Candidates for
All candidates for this office were offered a questionnaire by The Parents’ Campaign regarding education issues.
What is your vision for Mississippi, and how does education fit into that vision?
My vision for Mississippi is a state that affords it citizens ample opportunity for success. The fundamental building block for all citizens to be successful is education. Whether our young people want to be doctors, mechanics, teachers, farmers, lawyers, etc, they need a strong K-12 education that gives them the ability (1) to decide which career path they wish to take and (2) once they make the decision the tools to be successful.
What do you see as the greatest challenge facing Mississippi schools and how will you address it?
Our drop-out rate is too high. Too many kids are raised with the belief that they can't go to college or make a better life for themselves. Of course this misconception often starts in the home, which provides a great challenge for schools. I would address it by (1) providing additional counseling for the students and (2) promoting mentor programs that would provide children with a different perspective.
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 would support getting to this full funding level, contingent on the State's revenue position.
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.
I would support getting to this full funding level, contingent on the State's revenue position.
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)
No response
• Vocational Education
High
• Gifted Education
High
• Special Education
High
• Education Enhancement/Teacher Supply Fund (EEF)
High
• Teacher Salaries
Medium
• Chickasaw Cession Payments
No response
• The Public Employee Retirement System (PERS)
High
How can Mississippi get creative to ensure sufficient revenue to fully fund education and other vital state services?
We must grow Mississippi's economy by making Mississippi more attractive to a variety of industries. All too often, we are forced to compete with other states in the southeast by offering corporate incentive packages in order to attract major business. Unfortunately, once an industry elects to set up its business in Mississippi, the state doesn't receive the full benefit of having them here because we have had to give up so much to get them. I would suggest we enter into a compact with other southeastern states whereby we all agree to some apportionment of the industries and stop bidding against each other. The workforce of the southeast has alot to offer without all the additional incentives.
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?
Politics plays a role in appointments as well as elections. I would support an initiative that would require superintendents to have a certain credentials.
What would you do to address Mississippi’s teacher shortage?
Offer scholarship and/or student loan repayment programs to students who are willing to teach in areas where there is a shortage.
What steps should be taken to improve the quality of teaching in Mississippi?
I think there must be quality superintendents and principals who demand the best and won't tolerate teachers who don't perform. There should also be some sort of financial incentive for teachers who (1) maintain a high level of performance and (2) -and most importantly - increase the level of performance in their classrooms.
What steps should be taken to improve the overall quality of Mississippi school leaders?
Mississippi school leaders should also be evaluated if they are not maintaining a high level of performance or allowing inadequate levels of performance to continue they should face termination.
NO RESPONSE