The Parents' Campaign Home Page Legislators, Funding, & Accountability by School District
All candidates for this office were offered a questionnaire by The Parents’ Campaign regarding education issues.
What do you see as the greatest challenge facing Mississippi schools and how will you address it?
The greatest challenge is funding. I will address it by continuting to support the MAEP formula.
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, if that is the Parents' Campaign recommendation.
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)
I have supported and will continue to support this funding source.
• Vocational Education
I have supported and will continue to support this funding source.
• Gifted Education
I have supported and will continue to support this funding source.
• Special Education
I have supported and will continue to support this funding source.
• Education Enhancement/Teacher Supply Fund (EEF)
I have supported and will continue to support this funding source.
• Teacher Salaries
I have supported and will continue to support this funding source.
• Chickasaw Cession Payments
I have supported and will continue to support this funding source.
• The Public Employee Retirement System (PERS)
I have supported and will continue to support this funding source.
How can Mississippi get creative to ensure sufficient revenue to fully fund education and other vital state services?
By reforming its tax structure.
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?
Yes, if that is the Parents' Campaign position.
What would you do to address Mississippi’s teacher shortage?
I would expand on the Mississippi Teacher Scholarships and Incentives Program.
What steps should be taken to improve the quality of teaching in Mississippi?
The local school districts should be given more authority and teachers should have more flexibility to teach.
What steps should be taken to improve the overall quality of Mississippi school leaders?
The continuation with school accountability and improvement with resources.
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, and again I would like to reform the tax structure of funding education as this is a realistic priority.