"As a society, we have no greater responsibility than educating our children." - John Garamendi

I Put the Children First
When we discuss education we must always put the children first. Students must be our top priority. We cannot flourish as a society if we fail to provide the next generation with hope for their future and the tools to succeed. It is only by investing in our children and their education that we ensure that every child has possibility of achieving the American dream.

I Support Teachers
Teachers are the key to unlocking the future for the next generation. For students to prosper and learn, teachers must have the resources, training and professional support to meet the challenge. A teacher must feel secure in their job and professional environment, and assistance should be available to help solve the complex social and learning problems they encounter every day in the classroom. Policy makers must ensure that teachers have access to the critical resources needed to succeed; they must never be made into scapegoats for political gain. Reform proposals must be designed in conjunction with those who spend their days in the classroom - not hatched in isolation in academic or government ivory towers.

I believe the women and men who choose teaching are answering the highest calling. They do so knowing they will not become rich or famous, but knowing they can create hope and opportunity for every child. Teachers are too often faced with insurmountable odds and yet they rise to these challenges each day. The least we can do is honor and reward their personal and professional commitment. California's teachers can be sure that I will always support them in every way I can.

I Fight for Our Students
The quality of education is directly related to the quality of support we provide to teachers, students, administrators, schools and families. Schools cannot ensure a high-quality learning environment when budget cuts force school and community libraries to close, eliminate instructional assistants and school nurses, and reduce vital school and community support programs. Recent reductions in education funding have caused teachers to receive layoff notices, go without salary increases and see their health benefits cut.

On April 21, 2008 I was honored to join thousands of college students, parents, and educators who united, marched and rallied to protest $1 billion in proposed cuts to our public colleges and universities, and over $4 billion in cuts to our K-12 schools.

From Sacramento to San Diego, those who care about California's future took a simple message to our state's leaders: there is no more important investment the state can make than in the future of our young people.

The energy and enthusiasm I saw in our future leaders was inspiring, and the momentum we created must be unstoppable. The rally was a great success, but if California is to keep its promise to our children, this must only be the beginning. In the months ahead, I look forward to leading the fight to halt the escalating taxation of our students and to protect the development of our intellectual infrastructure - the very future of our Golden State.

I Have Always Opposed Cuts to School Funding
The success of our education system is and always will be a top priority for me. Stable education funding is of critical importance; if we do not guarantee a steady funding stream we turn our children’s education into a roller coaster ride. When the Gann Amendment threatened to undermine Proposition 98, I authored Proposition 111, to redefine economic growth in favor of our schools and to mandate that funding reductions be restored. While I pushed for increased funding, I also insisted on improved fiscal management. In addition, I authored the law requiring regular audits for all school districts, to ensure that funding gets to where it is needed most - the classroom.

As a UC Regent and CSU Trustee, I have demanded transparency on executive compensation, opposed tuition and fee increases for students and demanded fair contracts for UC and CSU faculty and employees. I proposed a five-year moratorium on fee and tuition increases, which often make it impossible for students to go to college. Increasing access to financial aid and grants will ease the burden for many as they try to balance family, work and school.

I Fight to Keep the Door to Higher Education Open to All!
I support higher education opportunities for all students; they should be able to attend a Community College, State University or the University of California, based on individual needs and academic preparation. California is revered for having the best higher-education system in the world.

Putting money into higher education is one of the soundest infrastructure investments that California can make. California's public universities pay for themselves: For every $1 spent, about $3 comes back to the state as a byproduct of a larger economy and higher incomes. The best way to improve the lot of the less fortunate is to grow the entire economy, not to wrestle over who gets what slice of a static economic pie. And the surest way to retard the growth of California's economy is to invest less in the structural foundation of California's prosperity -- an educated, technologically sophisticated workforce.

There is a deeply flawed notion out there that the only people who benefit from universities are those who enroll, and that state support for higher education is just a subsidy for high-income families who send their kids to college. Getting an education is not the same as buying a car or hiring someone to paint your house. Education is a public good, like highways and waterways, like national parks and the armed services. Education benefits all and protects all.

As we build new schools and modernize old ones, we need to incorporate the incredible technology that's available and provide incentives to make school buildings healthier and more energy efficient. We must build bridges between the business and education communities; encourage businesses, through tax incentives, to adopt schools and provide not only monetary resources, but also summer and post-graduation jobs for students who commit to good grades and behavior.

I Listen to California’s Students
As Lt. Governor, I commenced a program of “Listening Tour” town hall meetings on the campuses of all 23 State Universities to best understand the role of our education system I preparing the future workforce and meeting the needs of California communities. These meetings bring together leading academic, business, labor and community leaders to discuss workforce development and community needs; while also examining the strengths and weaknesses of our education system at all levels in meeting the needs of our students and communities.

I Will Work to Keep California's Children Healthy
Healthy children are motivated to excel in school, which increases the probability they will achieve success in their life. It is no secret that the emotional and physical health of our children is declining. Tutoring, physical education, music, art, vocational and after school programs are all critical in shaping California’s next generations for the better. Keeping kids motivated, happy and healthy are the steps we have to take to steer them away from gangs, violence and despair and ensure a robust future.