Education
Congressman Soto believes that education is fundamental to upward mobility and pursuing the American Dream. Every child must have access to a high-quality K-12 public education, college or technical education, and lifelong learning opportunities.
Federal funding ensures that the future of our nation has a strong start, regardless of economic status, religion, race, or disability. Soto prioritizes well-rounded education over politics, technical pathways over restricted careers, and local decisions over unneeded bureaucracy.
Our economy is rapidly changing, and it is critical that we create a diversity of opportunities for K-12 students, the future of our workforce, and adult learners. Central Florida is home to highly successful education programs, such as NeoCity Academy, our technical colleges, including Valencia, and UCF’s College of Medicine. Soto is working to secure critically important low-interest federal loans, workforce development programs, and wellbeing initiatives to support constituents.
Rep. Soto’s recent work for Florida education includes but is not limited to:
Legislation
- H.R. 7086, the Equitable Access to School Facilities Act, which improves the quality and affordability of charter school facilities and authorizes technical assistance to support the growth and expansion of high-quality charter schools;
- H.R. 6131, the Increasing Access to Mental Health in Schools Act, which aims to increase access to mental health services in low-income local education agencies;
- H.R. 4318, the Head Start for Our Future Act, which seeks to expand the number of active educators by including child development and early learning as community services under the federal work-study program;
- H.R. 1151, the Freedom to Invest in Tomorrow’s Workforce Act, which expands tax-free withdrawals to support education for professional certification, apprenticeships, occupational licenses, and academic degrees; and
- H.R. 2682, the STOP Bullying Act, to support efforts at the state level to reduce bullying in elementary and secondary schools.
More information on Rep. Soto's work to support education for Central Florida can be found at:
More on Education
KISSIMMEE, FL — Today, Congressman Darren Soto (FL-09) and U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona met with Floridian LGBTQI+ students and families on Transgender Day of Visibility for a roundtable discussion to hear about the impact that recent anti-LGBTQI+ legislation has had on them, their communities, and school experiences.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Darren Soto (FL-09) led a letter with members of the Florida Democratic Delegation asking U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona to consider investigating a recent proposal to defund 12 Florida school districts that instituted mask policies at the beginning of the 2021-2022 school year by withholding $200 million in funding.
WASHINGTON, D.C.— Representatives Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), Tom Suozzi (D-NY), John Rutherford (R-FL), Darren Soto (D-FL), and Greg Steube (R-FL) this week introduced H.R. 7868, the Strengthening America's Families Act (SAFA), which would use research and the science of child development to transform the child welfare system.
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, Congressman Darren Soto (FL-09) voted to pass the Child Care is Essential Act and the Child Care for Economic Recovery Act, bills to expand the availability of quality child care, help workers return to their jobs when it is safe and enable America's economy to recover from the COVID-19 crisis.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Rep. Darren Soto (FL-09) celebrated the more than 400 bills, including more than 275 bipartisan bills still awaiting action in the GOP-controlled Senate, passed by the Democratic House Majority over the past year.
CLICK HERE TO RSVP
As we head Back to School in Central Florida, we want to hear about the education issues affecting you and your families.
Join our Education Town Hall to discuss the federal resources available to improve our public education system, including:
* Accommodations for students with disabilities
* Free or reduced school lunch
* English as a Second Language (ESOL) program
U.S. Congressman Darren Soto met with Abhinav Dhulipala, a Congressional Award Gold Medal recipient from Central Florida's 9th Congressional District. Abhinav (Abhi) graduated from the Orlando Science School this past spring and will be attending the University of California, Berkeley in the Fall 2018 semester to study Engineering.
On Thursday, February 1, 2018, Congressman Darren Soto and his wife, Amanda, toured Englewood Elementary School in East Orlando. Principal Alex Reyes walked the Congressman through the school highlighting the students' work. Rep. Soto was thrilled to meet teachers, staff, and administrators, all doing splendid work on behalf of the students.
Congressman Darren Soto visited the University of Central Florida's Hillel to engage students in a conversation at their final Shabbat of the semester. Rep. Soto spoke about his recent American Israel Education Foundation trip to Israel and the importance of the US-Israel relationship. The students were then able to engage in a lively Q&A session on issues ranging from net neutrality to topics affecting their communities. The Congressman also provided insights for what is to come next in this legislative session.