 | .
|
for 2006 Pennsylvania Primary Election Legislative Candidates
1. What are the strengths and weaknesses of Pennsylvania's system of funding public education? What should the Pennsylvania Legislature do, if anything, to improve the system of funding public education? (75 words or less) 501 separate school districts is a weakness. The funding should be by the state with a broadened sales and use tax and total elimination of the school property tax. 2. How should the Pennsylvania Legislature assist school districts to meet the requirements of Pennsylvania's regulations for academic standards and graduation requirements as well as the federal No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) that expects every student to demonstrate proficiencies on state assessments in reading, math and science by 2014, and for all schools to demonstrate "adequate yearly progress" (required by NCLB) toward that goal? (75 words or less) Give administrators, teachers and students a true incentive to perform at their best. 3. How should the Pennsylvania Legislature assist school districts to close the academic achievement gaps that exist among groups of students in schools and school districts across the Commonwealth? (75 words or less) We should improve grades 1-12 with uniform funding across the state but adjusted where necessary due to population growth. 4. What, if anything, should the Pennsylvania Legislature do to increase access for young children in Pennsylvania to high-quality pre-K programs and full-day kindergarten programs? (75 words or less) We should improve grades 1- 12 and make post high school education affordable before taking on pre-K and full day kindergarten. 5. What is your vision of the public education opportunity that should be available to every child in Pennsylvania and what will you do to accomplish that goal? (75 words or less) Every child should have access to an education enabling them to be proficient in reading, writing, math and the sciences with knowledge of government and civic duties without indoctrination of any kind. To accomplish this goal we must provide adequate but affordable funding. 6. Is there anything else that you will do to strengthen Pennsylvania's public education system? (75 words or less) Politics should be taken out of the funding issue.
|