Issue Position: Education and Workforce

Issue Position

Reforming Education/Responding to the Needs of a 21st Century Workforce

Solution: Invest unequivocally in the expansion of early-childhood and higher education. Both are consistent predictors of a child's lifelong success, marketability and stability -- and both ultimately guarantee cost savings, along with improved quality of life for individuals and the larger community.

As the first in my family to earn a college degree, I know that a quality education is the foundation of a lifetime of success. As a member of the State Board of Education, I've worked to ensure that Michigan's children are learning the skills they need to compete in the 21st Century workforce. I've also spent the last nine years working in higher education, raising funds for scholarships and programs, and advocating for adequate funding.

My top priority is addressing the deficits at both ends of the educational continuum. We must concurrently expand early-childhood education and ensure that higher education is affordable and accessible. Both are investments that guarantee the highest returns. A recent study by Wilder Research of St. Paul Minnesota, demonstrated that small investments in early-childhood education ultimately saved states millions of dollars in costs associated with crime, substance abuse and welfare. In addition, the study found that increased early-childhood education resulted in fewer children repeating K-12 grades or requiring special-education instruction.

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