Education

Washington state students deserve the best education and training opportunities to succeed in the future, care for their families and keep the U.S. innovative and globally competitive.

I am working in Congress to invest in the future workforce by expanding access to skills training and opportunity through high-quality early childhood education, K-12 education and affordable higher education.

Folks in Northwest Washington have access to many great colleges, including Western Washington University, Whatcom Community College, Skagit Valley Community College, Everett Community College, Edmonds Community College, Bellingham Technical College and Northwest Indian College, as well as branches for Central Washington University and Washington State University.

Accomplishments & Priorities

Early Childhood Education

• I support Head Start, which provides early learning, health, and family well-being services to children and families.
• I support robust funding for the Child Care and Development Block Grants (CCDBG), which help make child care more affordable for low-income families with children under age 13.
• I support permanently expanding the Child Care Tax Credit (CTC), which provides families with monthly payments per child, helping lift kids out of poverty and helping families pay for expenses and groceries.
• I am working to ensure families pay no more than 7% of their income on child care and early childhood educators earn livable wages.
• I secured $500,000 in federal funding for Rise Up Academy's ARISE Development. Rise Up Academy will use the money for pre-construction costs to expand their early learning center with additional classrooms, a multipurpose performing arts space, expanded library and technology space, new cafeteria and kitchen spaces, and a new teacher workroom and lounge.

K-12 Education

• I introduced legislation to support low-income students by expanding access to summer meal programs.
• I continue to fight to improve access to high quality education for children with disabilities by supporting the IDEA Full Funding Act, which would help local school systems fund quality special education services.
• I lead efforts to increase funding for Impact Aid, which supports school districts where federal activity limits the funding available through property taxes. This includes La Conner and Oak Harbor communities.
• I secured $850,000 in federal funding for Northwest Career & Technical Academy’s Whatcom Extension. NCTA will construct a branch workforce development skills center campus to support expanded career technical education programming for high school-aged students in Whatcom County.

Higher Education

• I support bringing down the cost of a college degree and increasing opportunities for student loan forgiveness.
• I have long fought for access to quality higher education by keeping interest rates affordable and protecting students from aggressive lender tactics.
• I am working to expand access to Pell Grants by making them available year-round and ensuring the maximum Pell Grant award keeps pace with inflation.
• I support the TRIO programs, which help approximately 870,000 disadvantaged and first-generation students across the United States prepare for, enter, and graduate from college each year.
• I secured $1,031,000 in federal funding for Western Washington University’s (WWU) Shannon Point Marine Center Research Vessel. WWU will use the funding to acquire a new research vessel for marine and coastal science educational and research activities.
• I secured $450,000 in federal funding for Western Washington University’s Longhouse Equipment and Development Programs. WWU will invest in commercial kitchen appliances and educational programs at its Longhouse, with the goal of supporting food sovereignty and security for WWU's native students, while enhancing educational programming and community functions.
• I secured $1,300,000 in federal funding for Edmonds College’s Marine and AI Robotics Pathways. Edmonds College developed two new expedited pathways into careers in Marine and Artificial Intelligence Robotics at its Advanced Manufacturing Skills Center at Paine Field in Everett.

Department of Education

• I oppose the Trump administration’s efforts to dismantle the Department of Education and will continue to support Washington students and teachers.
• The Department of Education plays a vital role in creating opportunity for America’s youth and ensuring educational equity. The Department supports millions of students across the country with special education services and administers critical programs to help low-income families with early childhood education.