NEA Fund for Children and Public Education
Political Action Committee of the
National Education Association
2024 U.S. Senate Candidate Questionnaire
Candidate name: Angela Alsobrooks
Campaign address (street, city, state, zip code): 1101 Mercantile Ln, #100, Largo, MD 20774
Campaign telephone number: (240) 326-3770 Campaign website:
www.angelaalsobrooks.com
*Candidates: Questionnaire information and responses are for INTERNAL USE ONLY. Please
clearly indicate your response to each of the questions. Clarifications, explanations and other
information may be attached, but please be certain to make reference to the corresponding
question. Please return your completed and signed questionnaire to the Maryland State
Education Association, c/o Executive Director Sean Johnson at [email protected]rg.
Candidate signature
Date: 8/9/2023
Section A. Opportunity Begins with Great Public
Schools for Every Student
Ensuring Every Student Has the Opportunity to Learn
1. Do you support increasing Title I funding with the goal of fully funding it?
X yes no
2. Do you support increasing Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) funding?
X_ yes no
3. Do you support mandatory full funding at the promised 40 percent level for IDEA?
X yes no
4. Do you support federal funding to modernize and improve public school buildings and
facilities?
X yes no
5. Do you support steadily increasing federal investment in Community Schools to meet
demand and increase expansion of this model? X yes no
6. Do you support increasing federal investments to help states expand public
high-quality prekindergarten programs and to ensure all children have access to full-day
kindergarten? _X yes no
7. Do you support increased federal investments in and commitment to; Native American,
Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian education? X yes no
8. Do you support increasing funding for high-quality career and technical education
programs that help high school and post-secondary students attain credentials, degrees,
and skills to secure in-demand jobs and occupations? X yes no
9. Do you support an honest and holistic education for students, with adequate resources
that help them better understand the lives, cultures, and experiences of different people
regardless of race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender expression, religion, or heritage?
X yes no
Health, Wellness, and Safety
10. Please indicate which of the following you support in regards to Medicaid. (Select all
that apply.)
X Increasing funding and federal match for Medicaid
Converting Medicaid to a block grant
Instituting per capita caps on Medicaid funding
None of the above
11. Do you support providing universal healthy school meals for all students, regardless of
their families’ ability to pay? X_ yes no
12. Do you support ensuring healthy nutrition standards for school meals and snacks, such
as the standards outlined in the Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act? X yes no
13. Do you oppose any cuts or attempts to block grant funding for school meals, other child
nutrition programs, and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)?
X yes no
14. Which approaches to preventing gun violence and improvements to safety
preparedness in schools do you support? (Select all that apply)
X Universal background checks for guns bought in stores, online, or at gun shows
X_ Extending the initial background check review period from 3 to 10 days
X_ Banning assault-style weapons, high-capacity magazines, and bump stocks
X Prohibition on federal funding to purchase firearms and firearms training for
educators
X Preserving the Gun-Free School Zones Act
None of the above
15. Do you support increasing funding for and access to school-based mental health
services offered to students by licensed professionals? _X yes no
16. Do you support legislation to protect students’ personally identifiable information and
ensure students’ data privacy? X yes no
Respect for the Profession
17. Which approaches to teacher preparation programs do you support? (Select all that
apply)
X Providing incentives for teacher preparation programs to include comprehensive
“residencies” serving as clinical practice of at least a year in which experienced teachers
provide guidance to teacher candidates and work to develop the skills to be
profession-ready upon entering the classroom as the teacher of record
_X Providing supports for new teachers, including mentoring by experienced teachers
X_Providing incentives for teacher preparation programs to recruit and retain teacher
candidates, especially from communities of color and other underrepresented groups,
including male teachers, to expand diversity in the teaching workforce
None of the above
18. Which approaches to raising educator salaries, as a means of improving teacher
recruitment and retention, do you support? (Select all that apply)
_X Establishing a national minimum salary for first-year teachers
X_Using federal funds for raising teacher salaries
X_Federal-state partnerships to raise teacher salaries
_X Creating grants to support Local Education Agencies or State Education Agencies in
raising teacher salaries
None of the above
19. Do you support measures that would ensure educators have access to mental health
resources?
