I am the proud parent of public school students. My children have attended high-quality schools and learned from some of the nation’s best teachers. Our strong public schools are the key to the success of all Massachusetts students, so I will fight for policies that ensure Massachusetts continues to lead the nation in public education. And because today’s students are tomorrow’s professionals, bolstering our education system is the single greatest step we can take for the long-term strength of the Massachusetts economy.

The Foundation Budget formula, which calculates annually the minimum each district should spend on K-12 education, is sorely out of date. Rising costs of health care and special education mean the state is drastically underestimating the funding needs of our schools. When this happens, our students lack the tools they need to thrive academically, and our towns must pick up the burden by raising taxes. I will advocate for changes to the formula to make sure our schools have the funding they need to prepare all of our students to be informed participants in our society and workforce.

Additionally, we need to ensure that our schools always remain safe. I support state funding for School Resource Officer programs to keep our schools free of drugs and violence. Our children deserve the chance to focus on learning to their highest potential and should not have to worry about their safety in school. 

Effectively preparing our students for the future starts before they even enter elementary school. Unfortunately, the rising costs of childcare and pre-school make these crucial years of child development financially out of reach for too many families. In high school, our students must have opportunities to prepare for jobs in a changing world. Technological developments—from automation to green technology—signal big changes to come in the global economy and we must prepare our students for the jobs of tomorrow.