Issue Position: Education

Issue Position

Michigan must reverse its current trend of cutting funding to our schools. We cannot compete in the global economy if our students are falling behind. Sam knows that a quality education should be accessible to everyone, regardless of financial background, so that all children will have an opportunity to achieve success.

Investing in K-12 Education:

A product of Michigan's public education system, Sam appreciates the full potential of what our schools can provide for our students. As did many in our community, Sam found the recent actions of Governor Snyder and the Republican-led Legislature very troubling. Raiding the School Aid Fund to finance other budget priorities was wrong. Jeopardizing the quality of our education system to pay for corporate tax breaks is not the way to build a stronger Michigan. Neighborhood schools with small class sizes make our communities an attractive place to live and do business. Sam feels that we need to recognize the hard work our teachers do and make sure that they have the necessary resources to prepare our students.

Investing in Higher Education:

Sam is a Michigan State University alumnus and knows that our public universities are among the best in the world. But our universities can't produce world-class graduates if families can't afford to send their children to college. The recent trend of underfunding our universities has led Michigan to fall to 49th in the country for higher education funding. Sam knows that proper state investment will help to keep tuition costs down and make a college education more accessible for working families. Sam knows from his time in East Lansing city government that our universities are powerful economic drivers and provide meaningful economic and cultural benefits to our communities. To make sure our students can compete in the global economy, Sam believes that our students should have access to service learning and global learning opportunities.

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