Strengthen Education

Iowa's schools used to be the envy of the country. But years of disinvestment and attacks on educators have left us sliding toward the middle of the pack. Clint has seen firsthand what great schools mean to a community — at Matthew 25, he partnered with neighborhood schools to give struggling students the resources they needed to succeed. He believes every Iowa kid deserves a great education, no matter what zip code they grow up in.

Clint will fight to:

• Support and retain great teachers. Teachers are our most important educational resource. Rural and low-income schools are facing real teacher shortages. Clint will support recruitment and retention programs that get great teachers into the classrooms that need them most — and keep them there.
• Keep public dollars in public schools. Iowa’s school voucher program has reduced accountability on tax dollars and hurt public schools. Clint will work to make sure public money stays in public schools.
• Invest in early childhood education. Research is clear: kids who are reading and doing math at grade level by 3rd grade are far more likely to succeed long-term**. Clint will push for strong investments in early childhood education and student well-being so every child starts with a solid foundation.
• Rebuild the Department of Education. Rather than dismantling it, Clint will work to rebuild the Department of Education into an institution that supports teachers, funds innovation, and delivers real results for struggling students — including fully funding programs like TRIO that help northeast Iowa students get to and through college.
• Expand career and technical education. Strengthen funding and incentives for certificate programs, two-year degrees, and apprenticeships so more Iowans have access to quality career training close to home.