Friend,

If we have a responsibility to build opportunity for each other and the next generation, then it's of national importance that reading scores are at a 30-year low.

It's of national importance that our kids and teens are facing a mental health epidemic in the age of social media.

And it's of national importance that the next generation doesn't feel like the old systems in place – across K-12, higher education and workforce development – are preparing them to succeed in today's economy.

That's got to change – and I'm running for governor because it's clear we can't count on Washington to do it for us. It has to start here, with us.

If you agree, please chip in $5 or more toward my campaign's $100,000 end-of-quarter goal to help me prove we have the grassroots momentum to make that happen. And then let me explain:

When I became Superintendent of Denver Public Schools in 2005, I made a commitment to fostering success by raising expectations for our students, creating professional growth opportunities for educators, promoting parent and community engagement and partnering with philanthropists to put college within reach for more grads. A decade after our policies were implemented, graduation rates had increased significantly.

But I'm not running to copy-and-paste what worked 20 years ago. We owe our kids solutions for the future – and that's why I'm in this race.

I'm running to build educational opportunities that empower every child to get ahead, no matter where they live or how much their parents make.

I'm running to put the whole state to work to improve kids’ mental health and make mental health care affordable and accessible for all.

I'm running to help all our kids graduate high school with the skills to earn a living wage and enter the middle class – whether or not they go to college.

I'm running to partner with businesses and education leaders in our state to train tomorrow's workers with the skills they need to fill critical, high-paying jobs in IT, health care, biotechnology, aerospace, manufacturing and finance.

Because right now, our state has a golden opportunity to set an example for policymakers in Washington – and I'm running because I believe Colorado can lead the nation by creating a 21st-century education system that provides opportunity for all.

But friend, I need your help to make that a reality.

As our next governor, I know we can make Colorado the best place in America to live, raise a family and educate a kid. If you do too, please consider donating $5, or anything you can give today.

Thank you,

Michael