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for 2004 Pennsylvania General 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) First and foremost, the taxation of real estate to fund our schools has become inherently unfair. We must institute a different system such as a universal sales tax. While as a society we are obliged to provide a basic education, there is no reason why we cannot move closer to a user-free system and assess the costs more equitably amongst those who actually use the system. 2. How should the Pennsylvania Legislature assist school districts to meet the requirements of the federal No Child Left Behind Act 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" toward that goal? (75 words or less) I believe the goals of NCLB are unrealistic considering the funding currently available. Pennsylvania already had its own measure of assessing students and schools in place. The records show that schools were improving prior to NCLB. The federal government has no Constitutional authority over education, and Pennsylvania should choose to "opt-out" of NCLB and forego federal oversight of our schools. 3. How should the Pennsylvania Legislature assist school districts to close the academic achievement gap that exists among groups of students in schools and school districts across the Commonwealth? (75 words or less) The Legislature should carefully reconsider an blanket mandate placed upon all schools. Quality education springs from ingenuity in developing curricula and teaching methods suitable for each community. Schools in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh have vastly different needs than those located in rural areas. The only suitable judges of what is or isn't appropriate for any given school are local school administrators, teachers and - most importantly - parents. 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) First, such programs must exist. Each community must decide whether these programs are desirable, effective and ultimately affordable. Each must also then devise a method for funding. Successful programs and methods will become apparent and will replace those that are less than successful. 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) All children deserve a fair opportunity to receive a quality education. Any monopoly, however, by public schools must be avoided. As with any other product or service, education must be subject to competition from private schools and home schooling. A free market breeds competition. Competition breeds effectiveness.
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