What is your vision for Mississippi, and how does education fit into that vision?

My vision for Mississippi is continuous growth in the right direction. It's time to get back to what makes sense for our people. I envision a place people are proud to call home and want to raise their families here. We need good pay and steady jobs for the people of Mississippi. Our schools should produce top notch students and be able to retain them till graduation, so they can enter into our work force. We need great public schools to produce productive citizens that are able to function and compete in today's society. At the present time, our education needs improvement. I will work hard as your senator to make this happen

What do you see as the greatest challenge facing Mississippi schools and how will you address it?

The greatest challenge is adequate funding and how to maintain it. We must put every effort possible to fully fund education for our children and young adults. They are the future workers and leaders of this great state.

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?

I support funding education every year to its fullest. We need the best teachers to do the job, so yes I would support getting to a full funding level in two legislative sessions.

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.

Education is at the top of my list, if elected to the Mississippi Senate. Yes, I will always support full funding the MAEP.

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 support this program. It is a program that finds good teachers that our school desperately needs.

• Vocational Education

Not all students intend to go to college after high school. We need top notch Vocational Education programs in place to encourage our students to graduate high school and enter into his or her choice of trade for proper training. I support funding Vocational Education 100%.

• Gifted Education

We must support our gifted programs. Children should have every opportunity at their disposal. We need to be able to challenge young minds, so they can grow into their full potential.

• Special Education

Special Education needs full funding because every child no matter what the situation deserves the right to learn to his or her best ability.

• Education Enhancement/Teacher Supply Fund (EEF)

I believe teachers shouldn't have to pay any out of pocket expenses for classroom supplies, but yet so many do. We need to make sure teachers have the funds they need to obtain the supplies to run their classes

• Teacher Salaries

We need pay raises for our teachers. Bottom line, more money attracts better quality teachers. We also need incentive or bonus programs for the teachers that go beyond the call of duty.

• Chickasaw Cession Payments

The payments should be funded every year.

• The Public Employee Retirement System (PERS)

I support maintaining current benefits for employees and retirees. They have earned these benefits and we should not try to cut its value.

How can Mississippi get creative to ensure sufficient revenue to fully fund education and other vital state services?

We need to take a look at the states with successful educational and state services and see what they’re doing, so we can apply it to our problems. Also we need to take a look at wasteful spending in our schools and state services and put that money to better use.

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?

I support what the people want, but for elected superintendents they must meet certain requirements to ensure they are qualified for the job. Also we need to look at other districts and if their current superintendent situation is working for them.

What would you do to address Mississippi’s teacher shortage?

Higher pay, better benefits, incentive and bonus programs for our teachers.

What steps should be taken to improve the quality of teaching in Mississippi?

See what is working in the successful schools around the country and see if it can be applied to our schools. Higher education and continuing education for teachers. Mentor teachers for first year teacher. Pay intensives for outstanding teachers and provide relevant training for young teachers.

What steps should be taken to improve the overall quality of Mississippi school leaders?

Staff development, continuing education and more time in the classrooms.

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?

Yes, I will support this. Our children deserve to get an early head start on their education and I will do whatever it takes to make this happen.

Bill Stone (incumbent) WINNER

Voting Record

What is your vision for Mississippi, and how does education fit into that vision?

I believe education, at all levels, is the key to a better future in Mississippi. By improving education and educational outcomes, we will reduce the costs of housing criminals in our correctional facilities. I believe that we can either invest what it takes to educate our children now or we can pay later for prisons and social programs.

What do you see as the greatest challenge facing Mississippi schools and how will you address it?

Too many Mississippi children start school at a disadvantage because they don't have access to early childhood education programs. Elementary schools do not currently have the resources to bring all these children up to the level of the ones that are adequately prepared for Kindergarten, and that creates a dropout problem. The poverty level and a shortage of teachers and school leaders compounds that problem. We need to set higher standards and proved the funding to ensure that all of our children have the opportunity to get the education they deserve.

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.

Yes

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)

Full funding EVERY year

• Vocational Education

Full funding every year

• Gifted Education

Full funding every year

• Special Education

Full funding every year

• Education Enhancement/Teacher Supply Fund (EEF)

Restore and maintain the integrity of the program. Too many teachers are buying supplies out of their own pockets. We should not use these EEF funds to pay for other programs. The teacher supply fund should go to teachers.

•Teacher Salaries

We need to raise teacher salaries to the Southeastern average.

• Chickasaw Cession Payments

The program should be fully funded every year.

• The Public Employee Retirement System (PERS)

Maintain the system. It is our obligation to our state employees and retirees

• How can Mississippi get creative to ensure sufficient revenue to fully fund education and other vital state services?

The Legislature should look at our tax system and the fees that state agencies charge for services to make sure they are fair. We also should look at what other states have and see if we can learn better ways of providing revenue.

•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?

I think that should be a decision made at the local level. I have both elected and appointed superintendents in my district and both seem to work well. As we raise standards on local school boards, the electorate will become more confident in them and support the change from elected to appointed superintendents.

• What would you do to address Mississippi’s teacher shortage?

We need to offer better salaries and incentives for new teachers.

• What steps should be taken to improve the quality of teaching in Mississippi?

We need to encourage our schools of education to evaluate their curriculum and recruitment. We need to study what other states do in recruitment and training and use their successful practices to improve what we do.

• What steps should be taken to improve the overall quality of Mississippi school leaders?

We need to encourage capable and competent individuals to enter into the educational field then provide proper training to help them reach their potential.

• 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?

Yes. As the only southern state without a state funded pre-k program, our children start out at a disadvantage. We need to examine our options and make a commitment to funding pre-k.