Questions
1. California ranks among the top states in per capita expenditures on a number of government programs (i.e. corrections, law enforcement, general government), but just near or below the national average on expenditures for kids’ programs, including education and Medi-Cal. What are your thoughts on this prioritization of expenditures and what, if any, changes would you make in this regard?
With the state experiencing historic budget surpluses, I am a firm supporter of prioritizing additional funding for education and expanding Medi-Cal to ensure greater coverage for our youngest and most vulnerable residents. Education and healthcare are a human right, and the state has a moral obligation to improve these systems so all Californians can live healthy and vibrant lives. As an Assemblymember, I would advocate for the following improvements, changes, funding, and programs:
● Streamlining Medi-Cal enrollment for uninsured children.
● Eliminating Medi-Cal premiums.
● Invest in expanding developmental, behavioral, and preventive health screenings for the 0-5 population.
● Task the CDPH to study how to improve children’s mental health outcomes and reducing youth suicide rates.
● Continuing support for universal free school meals for kids.
● Expanding childcare slots and subsidies for state-funded childcare.
● Establishing living wages for all childcare providers.
● Investing more in educational workforce training, especially teachers and special education.
● Increase outreach efforts for CalWORKs, EITC, and enrollment in the child tax credit.
● Supporting strong ongoing funding for our TK-12 system.
2. California assumes responsibility for abused and neglected children when we remove them from their homes. Therefore, the State is legally obligated to ensure that children and youth in foster care receive vital services and supports to meet their unique needs and find safety, stability and success. How would you strengthen the child welfare system?
Children and youth in California’s foster care system must receive comprehensive health, behavioral, and education services that will allow them to thrive. We know how vulnerable our foster youth are and must work to reduce the barriers they face when trying to find safety and stability. As an Assemblymember, I would prioritize streamlining healthcare access for foster youth, particularly behavioral health services that are vital in helping children heal from past trauma. I would also seek to strengthen oversight of our foster services to ensure children of color and LGBTQ+ youth are receiving adequate services that are culturally sensitive and responsive to unique needs. Additionally, I would strive to secure additional funding for expanded learning opportunities like tutoring, which can be directly targeted to our foster students, who often face immense social and economic barriers to learning. These are just a few of the services, programs, and funding opportunities that I will support in the State Assembly.
3. California ranks poorly in national reports for supporting families with infants and toddlers. The state does invest in programs like evidence-based home visiting – which provide guidance, offer coaching, and connect parents and caregivers to health and social services – but those only reach about 2% of families with young children. What strategies, if any, do you support to aid new and expectant parents and young children during this critical phase of life?
I agree with Children Now and the policy recommendations stated in the 2020 Pro-Kid report, which advocates for expanding voluntary evidence-based home visiting programs throughout the state. A greater share of families must be reached through these important programs, particularly in our underserved and rural communities. As an Assemblymember, I would support utilizing Medicaid funding to expand these programs, as well as increasing outreach efforts to inform more families about the resources they are eligible to receive.
4. More than 2.75 million young children live in California, with the majority being income-eligible for child care assistance. Yet just a fraction of eligible children have access to subsidized child care spaces, due to insufficient funding for child care capacity. This gap is most pronounced for infants and toddlers, where child care subsidies served only 14% of eligible families (pre-pandemic). What is your position on this issue, and what, if anything, should be done to ensure that all families have access to high-quality child care?
The lack of childcare slots in California has long been an issue of concern, and one I plan on addressing if elected to the State Assembly. Burdens of inadequate childcare often fall disproportionately on lower-income families of color, which is an unfair and immoral barrier that we must overcome. While the state has invested greater general fund allocations to increase available childcare slots, I will support expanding subsidies to cover infants and toddlers, building new childcare facilities in the regions with the most need, and establishing living wages for all childcare providers.
5. The average salary of a California public employee is nearly $87,000, while the average salary of a California child care provider is $35,400, and most other professionals who work with kids are also below the public employee average. What are your ideas, if any, about responding to this disparity?
I firmly support increasing the wages of childcare providers, as well as other professionals in related fields and have advocated for this as a County Supervisor. With the state experiencing historic budget surpluses, now is the time to utilize our revenue streams and expand workforce training and retention of current childcare providers. As an Assemblymember, I will support additional budget investments to establish a living wage for all childcare providers.
6. The latest available data shows California ranks 49th among the 50 states in teacher-to-student ratio, 47th in school counselors, and 46th in school administrators. We also rank near the bottom in terms of school nurses, with approximately one nurse for every 2,400 students and no nurses at all in some smaller counties. What are your thoughts on these rankings, and what, if anything, should be done in response?
