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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) The main of weakness of Pennsylvania's system of funding public education is its inequality and inadequacy that leaves too may school districts with insufficient educational resources and other districts with unlimited resources because it relies primarily on a district's local tax base. To improve the funding system, Pennsylvania must move to a fairer tax system with more emphasis on a person's ability to pay. 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) House Resolution 696, introduced by Representative Mike Veon, is a good start. This resolution directs the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee in the House to conduct a costing out study to determine the resources and expenditures necessary to provide all students with a quality education consistent with the state's academic standards and NCLB's student proficiency requirements. 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) First of all, the Pennsylvania Legislature needs to restore the state's share of funding basic education to 50%. The legislature must also continue to invest in early childhood education and tutoring programs, while also expanding and targeting these programs towards school districts and students at the low end of academic scale. 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) The legislature must continue to invest in and support Governor Rendell's early childhood education initiatives. As a legislator, I will also introduce legislation that provides student loan repayment of up to $1000 a year for three years to recent college graduates who agree to teach in rural or urban school districts considered to be at-risk school districts. 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) The General Assembly is charged with maintaining and supporting a through and efficient public education system to serve the needs of the entire Commonwealth. Therefore, every child, regardless of residence or any other factor has the right to a quality education in Pennsylvania. As a legislator, this must be a priority and as someone who is a former public school teacher, it certainly will be for me. 6. Is there anything else that you will do to strengthen Pennsylvania's public education system? (75 words or less) I would stop wasting tax payer money on self-promotional activities like television commercials for state legislators and instead strip that money for the legislative coffers and dedicate it to educational funding.
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