Guarantee Access to Public Education

However, over the past few decades, the federal government has failed to invest in education. We must ensure that children are set up for success at a young age by guaranteeing access to pre-kindergarten and childcare. We must eliminate the need to borrow for college, and invest in debt-free college to ensure that everyone, regardless of their income or zip code, has access to a public education.

• Too many families in the United States, across all incomes and geographies, struggle to find high-quality, affordable child care for their young children. This lack of access to care holds parents back from career and educational opportunities, while discouraging healthy child development.
• Currently, 43 million Americans have student loans amounting to about $1.7 trillion. That debt often becomes an insurmountable burden that prevents graduates from reaching the economic prosperity that was promised by their education.
• The average cost of full-time care in child care centers for children under five years is $12,252 in Minnesota, higher than the average of the cost of in-state tuition. The child care and development block grant, a federal program to fund child care for low-income families, is so underfunded that only 15 percent of eligible holders receive federal child care assistance.
• Early learning programs and healthy nutrition are essential to ensuring every child has a healthy start in life and a fair chance in achieving their full potential. It is our duty to give our children every tool they need to learn and grow, regardless of their zip code or their family’s income.

Vision and Policy Priorities

Promise every family pre-kindergarten access and affordable child care

The average cost of full-time care in child care centers for children under 5 years old is $12,252 a year. The Child Care and Development Block Grant, a federal program to fund child care for low-income families, is so underfunded that only 7 percent of eligible holders receive federal child care assistance.

• Fund universal prekindergarten programs nationwide
• Guarantee affordable child care for working families with young children
• Fund full-day, full-year head start programming
• Ensure childcare workers are fully-trained and paid a living wage

Invest in early childhood education and student support programs

Early learning programs and healthy nutrition are essential to ensuring every child has a healthy start in life and a fair chance in achieving their full potential. It is our duty to give our children every tool they need to learn and grow, regardless of their zip code or their family’s income.

• Provide universal school meals to every student year-round through my universal school meals program act so that no student struggles with hunger
• Rebuild our public schools’ crumbling infrastructure so that all kids are ensured a safe and quality learning environment
• Expand access to high-speed broadband to bring our schools into the 21st century and encourage digital learning

Pass tuition-free public education and cancel all student debt

The inability to pay tuition should not be a deterrent for any student seeking to go to college. Making public two- and four-year colleges and universities accessible is essential to investing in an equitable future. College graduates are burdened with student debt. Over a trillion dollars in potential stimulus to local economies is tied up in student loan debt.

• Guarantee tuition-free and debt-free two- and four-year public colleges and universities
• Expand funding for federal pell grants and ensure they can be used to cover all expenses for college, such as housing, books, food, etc.
• Pass my student debt cancellation act to cancel all existing student debt in the U.S. to give over 43 million Americans and the economy a boost