X yes no
20. Do you support federal funding for the National Board for Professional Teaching
Standards, which offers valuable professional development and high standards for
educators to further their practice? X yes no
21. Do you support providing funding that can go toward professional development for
education support professionals and specialized instructional support professionals?
X yes no
22. Do you believe that each educator has the right to, within generally accepted
professional and content standards, exercise their professional judgment in designing
age-appropriate lessons, providing resources, and encouraging discussions that offer an
accurate, honest, and high-quality education? X yes no
23. Do you support preventing federal government interference or intrusion in higher
education, so that educators and faculty can embrace academic freedom and pursue their
research without political encroachment? X yes no
Accountability for All Public Schools
24. Do you support holding charter schools, including online charter schools and for-profit
charters, to the same standards of transparency (i.e. financial, holding public board
meetings, and reporting that includes the preservation of historical data) as all public
schools? X yes no
25. Do you support holding charter schools, including online charter schools and for-profit
charters, to the same accountability standards/requirements (i.e. civil rights, employment,
health, labor, safety, educator qualifications) as all public schools?
X_ yes
no
26. Do you support removing the federal barriers that deter states from replacing
standardized tests with new innovative types of assessment for federal accountability
purposes?
X yes no
27. Do you support reducing the frequency and number of federally mandated statewide
standardized tests in state accountability systems? _X yes no
28. Do you support expanding flexibility in statewide accountability systems that would allow
for the inclusion and weighting of a diverse array of indicators that can provide a more
well-rounded picture of school quality (such as teacher retention, access to advanced
coursework, access to school counselors and nurses, and access to a personal learning
device)?
X yes no
School Vouchers and Related Privatization Schemes
29. Please indicate whether you support the following: (Select all that apply)
Private school vouchers
Education savings accounts for K-12 students
Tuition tax credits for K-12 students
529 savings plans for K-12 private school tuition or home schooling
X None of the above
30. Do you support private school vouchers for any of these specific populations of
students? (Select all that apply)
Students from military families
Students who attend Bureau of Indian Education schools
Students who reside in Washington, D.C.
Students with disabilities
Students who have been bullied or harassed
Students who have been placed in foster care
X None of the above
Section B: Opportunity Requires an Economy that
Works for America’s Middle Class
Creating a Fair Economy
31. Do you support a living wage for public-school educators and other public employees
that includes increasing the federal minimum wage to at least $15 per hour by 2030, with
future wage determinations based on the increase in the median hourly wage for all
employees? X yes no
32. Please indicate which changes to the U.S. tax code you support in order to ensure we
have the revenue needed to make critical investments in our students and communities.
(Select all that apply)
Reducing corporate tax rates
X Increasing corporate tax rates
X Closing corporate tax loopholes
Reducing high-income individual’s tax rate
X Increasing high-income individual’s tax rate
Repealing the cap on state and local tax (SALT) deductions
No change
Making College More Affordable for Everyone
33. Do you support federal reinvestment in higher education to make college more
affordable and shift the cost burden away from students and their families?
X yes no
34. Do you support tuition-free community college? X yes no
35. Do you support broad-based student loan debt cancellation to invigorate the economy
and narrow the racial wealth gap? _X yes no
36. Do you support legislation allowing federal student loans to be refinanced—like
mortgages—when interest rates decline? X yes no
37. Do you support legislation allowing all federal student loans to be discharged during
bankruptcy? X yes no
38. Which of these do you support regarding the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF)
and Teacher Loan Forgiveness (TLF) programs?
