The Parents' Campaign Home Page        Legislators, Funding, & Accountability by School District

Candidates for
House of Representatives 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.
   
Jeffrey Smith (incumbent) - WINNER 

 

UNOPPOSED IN THE GENERAL ELECTION  
What is your vision for Mississippi, and how does education fit into that vision?
I am a 6th generation Mississippian, wanting all Mississippians to be able to stay in the State to find the top quality jobs they now think they have to leave the state to find. Without an adequate educational system, there can be no quality applicants for jobs and no need for businesses to locate here. 

 

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

I find a level degree of funding, which has gotten better, and more priority of teacher retention and protection of teachers and students in the classroom. I would like to see more AP courses and a way of rewarding outstanding teachers.

 

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 I would, and I would also push for accountability for money accumulated. I represent a School District as its counsel and see how much better districts spend their funds if they are spent wisely. 

 

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.

Of course I would. I would by any means other than a tax increase.

 

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 put it very near the top

 

• Vocational Education

I would put it fairly high, if there is interest in vocational education, I know from experience some schools do not have the same interest in these areas of teaching/education

 

• Gifted Education

I would place it very high also. I know public schools have a challenge now in retaining gifted students. We need all kinds of kids in our public schools. 
 

• Special Education

I know from representing school districts, if we do not fund this properly we are going to be penalized, so obviously it would have a high priority 

 

• Education Enhancement/Teacher Supply Fund (EEF)

This area of the Educational budget has to be funded. As the husband of a professor and son and brother of teachers, no one should have to supplement the classroom money out of their pockets. 

 

• Teacher Salaries

I will just say this. teachers need pay raises as often as the budgetary constraints will allow, and not just during flush times. 

 

• Chickasaw Cession Payments

If you mean the Chickasaw Session (sic) payments, we have a mandate which came from the U.S. Surpreme Court and have to make these mandated payments annually 

 

• The Public Employee Retirement System (PERS)

Is one of the few incentives to draw teachers to our state, is our outstanding retirement plan. I do think the PERS needs some revisions and have pushed for that for years. 

 

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

There needs to be a serious appointment of educators and non-educators put together with a mandate to come up with revenue sources and not some 'pie in the sky' thoughts. Business men and women, along with administrators with imagination to think 'out side the box' 

 

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 vote to do away with elected superintendents if we can have elected Board members, and board members with thoughts and abilities other than to just rubber stamp what the administrators want. Listen to their teachers, citizens and students 

 

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

The simplest way is to increase the pay. In times of budget constraints it is hard to do that. I think the school building should be safe, and the administration and Legislature should get back to letting people know, teachers are the true heroes in our state today. 

 

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

I would reward merit or encourage teachers to strive for more degrees and also stand behind our teachers as they do their work. I would make sure 'duds" were weeded out and the good teachers, have got to be rewarded, again we have to think outside the box. 

 

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

I would think some consolidation of school districts. Making teaching a profession not an occupation, have the best and Brightest in education, rather than just Law and Medicine. Support our teachers and let them know, we support them. Make them once again, as I said, the heroes of the community. 

 

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?

I personally think it is the absolute wrong time to take on more programs when we have enough problems funding and supporting what we have. I may hurt feelings, but lets do several things well in education before we take on something new, which would be in competition with the existing structures we have now.