VISION
Education
Education is the cornerstone of a thriving community and a bright future. Every child deserves a quality education, regardless of where they live. To achieve this, I am committed to securing more resources for our schools, enhancing teacher support, and ensuring reliable broadband access for rural areas to bridge the digital divide.
Securing Resources for Schools
Rural schools have unique needs that require tailored solutions. These schools often face challenges such as smaller student populations, limited access to advanced courses, and fewer extracurricular opportunities. By advocating for increased state and federal funding, we can provide rural schools with the necessary resources to address these challenges. This includes funding for modern technology, infrastructure improvements, and specialized programs that cater to the diverse needs of rural students.
Enhancing Teacher Support
Teachers are the backbone of our education system. To attract and retain talented educators, we must offer competitive pay and benefits. Additionally, I support providing ongoing professional development opportunities and resources such as state-wide curriculum libraries. These libraries, adhering to state standards, would allow teachers to share and access a wealth of educational materials and collaborate with other Michigan educators.
Incentivizing New and Returning Teachers
To address teacher shortages, especially in rural areas, I will fight to defend and expand incentive programs such as better pay, expanding the free lunch program to include school staff, tuition support, and loan forgiveness programs. These measures will encourage new teachers to enter the profession and experienced educators to return.
Broadband Access
Reliable internet access is crucial for modern education. I have personally had to navigate providing quality education and opportunity to students without access to the endless resources of the internet. By increasing access to fast and reliable internet, we can ensure that students in rural areas have the same opportunities as their urban counterparts. This will enable access to online resources, virtual learning, and advanced educational tools.