Issue Position: Education

Issue Position

As a parent and PTA leader, I envision a public education system that meets the needs of all of our diverse learners. The Legislature has progressed towards this goal by fully funding all-day kindergarten, decreasing class sizes for kindergarten through 3rd grade, and providing funding for materials and supplies for classrooms. The problem still remains that local school districts pay $3.5 billion out of local levy money for teachers and staff that is supposed to be funded under the basic education allocation to districts.

It is critical that we place funding the education system in compliance with the McCleary decision at the top of our agenda. Tax loopholes that do not serve the public interest need to be closed and that funding reallocated to the education system. State revenues need to be ample, sustainable, and capable of earning public support.

We must also give individual districts the flexibility to make funding decisions based on the needs of their population. This gives the district a way to close the opportunity gap by attracting teachers who are best equipped to meet the needs of the students, in classes that are sized in a way that the students get the help that they need in class and the extra support they might need outside of the classroom.

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