Strengthening the American Education System

Preparing Students for Life

Over time, essential life skills have been lost from our education system and young people are paying the price. Our education system produces graduates who succeed academically but are unprepared for the real-world. I have seen this firsthand, having had to learn critical skills like financial literacy and digital security on my own, outside of the education I received in school.

Before graduating high school, students should be required to complete courses that prepare them for everyday life:

Financial Essentials

Students should graduate with some level of financial literacy including budgeting, credit and interest rates, student loans, retirement accounts, basic accounting, and how to build long-term financial independence.

Technology Essentials

Students should learn practical digital skills including basic computer use, file management, email and electronic communication, online safety, and basics of cybersecurity. These are required in nearly every job.

Home Economics

Students should learn how to cook, clean, sew, manage a household, and care for themselves and others. These are not optional skills, they are foundational to independence and well-being.

Civics

Students should understand how the U.S. government functions, what their rights and responsibilities are as citizens, how voting works, and how ordinary people can engage in civic life and promote change.

Education should prepare students not just to pass tests, but to live independently, to participate in their communities, and be able to build their own stable futures. As a member of Congress, I would support federal funding and incentives to help states and school districts implement these courses without increasing costs or cutting other programs.