Education

Alex knows that an investment in a child’s education is an investment in the future of America. He grew up attending Los Angeles public schools, where his teachers encouraged him to dream big. Alex wants all children in California to have access to quality public education so they can pursue their own dreams. He is proud to advocate for funding to support teachers and staff, school infrastructure, and student well-being. As a first-generation college graduate, Alex knows the hurdles that too many Californians face in accessing quality, affordable higher education, and he is determined to make higher education accessible for all. During his first term in congress, Padilla introduced the Basic Assistance for Students in College (BASIC) Act to ensure college students are able to meet their basic needs while pursuing their education. He also led several pushes calling on the Biden administration to cancel up to $50,000 of debt for federal student loan borrowers to provide relief to nearly 4 million Californians with student debt.

As a graduate of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology with a degree in mechanical engineering, Alex is a strong supporter of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) educational opportunities inside and outside the classroom. He has also helped launch, and co-chair, the first-ever Senate Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSI) Caucus. The HSI Caucus aims to educate Members of Congress about the contributions and importance of allocating adequate resources to accredited, degree-granting institutions of higher education with at least 25 percent total undergraduate Hispanic full-time student enrollment. 

Recent News

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), as well Representatives Jim Clyburn (D-S.C.), Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.), Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), and Frederica Wilson (D-Fla.) led a letter...
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Senate adopted a bipartisan resolution introduced by U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) and Senator Bill Cassidy (R-La.) to recognize the week of November 7, 2022, as National School Psychology Week. This resolution honors the more than 35,000 practicing school psychologists in the...
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) announced that applications are now open for Spring 2023 general/legislative and press internships in his Washington D.C. and California offices. The internship program provides undergraduate college students and recent college graduates a front...
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), as well Representatives Jim Clyburn (D-S.C.), Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.), Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), and Frederica Wilson (D-Fla.) led a letter...
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Senate adopted a bipartisan resolution introduced by U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) and Senator Bill Cassidy (R-La.) to recognize the week of November 7, 2022, as National School Psychology Week. This resolution honors the more than 35,000 practicing school psychologists in the...
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) announced that applications are now open for Spring 2023 general/legislative and press internships in his Washington D.C. and California offices. The internship program provides undergraduate college students and recent college graduates a front...
CALIFORNIA — U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) held a virtual briefing today with the U.S. Department of Education, California Department of Financial Protection & Innovation (DFPI), and a student loan holder to discuss the Biden administration’s student debt relief plan and...
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senators Alex Padilla and Dianne Feinstein (both D-Calif.) announced that seven universities, one nonprofit, and one startup in California will be receiving over $43 million in grants from the National Science Foundation (NSF). This funding will support...
Bill helps address educator shortages across the country and increases children’s access to a diverse and well-prepared educator workforce WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla joined Senators Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) along with Representatives Teresa Leger Fernández (D-N.M.) and...
Resolution recognizes the 559 Hispanic-Serving Institutions across the nation by designating the week of September 12, 2022 as “National Hispanic-Serving Institutions Week” WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senators Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) and Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), co-chairs of the Senate Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSI)...
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) released the following statement after President Biden announced his plan to provide historic relief to borrowers across the country by forgiving up to $10,000 in federal student debt for Americans who earn less than $125,000...
Senators applaud critical forward progress and outline further steps to strengthen the proposed regulations WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) joined 22 of his Senate colleagues in responding to the Department of Education’s proposed rules to expand and improve student debt relief programs. In...
Resuming student loan payments would force millions of borrowers to choose between paying their loans or putting a roof over their heads, food on the table, or paying for childcare and health care WASHINGTON, D.C. — Ahead of the federal student...