The Parents' Campaign Home Page Legislators, Funding, & Accountability by School District
Candidates for
House of Representatives District 25
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.
Gene Alday - WINNER John Mayo
Voting Record
What is your vision for Mississippi, and how does education fit into that vision?
In Clarksdale I have publicly stated that I will work to help the local school district students achieve the national average in Math and English
What do you see as the greatest challenge facing Mississippi schools and how will you address it?
In Clarksdale, the white population who feel public school teachers can't teach, the superintendent is ineffective, and and push charter schools as the end all and be all answer. On the local level support the local school superintendent who is bringing innovative magnet schools and a management style that encourages teachers to excel to the district.
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?
Look, I've introduced bills to increase various taxes to fully fund not only MAEP, but also many of the ancilliary programs. I believe that shows a commitment to education. But, in showing some sense of honesty, over the last two years I have been appalled by how much we have let our mental health services down. Mental health and education are my two top priorites.
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, and at any cost short of cutting Mental health and Public Health.
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)
For this and the next several questions I would, as I have in the past, reintroduce the 6% tax bracket. Short of that (and since it will never pass) either add to if revenue increases or maintain current funding if it does not. Two issues if I had a primary say I would not cut are Mental health and Education followed by a third, Public Health.
• Vocational Education
As anyone who follows any of these issues closely, the reality of the legislature is (in the House) 3-4 people at most make the decisions on funding. The rest of us are window dressing and attempt to influence the "inner circle" as best we can.
• Gifted Education
See above
• Special Education
See above
• Education Enhancement/Teacher Supply Fund (EEF)
See above...but on this one we must stop taking money from this issue to fund something else.
• Teacher Salaries
It's time for another 5 year phased in raise without and more than enough to cover plus some any increases to health or contributions to PERS
• Chickasaw Cession Payments
Again, this is a state commitment we must fulfill
• The Public Employee Retirement System (PERS)
The state as the employer has a commitment to fund PERS.
How can Mississippi get creative to ensure sufficient revenue to fully fund education and other vital state services?
I think over the years, I've introduced a 6% tax bracket, bills to begin charging corporations for their DEQ permitting fees (frees up $11-14 million we provide from the General Fund), and several other revenue generating bills.
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 would support any effort to move to appointed superintendents and increasing the qualifications for school board members.
What would you do to address Mississippi’s teacher shortage?
A. Increase Pay, B. Smaller Classroom, size C. More professional education and management skills training for principals, D. A campaign of some kind to convince the public that teaching is a professional level skill
What steps should be taken to improve the quality of teaching in Mississippi?
For my own area, I would encourage a program that prepares teachers for teaching the student who is not prepared to begin school and who comes from an undisciplined (as in a sense of personal responsibility as opposed to behavior), and whose only behavior discipline at home has been a slap to the face background.
What steps should be taken to improve the overall quality of Mississippi school leaders?
Require all principals have a leadership program such as Delta State offers. I am not sure what the other universities offer, but I am sure they have something similar. Also, have a professional ladder of positions and requirements that incoming teachers recognize they must have in order to move "up".
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?
Absolutely. But, again, this will either take increasing revenue or cutting other education programs. I support the former.