California must elevate its standing in this area and increase the number of teachers, school nurses, and school counselors throughout our educational institutions. While this historic increase in the LCFF funding will help with this issue, I will support continued, long-term investments in workforce training, loan forgiveness for teachers and increasing teacher pay. If elected to the State Assembly, I would target this approach to our most underserved areas and ensure that more educational staff and nurses are placed according to the greatest need. California’s diversity continues to be one of its greatest assets. Our dual language learners must receive the support necessary to succeed educationally, which starts with the proper training for our TK-12 teachers. I support ongoing investment from the state in Dual Language Learner and English Learners teacher education. This would include education on how to teach these children to succeed in both their home language and English, and how to focus on closing equity and educational gaps. I would also advocate for increasing professional development opportunities for teachers to learn how to better support DLL and EL students. To achieve this, I would proactively engage stakeholders like Children Now, as well as the CTA to ensure the effectiveness of future investments and policies in this issue area.
7. California has the highest percentage of kids who are dual language learners, ages 0-5, (60%) and school-age English Learners (21%) in the country. How should the State support these students’ bilingual/multilingual potential? What are your thoughts on how educators in early education and TK-12 can be prepared to assist these students to meet their language development needs?
California’s diversity continues to be one of its greatest assets. Our dual language learners must receive the support necessary to succeed educationally, which starts with the proper training for our TK-12 teachers. I support ongoing investment from the state in Dual Language Learner and English Learners teacher education. This would include education on how to teach these children to succeed in both their home language and English, and how to focus on closing equity and educational gaps. I would also advocate for increasing professional development opportunities for teachers to learn how to better support DLL and EL students. To achieve this, I would proactively engage stakeholders like Children Now, as well as the CTA to ensure the effectiveness of future investments and policies in this issue area.
8. Over the past 40 years, state spending on higher education has dropped from 18% to 12% of the state budget. What is your position on funding for public higher education?
California should continue to prioritize robust state funding for our higher education system, including focusing on college affordability, financial aid, reducing student debt and expanding student housing. As a former School Board member, education has always been an issue of great importance to me. If elected to the State Assembly, I will aim to reduce tuition costs, expand student housing opportunities, address food insecurities, reduce the crushing amount of debt on our young students, and strengthen oversight on the higher education system to ensure they are spending taxpayer dollars efficiently. I would also support legislative clarification that makes sure recent Federal loan relief is not taxable so our students and recent graduates do not fall further in debt. Expanding all areas of healthcare access for children on Medi-Cal must be a priority for this next Legislature. I support a multifaceted approach to this issue by investing in our healthcare workforce to hire more physicians, funding a better referral and early-screening system, and subsidizing items like hearing aids so that all children in California can access the care they need. Additionally, I want to focus on youth mental health and substance abuse issues by funding early intervention programs and educational policies that strengthen social-emotional learning and deter children from drug use. If elected to the State Assembly, I would also utilize the expertise of organizations like Children Now to formulate legislation that can reduce barriers and governmental red-tape that can burden families and children from applying for Medi-Cal and obtaining services like oral healthcare, vision, mental health, and substance abuse.
9. Over 55% of California’s kids are enrolled in Medi-Cal, but California performs near the bottom amongst all state Medicaid programs when it comes to children’s access to primary care physicians and important childhood screenings, especially for children of color. In addition, many California children lack access to oral health care, vision services, hearing aids, and mental health and substance abuse supports and services. What would you do, if anything, to increase access to these services?
Expanding all areas of healthcare access for children on Medi-Cal must be a priority for this next Legislature. I support a multifaceted approach to this issue by investing in our healthcare workforce to hire more physicians, funding a better referral and early-screening system, and subsidizing items like hearing aids so that all children in California can access the care they need. Additionally, I want to focus on youth mental health and substance abuse issues by funding early intervention programs and educational policies that strengthen social-emotional learning and deter children from drug use. If elected to the State Assembly, I would also utilize the expertise of organizations like Children Now to formulate legislation that can reduce barriers and governmental red-tape that can burden families and children from applying for Medi-Cal and obtaining services like oral healthcare, vision, mental health, and substance abuse. California must address its youth mental health crisis with urgency. The solution to alleviate this issue starts with widespread education for both teachers and students. As an Assemblymember, I will prioritize building comprehensive mental and behavioral health education that can be utilized for teachers and kids. We must ensure that teachers can spot warning signs and have the skills necessary to engage in preventive behavior. Additionally, students should have access to more school counselors and mental health services that might be able to help before tragedy occurs.
10. The suicide rate among Black youth has dramatically increased in recent years. In addition, Major Depressive Episodes (MDE) among youth have grown, but only about one third of youth with an MDE received treatment. What should be done to ensure that more children receive needed mental health supports and services?
California must address its youth mental health crisis with urgency. The solution to alleviate this issue starts with widespread education for both teachers and students. As an Assemblymember, I will prioritize building comprehensive mental and behavioral health education that can be utilized for teachers and kids. We must ensure that teachers can spot warning signs and have the skills necessary to engage in preventive behavior. Additionally, students should have access to more school counselors and mental health services that might be able to help before tragedy occurs.