To the Journal editor:

Every morning, I walk into my classroom and see the future, full of hope and possibility. My students are curious, creative, and capable of changing the world – they remind me every day why I became a teacher. I love my students, and I want them to have every opportunity to succeed. That’s why I support the ballot initiative Invest in MI Kids — because our students deserve classrooms that are fully funded, teachers who are supported, and schools that help every child thrive.

Every year, teachers spend more of their meager salaries (on average climbing to nearly $1,000 a year) to provide basic supplies and other necessities for their classrooms because our schools cannot afford a larger supply budget. This practice is not sustainable. More funding for our schools would be an immediate relief for educators as our love for our students can’t keep the lights on, make class sizes smaller or convince great teachers to stay.

Michigan ranks 44th in the nation for starting teacher salary, according to the Michigan Education Association — and (not?) coincidentally, 44th in reading scores. That parallel should give every policymaker in Lansing pause. When we undervalue educators, we underinvest in our children and their future.

We know what works. When states take bold, student-centered action, the results are transformative. In Massachusetts, recent legislation didn’t just strengthen education — it fueled economic growth, with more families prospering and more people reaching financial success. In Colorado, the people recognized that feeding children isn’t a luxury but a necessity, passing legislation to provide free meals for all students. These are examples of what happens when a state decides its children — all of them — matter.

Michigan needs that same courage. We need to fund our schools so every child has access to school libraries, counselors, and up-to-date technology. We need to pay teachers a living wage — not just to recruit them, but to keep them in the profession. We need smaller class sizes so teachers can truly connect with students and help each one reach their potential.

After decades of disinvestment, it’s no wonder Michigan ranks 49th in the nation for growth in education funding. Despite the recent budget, our public schools still have a gap of $4.5 million dollars to reach adequate funding. We need to increase revenue so we can properly invest in our education — and in our children’s future.

I became a teacher because I believe education is the foundation for building justice, opportunity, and understanding in our communities. I still believe that — even on the hardest days. But belief alone won’t fix the system. Investment will.

Michigan can do better. Our kids deserve it. Our teachers deserve it. Our future depends on it.

We are collecting signatures through the winter for this initiative to be placed on the ballot in November 2026. For more information on this ballot proposal, where to sign, and how to get involved, go to InvestInMiKids.org.