As a long-time member of a school board, I have sought to provide elementary and secondary school educators with the tools necessary to effectively meet the needs of their students. I am committed to education reform, ensuring that our children are prepared for the 21st century. I have strongly advocated for education reform through parental empowerment, flexibility and accountability.
We must allow local school districts to determine how best to use state and federal resources. Educational advancement developed from the bottom up (local to federal) is more efficient and effective than new regulations implemented from above without evaluation of the independent citizenry of each district.
State funding for education has substantially increased and most funding for education is provided through state and local governments. While some may see more spending as the answer to addressing educational disparities, I am not convinced that it is the primary solution to improve education. In fact, over the last 30 years the amount of money spent per pupil has more than doubled, yet overall academic achievement has remained stagnant. This is partly due to the fact that currently 85% of school costs are employee related and not student centered.
I firmly believe part of the solution to enriching our children’s intellectual development lies in encouraging parents to become more involved in the education of their children, returning to basic academics and ensuring we have qualified teachers in the classroom.
