QUALITY EDUCATION
An educated community is a thriving community.
My father was raised in Germany during World War II. One of the most important lessons he taught me was:
“The only things you truly possess are what your head and your hands can do. No one can take those away from you.”
Education isn't about producing one kind of graduate. It's about helping every person discover the path that's right for them — a university, the skilled trades, an apprenticeship, or a career discovered through hands-on experience.
WHAT WOULD QUALITY EDUCATION ACTUALLY TAKE?
There isn't one education problem — and there won't be one education bill that fixes it. North Dakota ranks 41st in the nation for teacher pay, roughly 18% behind the national average. Quality education means investing in the people who teach, the places students learn, and the pathways that prepare them for what comes next.
01 | SUPPORT THE PEOPLE WHO TEACH
A raise that disappears into insurance premiums isn't really a raise — that's why my education and healthcare priorities are connected. I'll protect the retirement benefits public employees have earned and support more career counseling and school social-work capacity so teachers can spend more of their time teaching.
02 | INVEST IN SCHOOL INFRASTRUCTURE
Dickinson voters approved a $69 million bond to address $35 million in deferred maintenance. Dickinson could step up — many smaller districts simply can't. I support a greater state role in funding major school infrastructure, particularly in rural districts that can't finance it alone.
03 | CONNECT EDUCATION TO CAREERS
SWCTE's health science program alone works with 36 local businesses, giving students real exposure to real careers before they graduate. I'll support stable funding, better rural transportation, expanded work-based learning, and stronger school-employer partnerships — so that pipeline reaches every student, not just those who live nearby.
04 | STRENGTHEN AND MODERNIZE DSU
DSU is western North Dakota's four-year anchor institution, and I want it to thrive. Recent program cuts, the nursing faculty crisis, and concerns about financial oversight all call for real accountability I'll push for sound financial management, a stable accredited nursing program, protection of core academic programs, and a more flexible, technology-forward DSU that works for students who are already working while they study.
MY COMMITMENT
Parents and communities deserve real visibility into what their kids are learning — but transparency built on trust is different from surveillance. I don't support mandates that bury teachers in paperwork, and I oppose vouchers and tax credits that divert money away from public education.
Education, workforce, and healthcare are the same system. Each one strengthens the others. When teachers can't afford healthcare, schools struggle to recruit them. When young families can't find attainable housing, communities lose students. When students can't see meaningful career opportunities, they leave.
I'll work with legislators from any party who are serious about building schools worthy of the communities they serve.
Our economy isn't money. It's people. Investing in education is how we invest in people.