Education is an investment in our future, and the government should treat it that way — by increasing teacher pay, equitably funding public education, and helping more students access quality, affordable higher education, whether that is a four year college or a local community college.

Here is what we need to do:

● Increase resources for our public schools. Our public schools can’t give our children the education they deserve without sufficient funds and staffing. That’s why I have advocated for critical funding and support for our local school districts, including those like the Allentown School District that have historically received less funding. When I helped pass the American Rescue Plan, the Allentown School District alone received approximately $100 million in federal funding, and schools throughout Pennsylvania received $5 billion. This funding continues to be used today to ensure schools can remain open and students can continue learning in their classrooms. As a member of the House Committee on Education and Labor, I support the Rebuild America’s Schools Act, which would authorize bold infrastructure investment in public school facilities to create jobs, improve educational equity, and ensure better working conditions for teachers and school employees.

● Make college affordable. Congress needs to treat student loan debt as a threat to our country’s prosperity. Just two years ago, young Americans owed a collective $1.5 trillion in student loan debt. We’ve made some progress in reducing that number, but widespread educational debt is a crisis for American prosperity and ingenuity –– it depresses entrepreneurship, prevents investments in things like home ownership, and hurts the economy. This year, I led an effort to protect and expand programs that make college more affordable for low-income students. We need to make higher education more accessible and affordable for everyone.

● Inspire young women in STEM. Women hold fewer than 35 percent of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics jobs in America. Closing this gap should be a goal at every level of government, and I will continue working to ensure that federal tax dollars devoted to STEM education are used to promote women’s participation in these areas.

● Put us on a path toward universal preschool education. Investing in our children earlier than kindergarten enhances their development and leads to later success, which is why I have worked to increase funding for Head Start, the most effective early childhood development program ever created. While extremists threaten to gut or scrap programs like Head Start this election cycle, I will continue to use my vote to protect this essential service. I’m also a cosponsor of the bipartisan Child Care for Working Families Act, which will make early learning programs and childcare more affordable for working families. High-quality, affordable child care and preschool are essential to many parents’ ability to remain in the workforce and to businesses’ ability to retain their employees.