Education

Education is esseMeeting with Students at the North Olympic Peninsula Skill Centerntial for a bright future and a productive economy.  All of our students deserve the best education we can provide.  Over the years, I’ve had the chance to work on education from many angles – as a pre-school teacher, a parent, a PTA president, a school board member, and now as a United States Senator.  I’m committed to ensuring that our schools can offer strong, high quality education programs.  And as member of both the Senate Appropriations and Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions committees, I have consistently fought for the resources and support our children need to succeed. 

My Priorities

  • Providing local schools, educators, and parents the federal funding and support they need to educate our children.
  • Supporting programs that prepare our students for higher education and the 21st century workforce.
  • Ensuring early childhood education programs have the tools and resources to fully prepare young children and families for the next steps in education.   
  • Expanding access and affordability to post-secondary education for all students.
  • Investing in programs that give K-12 schools and teachers the ability and means to deliver high-quality, rigorous, and relevant education to all students. 

My Accomplishments

  • Worked with the education, workforce, business, economic development, and labor communities across Washington state to draft legislation and help ensure our students are prepared for the 21st century workforce.
  • Helped draft and pass into law legislation to raise the maximum Pell Grant amount, increase financial aid to low-income students, and ease the burden on student and parent borrowers.
  • Introduced legislation to help empower schools to provide the best possible support for students and teachers, such as the PASS Act, the FOCUS Act, and the Financial and Economic Literacy Improvement Act.  
  • Worked to reauthorize Head Start to improve the program and better serve millions of children from birth to age 5.  
  • Worked on legislation to address the critical shortage of students pursuing careers in the science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) subjects.