During Public Schools Week, I’ve been thinking a lot about what it means to serve as Ranking Democrat on the Assembly Education Committee. This session, we’ve seen too many bills that feel disconnected from what educators, parents, and students are actually asking for.

Meanwhile, the real work — making sure our public schools are adequately funded and supported — keeps getting pushed to the margins by Legislative Republicans. In this role, my colleagues and I have learned that we must always try to bring it back to people:

…the teacher staying late to prep lessons, the kid who needs a little extra support, the family just trying to make it all work. Our public schools are the hearts of our communities, and they deserve serious, thoughtful leadership, not political games.