Education

Education is a vital key to economic opportunity and security, and we have to invest in our schools to prepare them for the future. We need to solve the Colorado paradox (we have one of the most highly educated populations in the U.S. and one of the highest drop-out rates) and close the achievement gap. I favor aligning curriculum standards to the needs of a changing workforce, improving choice within the school system, including charter schools and on-line learning, and raising both teacher pay and teacher quality.

In the state legislature, I have supported the BEST bill to rebuild crumbling schools, increased funding for higher education and needs-based financial aid, and invested in expanded preschools and all-day kindergartens. I was the prime House sponsor for a bill to lower the cost of college textbooks.

I believe that investing up front in quality and accessible education and training from early childhood through post secondary is one of the smartest things we can do to build a capable and resilient work force and an informed community. Such an approach also saves taxpayer dollars through savings on the back end.