Education

If we get public education right, everything else will follow.  But if we get education wrong, not much else will matter.

A great public education made a great difference in my life, and one of my top priorities is to constantly improve our public schools, universities, and technical colleges so they will make a lasting difference in all our lives.

We need to focus on establishing higher standards, measurable outcomes, and affordable tuition for all our children.  Great public schools are the best tool to guarantee good health, economic success, and equal opportunity.

This means continuous improvement and higher expectations.  It also means heading off schemes to divert tax dollars out of our public schools into voucher plans for private schools, and finally developing an equitable method of funding public education throughout Wisconsin other than on the backs of homeowners.

By working together, we will – put a qualified teacher in every public school classroom; create early learning opportunities; cap class sizes; maintain a safe environment for our children; measure educational outcomes; and make it easier for students to attend universities and technical colleges.

These efforts will begin to solve the challenges facing public education.  When we make a commitment for the long haul, with these goals as our starting point, we will re-energize our public schools.  History confirms that every successful economy has invested heavily in education.  As you go through life, your education really never ends.