I am a proud product of Illinois public schools, from elementary school all the way through NIU. I know firsthand that teachers are miracle workers who often do so much with so few resources. I know that a great public education can open the door to opportunity, because it did for me. Today, our public schools remain the beating heart of our communities, urban and rural alike. But they’re under attack and under-resourced. Politicians are banning books instead of funding classrooms. Teachers are underpaid and leaving the profession, while students face crowded classrooms and outdated materials. College has become staggeringly expensive, and too many graduates are buried in debt. Meanwhile, right-wing extremists are even proposing to abolish the Department of Education altogether. Let’s be clear: gutting education is gutting our future. If we want a thriving economy and a healthy democracy, we must invest in every student, every educator, and every school. It’s time to treat education as the priority it truly is. Our kids are not political pawns; they are the future leaders and innovators of this nation. 

Here’s my plan to strengthen education: 

• Pay our teachers and support staff what they deserve. No educator should be forced to work a second job to make ends meet at the same time they are teaching the next generation of leaders. I’ll fight to raise the federal minimum salary for teachers to $60,000 per year, and ensure paraprofessionals and school support staff (like aides, cafeteria workers, bus drivers) also get a significant raise. This isn’t just moral, it will help address our teacher shortage by making the profession sustainable. We can incentivize states to meet this pay floor using Title I and other federal funds. It’s an investment in quality education. 

• Support those who educate while they train. Teaching is one of the only professions where we ask student teachers to work full-time in classrooms for free. That’s unjust and it drives talented, diverse candidates away. I will introduce the Student Teacher Compensation Act to provide stipends or salaries for student teachers during their required training semester. By easing the financial burden on aspiring teachers, we’ll attract more passionate young people to the field including more teachers of color and teachers from low-income backgrounds who otherwise couldn’t afford to spend months without pay. 

• Get more resources into classrooms (especially in the neediest areas). I will triple Title I funding (which supports high-poverty schools) so that districts can hire more teachers and reduce class sizes, update textbooks and technology, and offer enriching programs like arts and advanced coursework. I’ll also expand IDEA funding to fully support students with disabilities. The federal government still hasn’t met its promise of covering 40% of special education costs, straining local budgets. It’s time to fulfill that promise so every child with special needs gets the individualized support they require. Modern learning tools, from broadband internet access to science lab equipment, should be in every school and not just the wealthiest ones. 

• Stand up to extremist attacks on public education. Let’s call it what it is: moves to abolish the Department of Education or censor history are part of Donald Trump’s authoritarian agenda to undermine an educated citizenry. I will fight any attempt to eliminate the federal Department of Education which would rip away civil rights enforcement, Pell Grants, and support for low-income students. In particular, I’ll block “Project 2025” or any similar scheme that aims to destroy public education from within. I’ll also use congressional oversight to protect honest teaching of history and science in our schools; the federal government can incentivize evidence-based curricula and make clear that whitewashing history or denying scientific facts (like climate change) is not acceptable if you receive federal funds. Our kids deserve the truth and a well-rounded education, not ideological propaganda.

• Ensure schools are safe and supportive places to learn. Students can’t learn if they’re hungry, scared, or suffering. I’ll fight for funding to increase mental health counselors and school psychologists on campuses, so that every student has access to emotional support and we can proactively address bullying, anxiety, or trauma. I will also push to expand nutrition programs like healthy school breakfasts and lunches for all children, because hunger has no place in the classroom. And as detailed in the gun violence section, I support investing in violence prevention and counseling rather than turning schools into fortresses. Let’s secure schools by supporting students, not by arming teachers. 

• Make higher education and job training affordable. In the 21st century, a high school diploma is often not enough but a four-year college or a skilled trade program should not require crushing debt. I’ll work to make community colleges and public trade schools tuition-free, ensuring everyone can access at least two years of post-secondary training without cost. For four-year universities, I’ll fight to dramatically increase Pell Grants and other federal aid so that students from working- and middle-class families can attend college debt-free. I also support cancelling existing student loan debt, especially for borrowers who were preyed upon by predatory for-profit colleges or those who have been making payments for decades. And for those not on a college path, let’s expand union apprenticeships and technical education partnerships with high schools and community colleges, so young people can step into good-paying trades. Higher education in all forms is an investment in our economy and our people – we must treat it as such. 

Our students are not just future workers; they are future leaders, innovators, and citizens. It’s time we invest in them like it. As someone who has walked the halls of our public schools and benefited from great teachers, I will have the backs of students and educators every single day. When we invest in students, we invest in our future and I’m all in on doing just that.