When my grandparents came West escaping the Dust Bowl, they settled in a shack at the edge of the Toledo High School football field. Grandma always said her grandchildren would not live in poverty, and she told us education was the way to climb out.

When I visit schools, parents, teachers, and principals, sometimes ask why I care so much about fixing our schools? I tell them I grew up in a dual school district and received a good public education, and I want to make sure every kid gets an equal chance to get ahead

Right now, we're failing too many of Washington’s children. Depending on where you live, nearly 25% of our 9th graders won’t graduate from high school, a percentage that is even higher in some disadvantaged or lower property value neighborhoods. Because of where I grew up. I refuse to accept that. I am running to make fully funding education our state’s first and top priority. I will reinvent the last two years of high school so that every kid graduates with the skills they need to go on yo university or to get a family wage job. I want to give principals and teachers the funding and flexibility they need to meet the diverse needs of 21st century students.