 |
|
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) I believe the state needs to increase its participation in public school funding by utilizing a formula for the basic education subsidy that provides for roughly half of a school district's operating costs. 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) By providing adequate funding relative to the special needs of each individual school district. 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) By adopting a local tax reform plan that provides individual school districts with the ability to generate revenue from a variety of sources identified by local economic circumstances. 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) I believe the Commonwealth can continue to encourage such offerings through grants for start-up costs. However, ultimately this is a local decision. 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) I believe all children in the Commonwealth should have access to a quality education. Therefore, the Commonwealth needs to increase its share of the operating costs to about ½. Also, provide for sufficient revenue through local tax returns for the district to adequately educate its students. 6. Is there anything else that you will do to strengthen Pennsylvania's public education system? (75 words or less) I believe that there is too much duplication in educational services. The Commonwealth needs to encourage and provide incentives for school districts - particularly those economically distressed to merge.
|