Issue Position: Investing In Education

Issue Position

-Increase education accessibility from universal pre-k through affordable higher education
-Invest in schools and recruit and retain a diverse body of educators
-Holistically measure student growth beyond standardized tests

As the daughter of two educators and former PTA President at Roosevelt Elementary here in the district, I have seen the power of education to transform lives, grow opportunity, and create a foundation for lifelong success.

I also know that we have work to do across all stages of our education system -- from early education to post-secondary education, and everything in between -- to improve equity and opportunity for every child. I'm proud to have been endorsed by Washington educators every time I've run for office -- they know how passionate I am about this issue.

America's kids need better access to early learning, which is why I support universal preschool to ensure all kids are put on the right educational path from the beginning. Investing in early learning has been shown to greatly improve outcomes for students, while also decreasing the cost and current inaccessibility of childcare.

In Congress, like in the State Legislature, I'll be a strong advocate for investments in public education and the students and educators who make up our schools. We need to put more funding into STEM and arts programs, both are critical for creating well-rounded students with the tools to succeed in today's economy. And, just like we have in Washington, let's raise educator salaries nationwide, and then work to recruit and retain the best educators possible in every neighborhood in America. We need the ethnic and gender diversity in our educators that our student populations have, and I support programs designed to bring more diversity into the education field.

We should be focused on creating the best public schools possible. Drawing from my father's tenure as the Superintendent at Kankakee, IL District 111, I support increased funding for districts serving low income communities to help create a variety of creative program options like STEM, arts, computers, and more, as we seek to give children and their families options that approach learning in different ways.

We also need to reduce the weight and importance put on standardized tests. These kinds of evaluation measures create perverse incentives -- teachers teach to a test, not the skills and tools kids actually need to succeed, and schools in low income neighborhoods are viewed as low performing regardless of context when their scores come in lower. We need to take a more holistic measure of student growth -- looking at how much students have learned, not just how well they can take a test. If elected, I would work with educators (and with their organizations like AFT, WEA, and NEA), students, parents, experts, and school administration to support testing and evaluation reform that actually makes sense for all the different kinds of schools and students around the country.

We need to make college tuition affordable for all. I was proud to support Washington's landmark affordable college and technical education bill, which I believe has created a model for the nation for how we can ensure all students have the opportunity to go to university, college, or trade school without facing gargantuan loans and overbearing student debt. We must also address and work to eliminate existing student debt, so that people around the nation can learn, work, and thrive free of that burden.

I have a record of accomplishment in this issue, and as a legislator, I listened to the education community and:

Rounded out a teacher shortage bill with language allowing retired bus drivers, para-educators, and counsellors to substitute without impacting their pension.
Prime sponsored a bill that directs school districts to provide information to parents regarding students' rights to education, regardless of immigration status or religious beliefs as well as other protections regarding student's immigration status.
Prime sponsored a bill that would require cultural competency for all those engaged in public education (administration, board, educators)
Worked diligently to increase funding for the School Districts within the 22nd -- specifically working on an amendment to the 2019 operating budget to free up rainy day funds for the three districts
As Vice-Chair of the Capital Budget, worked to drive $1 billion into school construction in the 2019 Capital Budget
Helped secure $4 million for climate change curricula

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