_X Preserving PSLF and TLF
X_ Improving both PSLF and TLF to ensure borrowers are not denied their benefits due
to loopholes and flawed implementation by the U.S. Department of Education
Neither of these
39. Do you support increasing institutional aid programs under Title III and Title V that
provide aid specifically to Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Tribal Colleges and
Universities, Hispanic-Serving Institutions, Asian-Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions, and
other Minority-Serving Institutions? X yes no
40. Please indicate which changes to the Pell Grant award you would support. (Select all
that apply)
X Expanding the maximum award to keep pace with annual cost of living increases
Decreasing the maximum Pell Grant award
No change
41. Please indicate which solutions for simplified student loan repayment plans you support.
(Select all that apply)
X_Waiving additional interest, as long as the borrower continues to make payments
X_Making plans available to all borrowers, regardless of the type of federal student loan
they hold
_X Factoring discretionary income accurately so that it is easier for borrowers to manage
and make monthly payments
_X Ensuring
payments
count
toward
achieving
Public
Service
Loan
Forgiveness,
regardless of the type of repayment plan
None of the above
Employees’ Rights and Benefits
42. Do you believe all public sector employees should have the right to bargain
collectively? X yes no
43. Do you support due process rights for all education employees? X yes no
44. Do you support protecting people from being denied health insurance coverage or
being charged more for coverage because of pre-existing medical conditions?
X yes no
45. Do you support providing strong paid leave provisions for all American workers?
X yes no
46. Do you support modifying the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and offering paid
leave protections for low-wage workers who do not meet the 1,250-hour threshold currently
needed for FMLA benefits because their position/job classification restricts the number of
hours they work? X yes no
47. Do you support maintaining the tax exclusion for employer-sponsored health coverage?
_X yes no
Retirement Security
48. Do you support eliminating or reforming the Government Pension Offset and the
Windfall Elimination Provision? X yes no
49. Do you support raising the Social Security payroll tax cap? X yes no
50. Which approaches to Medicare policy and funding do you support? (Select all that
apply)
Raising the Medicare eligibility age to 67
Converting Medicare to a voucher system, also referred to as premium support
Means testing Medicare benefits eligibility
X_ Maintaining at least the current level of benefits for recipients
None of the above
51. Do you support the deferral of income tax on contributions to a pension plan?
X yes no
Section C: Opportunity for All Requires a Democracy
that Works for All
Human and Civil Rights
52. Which approaches to improving school climate and discipline practices do you support?
X Increasing funding and access to school-based mental health, including the full
complement of specialized instructional support staff (i.e. counselors and nurses) and
education support professionals (i.e., health and student services staff)
X Increasing funding and/or staff support to implement restorative practices in schools
_X Increasing funding and/or staff to implement trauma-informed services and
age-appropriate responses
None of the above
53. Which approaches in police reform do you support to address systemic racism in the
justice system?
_X Prohibiting law enforcement agencies from profiling based on race, sexual orientation,
gender identity, religion, or other characteristics
_X Banning physical maneuvers like chokeholds that apply pressure which slows,
restricts, or stops blood flow or oxygen to the brain
X_ Mandating dashboard and body cameras for federal law enforcement and requiring
state and local law enforcement to use available funds to purchase body cameras
_X Eliminating the Department of Defense’s (DoD) 1033 program which provides excess
DoD supplies and equipment to state, county, and local law enforcement, including
school-based police agencies and departments
_X Removing law enforcement involvement from the school discipline process to reduce
unwarranted school-based arrests and referrals of students to the criminal system
None of the above
54. Do you support increased funding for the Department of Education Office of Civil Rights
so it will have the necessary resources to ensure timely action and enforcement to secure
equal education access for all students through extensive data collection, research,
investigation, and enforcement of both individual and systemic civil rights complaints and
demonstrated problems in our nation’s schools?
_X yes no
55. Do you support amending the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to include a ban on
discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity and sex in the areas of
public accommodation, such as education, employment, housing and public spaces?
X yes no
56. Do you support federal legislation that provides a pathway to citizenship for
undocumented people, including current DACA recipients, those eligible to apply for DACA,
and other immigrant youth?
X yes no
57. Do you believe your first and foremost duty is to uphold the U.S. Constitution, and to
support future election outcomes that have been certified by proper state authorities, as
adjudicated by the courts according to the process set forth by the Constitution and federal
law, regardless of whether it benefits you or your party?
