The most important issue for our long term continued success is to deal with the issues that face our educational systems.  This is particularly important in Erie County; Erie County faces poverty, unemployment, and drop-out rates that are all considerably above the national average. These issues cannot simply be dealt with through temporary, band-aid style, fixes.  To deal with these problems in the long run the biggest thing we can do is give our youth the tools they need to be successful in the future.

 There are a number of things I feel we must accomplish on the state level in order to bring our public education systems up to the level they should reach:

1.) We must hire more highly qualified teachers. I firmly believe that lowering the teacher to student ratio is an important step in offering students the quality education they need. This will ultimately improve grades and lower drop-out rates, putting the youth of our state in a better position to succeed in college and in the rest of their lives.

2.) We need to expand existing Pre-K programs throughout the state, specifically in urban and rural areas. It is so important to the development of children that they receive this early form of education and while there are good programs throughout the state they need to be expanded.

3.) Reform PHEAA and build in a mechanism by which college graduates can be forgiven their debt in return for serving the public good in various ways, including spending a few years teaching in the areas where we need teachers most. Too many college graduates feel suffocated by the debt that they have incurred and too many high school graduates choose not to attend college because of their economic situation or fears. It is so important that we develop and educated work force and an important step to this is making sure that college is not only accessible but affordable as well.

 The jobs of the future, including the Green jobs that would be such a boon to the 49th Senate District, will require a well educated work force. For too long our nation and our state has underperformed in math and science education. Too many of our students are either underperforming or dropping out of school, and too many of those who could pursue higher education are choosing not to. It is imperative that we make these, and other, changes to our public school systems so that Pennsylvania's students are able to better compete in the global market and so that our state becomes a place responsible businesses come to grow; not because we cut corners and offer corporate welfare but because we can provide a work force that will guarantee long term success.