As an educator, I understand that education is the key to realizing the California dream– a strong educational background for our children is necessary for economic and social growth. It is not
acceptable that California public schools are amongst the most underfunded schools in the nation. I will…
- Make early-childhood learning, K-12, postsecondary, and public education funding a top priority;
- Be a strong proponent of additional revenue streams dedicated to education, including the extension of Propositions 51 and 55 and closing corporate loopholes to free up funding for education;
- Continue to fight for equal access to high quality public education, regardless of a student’s socioeconomic background;
- Help retain and expand educational STEM programs for all students and expand college readiness programs like MESA, Puente and AVID that help educationally disadvantaged students.
English and Second Languages
As an English learner myself, I know how important learning the English language is for students, but I also know that bilingualism has helped me and my children succeed in our careers. We live in a fiercely competitive global economy and employers are seeking bilingual graduates to succeed in our expanding world. I will…
- Put a high priority to develop the best programs possible in helping English Learners become proficient in English with a goal of having them also retain their native languages;
- Continue to advocate for more dual immersion programs in our K-12 school.
Higher Education and the California State University – Concord
Higher education should be affordable and accessible to all— regardless of socio-economic background. That is why I will…
- Work to reduce student loan debt by increasing grants and other forms of financial aid ;
- Advocate for a better alignment of needed college and university courses to provide our students with pathways to get their B.S. or B.A. degrees in 4 years or less;
- Strongly advocate for the restoration of state funding for higher education, which has been dramatically reduced over the last ten years;
- Work to restore and realize the Concord Navy Base reuse plans and build a California State University close to the North Concord Bart Station so that our residents can have access to quality higher education that will lead them to good-paying jobs.
California’s Community Colleges
I am a strong supporter of the community college system. It offers affordable and accessible higher education during and after high school. UC and CSU have great programs that should be expanded for transferring students from community colleges to guaranteed placement for upper division work.
- Concurrent enrollment: I supported Assemblyman Chris Holden’s bill on dual enrollment. I will be a strong advocate for these programs so students can complete much of their coursework towards their AA, BA and BS degrees while they are still in high school. This will reduce the debt load on college loans and reduce the time for students to get into the workforce.
On a personal note, I took community college courses. My husband was a community college graduate and later, taught at Los Medanos College. My son is a proud graduate of Diablo Valley College.
This is why I have the endorsement of United Faculty of Contra Costa Community College, the California Teachers Association and the California Federation of Teachers.