Candidates for
Senate District 39
All candidates for this office were offered a questionnaire by The Parents’ Campaign regarding education issues.
Responses appear below. The winner of the November 8, 2011, general election is indicated below.
What is your vision for Mississippi, and how does education fit into that vision?
I envision Mississippi with a vibrant economy and a safe, healthy place to live, work and raise a family. Quality education for all of our children is a necessary for Mississippi to move forward.
What do you see as the greatest challenge facing Mississippi schools and how will you address it?
Funding is a continual problem, and I believe many school districts are not making the best choices with the money they do have. From my own experience as a student and mother, I know that the relationship between student and teacher is the most important component of learning. We must recruit and retain the most qualified teachers and provide them with the tools, technology and training that they need to be effective leaders in the classroom.
For Fiscal Year 2012, the MAEP appropriation is underfunded by $237,386,693. Assuming no more than 2% inflation, the formula would likely require about $2,365,180,600 for Fiscal Year 2014 (to be decided in the 2013 Legislative Session), about $392-million more than was appropriated for Fiscal Year 2012. Would you support getting to this full funding level in two legislative sessions?
If state revenues allow, I would support increases in the funding level to reach full funding. However, since announcing for office, I have spent a great deal of time educating myself on the funding formulas and levels for our schools. I've found conflicting information about funding levels. This information should be more accessible and spending practices should be more transparent. I will work to make that happen.
Will you commit to closing by a significant margin the current gap between current funding and full funding of the MAEP for Fiscal Year 2013 (to be decided in the 2012 Legislative Session)? The MAEP is currently underfunded by $237,386,693.
Yes, if state revenues allow.
The following issues are very important to the 60,000 members of The Parents’ Campaign. Frequently throughout the year, we get calls and emails regarding these topics, and many of the questions submitted for this questionnaire were about funding for these specific areas. Where do these fit into your funding priorities, and how would you, as a legislator, address them?
• National Board Certification Program Stipend/National Board Certified Teachers (NBCT)
Advanced training for our teachers should be properly rewarded.
• Vocational Education
Anyone who has ever tried to find a plumber or electrician understands the need for additional vocational education in our schools. However, vocational education must now address areas that are on the cutting edge of technology as well. I believe additional vocational opportunities are the key to reducing our drop out rate and must be given priority.
• Gifted Education
I have watched my own children benefit from the enrichment opportunities offered by gifted classes. I believe these type of classes are essential to challenge our best and brightest students.
• Special Education
Certainly we must provide an appropriate atmosphere and education for our special education students. I believe many school districts struggle with their SPED programs and need better leadership and policies in this area.
• Education Enhancement/Teacher Supply Fund (EEF)
While I wholeheartedly believe teachers need an appropriate supply fund, I would challenge the citizens of each school district to help provide materials for our teachers as well.
• Teacher Salaries
I am greatly intrigued with the idea of merit based pay but would be cautious in finding a formula to correctly evaluate a teacher's performance. For example, I have a dear teacher friend that is always assigned one of the lowest performing kindergarten classes. The time and energy she devotes to that class is amazing to me. However, she reports that many of her students just do not progress at the rate expected, regardless of her efforts. Situations such as this must be taken into consideration.
• Chickasaw Cession Payments
These payments must be funded appropriately.
• The Public Employee Retirement System (PERS)
Our teachers need and deserve a financially solid pension.
How can Mississippi get creative to ensure sufficient revenue to fully fund education and other vital state services?
We must think creatively to determine areas of our budget that can be reduced through the use of technology, better management of assets or the elimination of government waste. In a nutshell, with the current economy, we must do more with less. For example, I would support the recent recommendations of Chris Epps, commissioner of Mississippi's department of corrections. Epps believes that certain non-violent offenders could be given house arrest with GPS monitoring rather than traditional incarceration. This would decrease costs from $41.74 per day to about $13 per day per convict and save the state millions of dollars. This recommendation is a common sense approach to reduce costs in order to free up funds for education or other vital services.
