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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) Everybody wants more funding for public education, nobody is talking about accountability of the funding public schools already have. I worked for public schools for about 15 years, it is my experience that nobody wastes money like public schools, therefor more accountability is the answer. Once a high level of accountability is achieved, then we can talk about 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) Public education in Pennsylvania is in the hands of the local school boards, why should this be passed off to the state legislature? These various regulations have not been put in place because the public education system is doing such a great job, the regulations have been put in place because "JOHNNY CAN'T READ" It is time that the local school boards stop worrying about sports and start doing what they were elected to do, that is to oversee EDUCATION. 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) Element teacher tenure. 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) This is a local issue. Those districts that already have an all day kindergarten have already spent the money required(more classrooms, more teachers, larger cafeterias,more busses, etc.) why now should these same people pay for another district to put in a program that they have already paid for in their own 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) Back to basics I guess would sum up a great educational opportunity. Meaningful standards need to be set, teachers who do not meet those standards should not be retained in the classroom. 6. Is there anything else that you will do to strengthen Pennsylvania's public education system? (75 words or less) Limit the ability of teachers to strike. Why are 25% of all teacher strikes in the United States in Pennsylvania. What do students learn while teachers are on strike? Look at the Somerset Area School District, what good was gained there?
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