Issue Position: Strengthen Education and Support Teachers to Expand Opportunity

Issue Position

I have spent my entire career fighting for a better public education system for the children of Nevada. First, I was the Founding Director for the After-School All-Stars, which provides after-school activities for at-risk kids. Now, as President of Communities In Schools in Nevada, I have worked hard to keep at-risk students in school and increase their odds at graduating and leading a better life.

We need to make education a top priority for students of all ages -- which is why I support investing in our students and teachers from pre-kindergarten through college. As your Congresswoman, I will fight to increase funding for Early Head Start, and to create more federal/state partnerships so we can expand quality early childhood education, especially for children living in poverty.

The single most important aspect of quality education is the quality of the teachers and principals entrusted with our children's futures. All students deserve an effective teacher and all schools deserve an effective leader. As your Congresswoman, I will work to enhance incentives to attract qualified applicants to the teaching profession and direct investments to schools so teachers can earn salaries reflective of the difficult and critical jobs they perform. Incentives include increasing Pell grants and funding loan forgiveness programs so that great teachers are encouraged to educate our next generation.

It's also essential that we help young people reduce their student loan debt. Student loan relief is another priority. I went to college thanks to a combination of scholarships, work/study programs and student loans. I was able to pay them back because I was not overburdened by unreasonable rates. Now, too many students graduate with crushing debt that impacts their lives for decades to come. I will work to augment scholarship programs and to reform student loans to reduce the burden of attending college. I will also fight to protect and expand the Pell Grant program, unlike Cresent Hardy, who voted to cut Pell Grant scholarships.

Source