In Mississippi, some local school superintendents are elected rather than being appointed by their boards. Would you support or oppose a phase-out of elected superintendents, moving to appointment as incumbent elected superintendents retire or leave their positions?
According to my research only 3 or 4 states still allow superintendents to be elected. I believe the practice must be phased out in our state as well.
What would you do to address Mississippi’s teacher shortage?
We must encourage our best and brightest high school students to pursue teaching. As citizens, we must support our teachers and teach our children to respect their teachers. I believe our universities should be more active in recruiting students into teaching. Creative efforts in teacher recruitment should be rewarded with special recognition.
What steps should be taken to improve the quality of teaching in Mississippi?
New teachers should be paired with a mentor teacher or team. Likewise, school districts must dismiss those teachers with demonstrated deficiencies. Our local districts must be focussed on teaching and not administration.
What steps should be taken to improve the overall quality of Mississippi school leaders?
More transparency and accountability is necessary to improve education in Mississippi. And, just as we have in the private sector, performance based pay for administrators should be an option to encourage excellence.
Would you support state funding for a statewide non-compulsory early childhood education program? If yes, what is your plan for getting state funding for early education? If no, why are you opposed to state funding for early education?
With the economy recovering from a financial crisis, I do not believe our state should fund early childhood education at this time. I do believe we could implement low cost programs to educate daycare workers and other caregivers on appropriate learning for preschoolers. Likewise, a concerted effort should be made to enroll preschoolers in existing Federal Head Start Programs.
What is your vision for Mississippi, and how does education fit into that vision?
Education must come first for Mississippi to grow
What do you see as the greatest challenge facing Mississippi schools and how will you address it?
Money - fund education first
For Fiscal Year 2012, the MAEP appropriation is underfunded by $237,386,693. Assuming no more than 2% inflation, the formula would likely require about $2,365,180,600 for Fiscal Year 2014 (to be decided in the 2013 Legislative Session), about $392-million more than was appropriated for Fiscal Year 2012. Would you support getting to this full funding level in two legislative sessions?
Yes
Will you commit to closing by a significant margin the current gap between current funding and full funding of the MAEP for Fiscal Year 2013 (to be decided in the 2012 Legislative Session)? The MAEP is currently underfunded by $237,386,693.
Prioritize the budget, education first
The following issues are very important to the 60,000 members of The Parents’ Campaign. Frequently throughout the year, we get calls and emails regarding these topics, and many of the questions submitted for this questionnaire were about funding for these specific areas.Where do these fit into your funding priorities, and how would you, as a legislator, address them?
• National Board Certification Program Stipend/National Board Certified Teachers (NBCT)
I would support all these programs as listed
• Vocational Education
Priority #5
• Gifted Education
Priority #2
• Special Education
Priority #4
• Education Enhancement/Teacher Supply Fund (EEF)
Priority #3
• Teacher Salaries
Priority #1 and pay insurance for retirees over 62
• Chickasaw Cession Payments
Priority #6
• The Public Employee Retirement System (PERS)
Priority #1
How can Mississippi get creative to ensure sufficient revenue to fully fund education and other vital state services?
Redo the tax code, add tables, repeal exemptions
In Mississippi, some local school superintendents are elected rather than being appointed by their boards. Would you support or oppose a phase-out of elected superintendents, moving to appointment as incumbent elected superintendents retire or leave their positions?
The two districts in Lincoln and one in Lawrence and Simpson are elected. The people like elections.
What would you do to address Mississippi’s teacher shortage?
More salary and better classes, less students, less paper work, fund insurance for retirees
What steps should be taken to improve the quality of teaching in Mississippi?
Reduce the size of classes K through 8 to 20 students
What steps should be taken to improve the overall quality of Mississippi school leaders?
School board members need more qualifications
Would you support state funding for a statewide non-compulsory early childhood education program? If yes, what is your plan for getting state funding for early education? If no, why are you opposed to state funding for early education?
The legislature needs to look at all existing tax breaks and tax tables.
