As the product of California public schools, I know how important good public education is for the American Dream.

I’m proud to send my own kids to public schools, and to be backed by the major pro-education groups, including the National Education Association and the American Federation of Teachers as well as their state counterparts, the California Teachers Association and the California Federation of Teachers.

I am honored to represent UC Irvine, and, in Congress, I work to ensure that UC Irvine remains a world-renowned research institution. When the Trump administration tried to target the UC system with illegal cuts to their funding for education and research. I stood up and said “hell no,” leading my California colleagues in a letter to President Trump that led him to call off his attacks on the UC system.

In the State Senate, I served on the Budget Committee’s Education Subcommittee, which is responsible for handling the funding for all K-12 public schools, community colleges, the California State University system, and a good part of the University of California’s budget. In this role, I tried to emphasize the ABCs of good education – good teachers, smaller class sizes, and better access, principals I continue to advocate for in Congress. 

I’ve also been a fierce advocate for workforce training and continuing adult education programs, whether run through our high schools in the form of regional occupation centers or through our community colleges in the form of apprenticeship programs. Not everyone should go to a four year college, and we need to invest in programs that empower working Americans to earn a good living through different pathways than just sitting behind a desk. At the same time, with major disruptions to our workforce looming from AI and other innovations, we must prepare for the future by beginning the process of training and retooling our workforce.

I will continue to protect resources for students and teachers so that the next generation can thrive. America’s ability to compete globally hinges on the success of our public schools, which is why I will always champion public education.