased this legislation will increase funding to the state, ensuring our communities in need get the funding they deserve.
Senator Thom Tillis
Advocating for North Carolina’s Historically Black Colleges (HBCUs)
Thom is a proud member of the bipartisan Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) Caucus and has worked with his colleagues to strengthen support for HBCUs and ensure they have access to federal resources and workforce development opportunities.
North Carolina has more HBCUs than any other state and Senator Tillis has had a measurable track record of results in ensuring they can continue to provide quality education, increase the pipeline of qualified talent, and create more innovative and inclusive industries in the 21st century, especially in STEM-related fields.
Stopping Taxpayer Funding of Critical Race Theory
Thom helped introduce the Saving American History Act, legislation to prohibit the use of federal funds to teach the 1619 Project and Critical Race Theory by K-12 schools or school districts. Any federal funds intended for low-income students or students with special needs are not affected by this legislation.
Americans do not want their tax dollars going towards promoting radical ideologies meant to divide us instead of being used to promote the principles that unite our nation. Our students deserve a rigorous understanding of civics and American history to understand both our successes and failures as a nation. I do not support diverting taxpayer resources towards promoting ideological and misleading depictions of our nation’s history, and I am proud to work on this important legislation with my colleagues to address this issue.
Senator Thom Tillis
Strengthening Career and Technical Education and Job Training in a Changing 21st Century Economy
Thom was a strong supporter of the bipartisan Strengthening Career and Technical Education (CTE) for the 21st Century Act. The enacted law encourages states, schools, and local CTE providers to update education and job training to meet the needs of local economies. North Carolina will have greater authority to take their unique needs into account and set its own CTE goals, taking Washington control out of the equation.
Students in rural North Carolina should be just as prepared for the workforce as students in urban parts of the state. It is my priority to help build a pipeline of highly skilled students and fill the gap between a diploma and business and industry and I am proud to join my colleagues in supporting this important legislation.
Senator Thom Tillis
Expanding College Opportunities for Low-Income and Underrepresented Students
Thom joined Senators John Cornyn (R-TX), Joe Manchin (D-WV) and Kamala Harris (D-CA) to introduce the bipartisan GEAR UP for Success Act. GEAR UP is a federal grant program that seeks to increase college awareness, readiness, and success for low-income and underrepresented students. Thom’s bipartisan legislation aims to make GEAR UP even more effective in boosting high school graduation and college acceptance rates.
North Carolina is currently the recipient of five GEAR UP grants:
Winston-Salem State University
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$28.2 million over 7 years that covers 16,000 students in Forsyth, Guilford, and Rutherford Counties.
Appalachian State University
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$2.7 million per year that covers 9,500 students over 8 school districts in Western North Carolina
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$1.4 million per year that covers 5,100 students over 3 school districts in Western North Carolina
UNC System Schools
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$4 million per year that covers 22,000 students over 11 school districts in rural North Carolina
Fayetteville State University
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$8.2 million over 7 years
