Issue Position: Education

Issue Position

I have two young kids, and like every parent I want the best for them. And not just the best job opportunities and best education -- I also want them to come home every day happy and safe and proud of what they've learned.

Unfortunately, we've seen our K-12 budget sink steadily over the past 8 years.

We've seen millions siphoned off to private schools at the expense of our public institutions where most students are educated, even when teachers are being furloughed. And the currently proposed "Opportunity School District" threatens to squeeze even more from our most vulnerable districts.

We've seen HOPE scholarship cuts that will eventually cost more than they've saved. That's because lower enrollment means fewer degrees, which leads to lower incomes, as well as less tax revenue over each student's working life -- a classic lose-lose situation.

As a recent back-to-college graduate myself, I understand the obstacles standing in the way of working people who want to continue their education, many times as requirements of continued employment or career advancement. So our state's future depends on reform from pre-K all the way through university.

To stop the cycle, we need to first stop the funding leaks and remove barriers to continuing education. And we need to ensure we're using best practices with a proven track record of success like enrolling more students into pre-K programs across the state, which has been proven to improve high school graduation rates.

In the long run, failing our schools is more expensive than funding them.

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