Issue Position: Fighting for Quality Education

Issue Position

Public education is a fundamental, critical first step to strengthening our communities. Public schools in Arkansas are increasingly undermined consolidation and the unnecessary expansion of charter schools. Jamie will work to ensure that Arkansas public schools are prioritized and adequately funded. A part of making local public schools equitable and sustainable comes with investing in the communities in which they are located. Jamie supports Universal Pre-K in Arkansas as well as family literacy initiatives, which encourage parents to play an interactive role in being a child's first teacher. She also advocates for wrap-around services for students from disadvantaged circumstances that focus on eliminating traumatic situations within their homes and full service community schools that provide health, dental, and mental care as well as family engagement courses.

District 37 is home to two community colleges. Community colleges provide two vital paths to ensuring a productive, skilled workforce in Arkansas: a chance for a certificate that qualifies students to directly enter the workforce or a 2-year degree that allows students to transfer to a four year institution. By collaborating with labor organizations and the private sector, Jamie will advocate for schools like Shorter College and UA-Pulaski Technical College to provide courses that will bring our students into the workforce prepared for 21st century jobs involving clean energy and advanced technology.

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