Education is the key to building a middle-class life and a strong American economy. While we must invest in K-12 education and provide our children with the best possible start, it’s also essential that we expand access to affordable, quality education for those going on to four-year colleges and those pursuing career, technical, and vocational education programs or apprenticeships.

Public schools guarantee that every American child receives a world-class education and can reach their full potential. As a product of the Illinois public school system, I am committed to working across the aisle to invest in training stellar teachers, building high-quality programs for all students with special needs, and bringing technology to every American classroom. That’s why I’m working with my colleagues in Washington to preserve the Every Student Succeeds Act, a bill that was enacted to give state and local governments flexibility to improve public schools.

The costs of college have skyrocketed, and it is essential that our community colleges, post-secondary schools, and graduate programs are accessible and affordable for every qualified student. That’s why I cosponsored legislation that will significantly decrease student loan debt for both college and graduate students. This will allow more working families to realize the dream of a college education for their children, and help more young graduates enter the working world without debt holding them back.

But in addition to K-12 education and four-year college programs, it’s essential that we strengthen career and technical education programs that help students develop the in-demand skills they need to enter the workforce. There are over 6 million unfilled jobs across the United States. In Illinois specifically, we have seen a rapid expansion in industries such as healthcare, cybersecurity, and high-tech manufacturing. As a country, we must do a better job of preparing our students with the skills and training to work these family-sustaining jobs in our evolving economy. In addition, we need to work with local businesses to help them recruit, train, and retain qualified employees. To accomplish this feat, we need to strengthen our career and technical education programs in our communities.

That’s why I introduced the Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act, also known as the Thompson-Krishnamoorthi Act, which gives states more funding and flexibility to create worker training programs that prepare students for in-demand jobs in our community. In June, this bill passed the U.S. House of Representatives with unanimous bipartisan support. By bringing educators and employers together to develop curricula that focuses on the jobs that need to be filled, this bill will strengthen our economy and help millions of Americans build a middle-class life.