Student loan debt continues to grow at a steady rate while middle income salaries have flat-lined for 30 years and the ideals of earning a degree to contribute to society both financially and socially are dwindling. Citizens want to continue their pursuit of their American Dream and they are willing to try anything to reel in their debt and start building capital, including playing lottery games like Powerball. We have learned quickly that few win in Powerball, and their winnings don't make much of a difference to the rest of us playing. I request that we consider a nationwide Student Loan Lottery game. Players (both with debt or without) could purchase tickets either online or at convenience stores. Jackpots could be used to pay student loan debt incurred to that date, if short, remaining debt would remain, if some funds remained following payoff - they could be added to the future jackpot. In essence, we could pay off each others student loan debts and truly make a difference.

Public policy should be based upon evidence.

Public schools have been decimated over the past few years and, when you increase funding, this funding is going towards testing, teacher evaluation systems, new programs, etc... instead of going for the students. This money should be going towards bringing back teaching assistants, bringing class sizes back down to previous levels, and bringing back social workers and psychologists to work with students who desperately need their services. If an individual claims to be a "lobbyist for the children", then they must do what is best for the children.

Coach Grisham was recorded by a student ranting and raving about the physical build of FLOTUS Michelle Obama. Although he has the right to his personal opinion, he does not have the right to state that opinion before students and others who may look to him as a role model. He used profane language and made the statement sound very racist. He also was noted to have said “I don’t believe in queers. I don’t like queers. I don’t hate them as a person, but what they do is wrong and an abomination against God.” This person is not the role model needed to teach impressionable children. Although the Lauderdale County High School coach was suspended by the school board this decision needs to be revisited and he needs to be fired and his teaching certificate should be revoked.

Let us cut the umbilical cord from the Texas State Board of Education to every School Book Publisher in the US. Because Texas is the major purchaser, by far, of schoolbooks used by children in every state, every schoolbook publisher in the United States must toe the Texas School Board of Education line. No State Board should be the national umpire for the contents of the schoolbooks every American schoolchild is taught by. Unless you live in Texas, you have no say on what schoolbooks contains. Our top priority in education must be one that starts our children equally on their path to education based on access to the broad aims of the Nation rather than narrowly to those of any one State.

The cost of college tuition has been increasing dramatically and this needs to stop. It is preventing many individuals from receiving an education. It is important that our future leaders of America benefit from the education system in order to improve our country.

My son attends Wadsworth Elementary School, which has been targeted for school closure. Our children's education and safety should be our top priorities, and dis-investing in our community schools should be stopped.

Immigrant youth should not be hindered from working towards a more promising future solely because they were brought to the United States by their parents at a young age without legal status. We believe the Iowa DREAM Act (SF80) would be a good building block for needed immigration reform and help add talented, motivated, and multi-lingual people to our workforce. They are important to our ability to counteract the serious demographic and workforce challenges we face in Iowa. The Dream Act represents a practical, fair, and compassionate solution for young persons who simply want to reach their potential and contribute to the well-being of our state. Please join us in telling Iowa lawmakers to pass the Iowa DREAM. act.

Our school doesn't have a track team, so with this Petition maybe we can get our Junior High/High School students to be more active. Some students are not eligable to play sports such as Basketball, Volleyball, or Football. With having a track team some students might actually be excited to be in a sport! Boys and Girls from 7th to 8th and 9th to 12th grade could join. The signatures you see are the students and some teachers that would be proud to have a track team!

Every parent that has or had a child in the NYS school system can identify with this issue. The current system is a closed system with no outside or parental oversight. There is no accountability except in house and that is like having the fox guard the hen house. Bullying, favoritism, partiality, crappy food, deaf administrators busy hanging on their own little power seats are rampant.

The Measures of Academic Progress (MAP®) test is unnecessary, unreliable, and costly. It is time for the Seattle School District to reevaluate its priorities, cancel MAP®, and restore precious class time and resources to our children.

When teens get the required 8.5 to 9 hours of sleep: • School attendance goes up, • Tardiness decreases, • They sleep less in class, • They get in fewer traffic accidents, • Visit nurses and counselors less often, and, • Report less depression and irritability. Starting school before 8:00 AM, without a doubt, undermines optimal academic achievement.