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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) Funding Pennsylvania's education based on property tax and funded on total population at school district. Another funding source is gambling which is still not available, maybe never will amount to much. I am sorry. I need more knowledge to answer this question. 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) Most students are getting minimum of time used in a school year. Longer school years are required. Yearly school with six smaller breaks could be looked into. With internet access parents could pull children out for family vacations if needed for parents convenience. I do not want to say more money be poured in. The answer is in reaching the students needs while in school. This may need to include more community involvement. Somehow the whole program much change. 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) Years ago the school system was seen as the way to overcome poverty and do better than ones parents. I think students and parents cannot see that opportunity in districts these days. Students lack initiative; parents if the education system has failed them have lost their ability to support and drive reluctant children to better goals. Now we need experts and change. People who have educational and social experience to address and explore options. New educational programs have to be tried. Schools have to share knowledge and achievements and failures of new programs tried to get to soundest route in the quickest time. 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 do not know enough to attempt this question. 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 want each child to have a learning environment they can learn in without other students disturbing the lesson regularly. I want work to challenge but not overwhelm students no matter what their scholastic abilities. I want them to have people available to help them understand their homework, especially if parent cannot. I want the education side a school to have prominence over extracurricular activities. I want phys-ed to get each child motivated to a degree of exercise instead of watching those interested from the sidelines. I need experts to help answer this. 6. Is there anything else that you will do to strengthen Pennsylvania's public education system? (75 words or less) Please understand that I do not have the background to attempt more than a few vague ideas of what is needed in education. I will have to put more effort into talking to teachers, supervisors, social workers, education experts. I know education has to be redeveloped. We have to deal with growing violence from the students, allowing students who want to learn have the environment with least distractions, students may need fed, tutored, doctored, challenged.
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