Subscribe For Newsletter Updates!

M

Education

Fighting For High-Quality Education

Related Image
As the former superintendent of the Denver Public Schools, Michael understands the importance of a high-quality education to a child’s success. Sadly, our schools too often fail at preparing the next generation for a living wage job in the 21st-century economy.

Michael believes our country’s competitiveness depends on a fundamental transformation of public education that gives schools and districts more flexibility to innovate and to make decisions in their students’ best interests while holding them to high standards for all our children. Michael believes teaching is the highest form of public service, and that we need to do more to ensure educators are paid well and have the resources and training they need to shape the next generation of leaders.

Michael believes no student should graduate from high school without the skills to earn a living wage. Michael has written legislation to modernize workforce training and increase apprenticeship programs nationwide. Additional legislation would encourage higher education institutions, employers, and workforce intermediaries to collaborate and establish new and better apprenticeships that lead to higher pay for graduating students.

In his ongoing efforts to modernize higher education, Michael is working to ensure every student can pursue some form of higher education without incurring crushing debt. Michael has successfully expanded access to dual enrollment, early college programs, and occupational training to better prepare students for today’s careers. He also successfully passed bipartisan solutions to simplify the financial aid process and expand year-round Pell Grants so students can finish college with less student loan debt and on their schedule.