My positions on key educational issues:

ON PUBLIC EDUCATION

Ensure that quality public education is a top priority for our state government.

Maximize educational opportunities for students, including vocational programs and access to higher education.

Support a system of high-quality early childhood care and education to promote school readiness.

Support a system of high-quality early childhood care and education to promote school readiness.

Require that public school choice programs provide equitable access and appropriate accountability.

ON SCHOOL FINANCE

Provide adequate school funding to cover inflation, enrollment growth, and resources for meeting state standards.

Fully fund all mandated programs, such as special education and No Child Left Behind.

Secure additional funding to address critical capital needs.

Maintain constitutionally required school funding through Amendment 23, and keep the State Education Fund solvent.

ON STANDARDS, ASSESSMENTS, AND ACCOUNTABILITY

Implement state content standards in ways that make school relevant and meaningful.

Ensure that the CSAP tests are fair, free of cultural bias, and based on the content standards – and not used in a manner that is punitive to students or schools.

Focus the work of the Department of Education on helping schools and school districts succeed.

Require that the evaluation of schools’ success be based on more than one type of measurement.

ON PARENT AND COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT

Promote parent involvement in decision-making and the accountability process.

Encourage civic engagement in education policy and in the schools.

ON TEACHER QUALITY

Enhance high-quality teaching by promoting teacher training and staff development programs.

Maintain licensure requirements so that teachers are qualified and properly trained.