John,

Our students deserve a top-notch education, and in Kansas, we’re lucky to have some of the best teachers in the country.

Teachers are the most important resources our children have at school. A good teacher will push students to succeed, and inspire them to become the best versions of themselves. But our teachers need the funding and resources to make that possible, especially as they continue to adapt to teaching during a global pandemic.

As we celebrate National Teacher Appreciation Week, we thank our teachers for their commitment to ensuring our children are given a world-class education. And one important way to say thanks is to show you're committed to funding the schools where they work.

Do you share my appreciation for our teachers and our schools? Show you're committed to keeping our schools fully funded so our teachers can do their jobs and our children can thrive.

When my husband and I chose to move to Kansas, we wanted to make sure our children would have the opportunity to receive a good education -- and thanks to their wonderful teachers and school staff over the years, they did.

Unfortunately, many children went to schools that were drastically underfunded and in disarray after the Brownback administration slashed their budgets. Teachers and school staff had to stretch every dollar and reach into their own pockets to buy basic supplies.

I'm thankful for all the teachers and administrators who sacrificed so much to help our students learn. They're the backbone of our state. But when I took office, I immediately took action to restore funding to our schools and we’ve now fully funded public education for three years in a row. I won't stop fighting to keep that momentum going.

I'm thrilled to have earned the endorsement of over 125 current and former educators who believe that we're headed in the right direction and are committed to keeping us on track. But whether you’re a teacher, a parent, or just a proud supporter of our public schools, it's up to all of us to recommit to protecting our education system.

Join me in showing how much you appreciate Kansas teachers. Let them know you're committed to keeping their schools fully funded.

Thank you,

Laura Kelly