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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) Adequate funding is already available. I would like to shift the burden away from property taxes and onto the gamboling revenue if that ever appears. After factoring inflation the localities have increased their proportion by over 100% since 1970. 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) Competition is designed to provide the best product for the lowest cost. We need to implement incentive based pay and competition as a way to increase the quality and protect the assets of the taxpayer. More local control and accountability into the affairs and curricula. Institute vouchers as a way to spark competition. Utilize third party certification testing as a regular means to measure success or failure of any educational program. 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 problem of different groups with different levels of success is usually independent of the schools. New and innovative approaches that will involve the community and the families are necessary – there is never a guarantee of success but making the system more directly accountable to the local people increases the chances of the locals buying into and ultimately having the system succeed. 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) It would be best to encourage home and community based support for the children, full tax credit for costs, encouragement of business support for daycare – until the economy can improve to the point where only one parent needs to work again. 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) The web changes everything. The expansion of the education industry by incredible dimensions is something that we are just starting to understand. The Brick and mortar mega schools will soon become obsolete. I expect that to be replaced by a pedagogical philosophy of small groups who interact virtually as much as physically – who travel a great deal more in quest of knowledge, whose function of compliance is replaced with comprehension.
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