My father worked to put himself through college and later became a local pharmacist here in Bakersfield. From an early age, I was taught the value of education and I know firsthand that it can serve as a powerful path to a good quality of life.

Today, too many of our public schools are failing our students as laws are designed to benefit the whims of special interests over the best interest of our children. Parents agree that a high-quality teacher should teach in every classroom but Sacramento has chosen to ignore this request, impeding our efforts to make our state’s education system among the envy of the nation once again.

We need to give local schools and parents more autonomy so they can best meet the needs of their students. We should expand charter schools to provide more educational opportunities. Career technical education must be made available so students leave with skills they can immediately use in the workforce. Community colleges, CSUs and UCs need to remain affordable for working and middle class families, and must direct funds into the classroom instead of toward a bloated administration.

Until we succeed in reforming California’s education system, we are failing to meet the needs of the next generation and are not providing the educational opportunities that will allow our children to live out the American Dream.