Issue Position: Investing in Education

Issue Position

Investing in K-12 Education
As a product of Michigan public schools, I know and appreciate the value that well-funded schools can provide in shaping our workforce for tomorrow. I am deeply disturbed by the continuing trend of Governor Snyder and legislative Republicans to raid the School Aid Fund by removing funding from local school districts to fund other priorities. I have stood up against these efforts on the House Floor and warned against the damage it does to our schools. As a state, it is vital for us to invest in public education so residents have access to neighborhood schools and that our classrooms have appropriate student to teacher ratios. We must make sure that we are supplying our teachers with the appropriate technology, training and resources to make sure students are getting the best educational opportunities.

Investing in Higher Education
As Democratic Vice Chair of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Higher Education, I have been a vocal advocate for our institutions of higher learning. If we are to prepare our students for the global economy, we need to create an investment strategy that increases the amount of state support to all institutions of higher learning from four year institutions to community colleges. The state of Michigan is blessed with world class higher education institutions. Unfortunately, the state of Michigan has not invested in this great resource, ranking 37th in the nation for overall funding for higher education. I believe that, as a state, we need to keep tuition affordable for students and working families. We need to support the role that universities and colleges have in economic/community development throughout the state. I also believe that every student should have access to service learning and international learning opportunities as part of their academic experience.

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