Education: Fund Our Future, Support Every Student

It’s time to treat public education as the foundation of our future—not an afterthought. Every student deserves to feel seen, supported, and inspired at school.

Fully Fund Public Schools: Increase state funding for K-12 public education so that every school has the resources to thrive—from textbooks and technology to counseling and extracurriculars.

Pay Teachers What They Deserve: Indiana’s teachers are the lowest paid in the region, and many are leaving our state or the profession as a whole. We must raise teacher salaries to competitive, livable levels that reflect the vital role educators play in our communities and help retain great teachers in our classrooms.

Invest Early and Often: Indiana ranks among the worst states for access to early childhood care and development, and Hoosiers are saddled with astronomically high child care rates that often exceed their mortgage. It is both a moral and economic imperative that parents can access affordable and quality child care. We will expand access to high-quality early childhood education, giving every child a strong start. Deepen funding and support for special education services to meet students where they are and ensure no one falls through the cracks.

Protect Public Dollars for Public Schools: Republican voucher plans defund public schools and privatize our education system. Public funds should strengthen the public schools that serve all children—not be siphoned away.

Healthcare: Caring for Everybody So They Can Thrive

Healthcare is a Fundamental Right: People thrive when they feel healthy and energized. Investing in primary care and accessible health care early saves money on emergency room visits later. Healthcare decisions should be made by patients and their doctors—not politicians. Every person deserves dignity, access, and choice when it comes to their own body and health.

Protect and Expand Access to Affordable Care: Lower insurance premiums and out-of-pocket expenses, strengthen Medicaid, and remove barriers to coverage so that more Hoosiers—especially in rural and working-class communities—can get the care they need when they need it.

Defend Bodily Autonomy and Reproductive Rights: Stand firmly against efforts to criminalize healthcare decisions and support full access to reproductive services, including birth control and abortion care.

Expand Rural and Neighborhood Healthcare Access: Telehealth coverage, mobile clinics, and incentives will attract providers to underserved areas. No one should have to go without care because of where they live or what they earn. Fight to protect and fully fund Medicaid and Medicare: Cuts to these programs would devastate seniors, children with disabilities, and low-income families across southern Indiana.

Mental Health: Care That Meets People Where They Are

Every Hoosier deserves access to the mental health support they need—without shame, stigma, or financial strain. As a mom who faced postpartum depression and as someone who’s listened to countless stories from teachers, caregivers, and working families, I know how urgent this is. Mental health is health—and it’s time our policies treat it that way.

Expand Mental Health & Addiction Treatment: Increase state investment in community-based mental health services, crisis response, and long-term addiction recovery programs that treat people with dignity and care.

Expand School-Based Mental Health Support: Advocate for more counselors, social workers, and trauma-informed training in every public school, especially in middle schools where students are most vulnerable.

Support Moms and Families: Improve maternal health outcomes by funding prenatal, birthing, and postnatal care. Extend support well beyond birth to ensure healthy families from day one.

Jobs & Workforce Development: Stay Here, Thrive Here

We can’t afford to lose our young talent—or leave anyone behind. Let’s create a local economy where everyone has the chance to build a future and feel proud to stay.

Unions Are the Backbone of the American Working Class: Remove barriers to union membership and fight for prevailing wage laws. Union membership must be supported and laws against union-busting must be enforced.

Celebrate and Expand What’s Working: Build on existing partnerships with EVSC, the Southern Indiana Career & Technical Center, and local employers to grow programs that prepare students for real-world jobs right here at home.

Pick Up the Slack: Restore formally Federally funded programs that incentivize apprenticeships and partnerships between high schools and colleges like Ivy Tech and industry partners.

Planning for the future of business and industry: Our economy is at a crossroads. The emphasis on reshoring manufacturing as well as Industry 4.0 will bring enormous opportunities if we are in a position to capitalize. This will require investments in STEM at every level of the education system as well as workforce development. Our decisions today will affect the economy for several generations.