Here in Spartanburg and Greenville, too many teachers are stretched thin and underpaid, classrooms are packed tighter than they should be, and some of our kids are sitting in class wondering if they’ll have food waiting at home.

Courtney is fighting to make sure every student has the support, resources, and strong foundation they need to succeed.

• Establish a national teacher pay incentive program with state and local matching to increase teacher salaries

• Pass legislation establishing a universal free lunch program that guarantees free school breakfasts and lunches to all children in need, regardless of family income.

• Increase Title I funding and expand federal support for low-income schools to ensure equity in education regardless of zip code.

• End predatory loans and private for-profit institutions to ensure affordable college for anyone who wants to further their education, and increase funding to Pell grants and financial aid for those in need.

• Boost funding to the Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF), to help low-income families afford child care as well as Head Start and Early Head Start. 

• Uphold the mission of the U.S. Department of Education to guarantee a free, public, quality education to all students

• Advocate to safeguard the rights of students with disabilities and fight to reinstate funding to the special education office