Increase educational funding, lower barriers to access, and create a cultural climate that raises the esteem of teaching

The current state of education in America is appalling. Our economic state directly reflects our inability to prepare our young students to be competitive at a global level in terms of mastery of topics, and maturity of mind to pursue true greatness.
Teachers are also grossly undervalued in our present culture. Perpetual pink-slip uncertainty, mediocre pay, and shoe-string budgets have marginalized the very people responsible for fostering the intellectual growth and development of our young students. These people often have the same education and experience as doctors and lawyers, and should be honored as such.
Create a plan of action to put America back on top in terms of high-school, college, and post-grad education and create incentives to increase the quality of life for our teachers.