X yes no
58. Which of the following do you support in an effort to protect voting rights and facilitate
greater civic participation? (Select all that apply)
_X Automatic voter registration
X_Same-day voter registration
X_Early voting
_X Restoration of voting rights for individuals who have completed felony sentences
_X Restoration of the Voting Rights Act
_X Prohibition on purges of voter rolls
X_Ensuring that discriminatory voter ID requirements do not prevent Americans from
exercising their right to vote
_X Enhancing federal support for voting system security and increasing oversight of
election vendors
_X Transparency in funding sources for federal elections
Section D: Short Answer
59. Do you believe the federal government has a role in fostering educational excellence
and equal access for all public school students, regardless of race, Zip code, family income,
special needs, language, and other factors? X yes no
If yes, please provide a short answer describing what you believe that role should be. If no,
please provide a short answer describing why you believe the federal government should
not play a role in public education.
We have an obligation to provide adequate resources and equal access for all public school
students. This is an area that I am intimately familiar with and have been actively involved
in. Prince George’s County has the second oldest school buildings in the state of Maryland.
Where our children go to learn speaks to their dignity, and I saw crumbling schools
throughout my county that were not befitting the students of my community. Facing an $8
billion school construction backlog, we were able to utilize a first of its kind public private
partnership (P3) to break ground on six new schools through the P3 model, and an
additional four through traditional school construction. In total, we have broken ground on
10 schools in just 2.5 years, and we are opening the doors to the six new P3 schools this
school year.
60. What is your personal background or experience with public schools?
As the County Executive of Prince George’s County, I am deeply familiar with the important
role that the public school system plays in the success of a community. Our schools are
often one of the safest places for students, providing them with a full meal and an
opportunity to grow and learn. I am proud of the record I have on education and the work
we’ve done to improve outcomes in Prince George’s County, from breaking ground on 10
new schools in two years to funding a historic amount for school funding, $11.4 billion over
4 years. Thanks to our administrations work, we’ve been able to expand full day
pre-kindergarten, we’ve been able make historic investments in technology and the
experience that our students have in the classroom by securing a 1:1 device-to-child ratio,
and have made historic investments in providing our students with mental health resources,
and free dental and vision services for students regardless of insurance status.
61. If elected/re-elected, how will you work consistently with NEA and the state affiliate for
accountability and relationship-building?
I have been honored to have the support of MSEA in my previous races, and would seek to
build on my relationships with stakeholders in Maryland to be an effective advocate for
teachers and students in the Senate.
62. What would your criteria be for considering confirmation of the president’s nominee for
Secretary of Education? What stakeholders would you consult and what knowledge,
experience, and expertise would you look for?
I would support nominees who share the on-the-ground, jurisdictional experience that I have
to make sure that the person who is our Secretary of Education understands the day-to-day
issues that teachers, students and parents have. I would seek to consult with the NEA to
make sure that any nominee reflects their values as well.
63. What criteria would you use to decide whether or not to support nominees to federal
courts and to the Supreme Court of the United States?
a. Who or what types of stakeholders will you rely upon to inform your decision
and what information about potential nominees will be most important to you?
b. With regard to selection criteria for a Supreme Court justice, what qualifications,
knowledge, viewpoints, and experiences do you consider essential for this position?
As a former prosecutor, I understand the importance of the rule of law and have a deep
respect for our judiciary. As a Senator, I would support qualified, thoughtful nominees who
have shown that they share a respect of the law and the impact that laws have on people.
I would seek counsel with a wide range of groups, such as the American Bar Association
and others, to ensure that a robust vetting process has been carried out.
64. What would your criteria be for considering presidential cabinet nominees in general,
and what would your process be for vetting nominees’ qualifications, expertise, and position
on issues?
Cabinet nominees should have practical experience in the areas that they seek to operate
in. I would consult with those who have a unique expertise in the specific areas affected by
a given cabinet position to make sure that we have fair-minded people who are capable of
undertaking the important role of cabinet secretary.
