Our children are our future, and there is no more important investment than in their education. We cannot afford to neglect the importance of a well grounded and well rounded education and the long lasting impacts of active parents and involved teachers.

• Preschool Plus: I believe that a comprehensive education program begins in early childhood education and continues throughout life. I was a co-sponsor of the Missouri Preschool Plus Grant Program, which provided 10,000 low income students with early childhood education services. Studies have shown that children who attend preschool education are better prepared socially, intellectually, and physiologically than other children.
• Proper Funding for Schools K-12 and Beyond: Our primary and secondary schools deserve proper funding to meet the ever-changing challenges they face. In addition, as so many more students attend higher education; our universities need to be fully equipped to prepare students for life after college. I have worked to ensure that the University of Missouri-Columbia, Columbia College and Stephens College all have the resources they need to be seen as leaders in education.
• Professional Teacher Pay: Besides parents, no one has as much daily interaction and influence on children then their teachers. Teachers deserve a professional wage that reflects the cost of living and will help retain quality teachers in our schools. We cannot afford to keep short-changing the people who help develop the minds and lives of our future generations.
• Physical Education and Healthy Living: I have worked hard as a State Representative to ensure that physical education and mental health programs have not been cut from our schools. During an era of constant public school budget cuts, I worked that all school districts maintained physical education programs. Promoting healthy habits in our children by requiring certain levels of physical activity, nutrition information, and learning self-assessment skills—resting heart rate monitoring, goal setting, BMI—will encourage life long healthy living.