Education

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Children perform best in school when their parents are involved in their education.
 
For too long, the education establishment in Wisconsin has used the legislature and the courts to shut parents out of the education process despite research showing that when parents are involved in their child’s education, students achieve higher grades, test scores, and graduation rates. 
 
I believe parental involvement in education should be celebrated, not litigated. When it comes to investing state resources in education, we should build on what works instead of sinking more money into programs and systems that continue to fail. 
 
We should expand successful educational options like school choice, charter schools and virtual school programs-particularly in Milwaukee, where students score 21 to 40 points below the state average in reading and math and where 2 out of every 3 kids will not graduate. These programs produce proven academic results, along with satisfied parents, and are widely supported by area employers seeking a well-trained workforce.  In Milwaukee, they provide a lifeline to our most vulnerable children.
 
When it comes to higher education, I believe the University of Wisconsin system should be affordable and accessible to Wisconsin families first.  Moreover, we should demand that our technical schools teach skills that are linked to real job needs, and we need to connect future investments in the UW system to careers like engineering and medical research. 
 
Finally, since the best incentive for college graduates to remain in Wisconsin is the promise of a good paying job, we must provide employers the tools and incentives they need to maintain and expand their operations here.