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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 strengths are we are taking into account fast growing areas. The weakness is we the state are not fulfilling our obligation of at least 50% funding. 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) I am not a fan of NCLB. It is however a mandate that we have to live with. We the state has to prepare new & current educators for that requirement. Testing of students shows if we are meeting those 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) I don't feel pushing extra funds into the program will close the gaps. More standard teaching standards need to be implemented at all levels, gifted - average - and below average. 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) Programs should be developed to allow testing of children at 3 years old to see if they require a mandatory preschool, I favor full day kindergarten programs. 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) Class size not to exceed 20-1, preK through 6, 25-1 thereafter. State funding should be increased to accomplish this. 6. Is there anything else that you will do to strengthen Pennsylvania's public education system? (75 words or less) Gear or direct students who are college bound sooner and those that are not into vocational education at Grade 9 not Grade 10 and give them the option to change vocations.
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