NEA-Alaska Legislative Candidate Questionnaire
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Candidate: John E. Angell |
Office: House 16 |
Adequate Funding
1. Do you support a needs
based process for determining the level of school funding?
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Yes Explain: The Alaska Constitution requires the State to provide all our kids
equal, high quality education. A sound
needs based process can provide equal education opportunities for every
Alaskan child. |
If you support needs based
funding, how would you accomplish this?
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Except for 2003 State funding consistently has been below the inflation
rate. I will work with teachers and
policymakers to ensure appropriate needs criteria and to fully fund the
Formula. |
2. Do you support a return to the instructional unit approach to funding schools?
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Yes Explain: Special provisions must be made, however, for schools that are necessarily below minimal instructional unit levels. |
3. The recent changes in funding for pupil
transportation have had negative impacts in a number of school districts. How would you address this issue?
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Funding for transportation must be adequate to
ensure all students have appropriate access to educational programs they
need. I oppose the 2003 cuts which
forced taking money from classroom programs. |
4. Will you commit to working with NEA-Alaska
and other groups in developing a long-range plan to supplement current funding
levels and achieve adequate funding for schools within a decade?
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Yes |
Attracting & Retaining Quality
Educators
1. Fiscal uncertainty has caused many “new to
the profession” educators to leave Alaskan school districts and even leave the
state. What would you do to eliminate this annual event that has cost our state
so many valuable educators?
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Strategies I support include sound teacher salary, medical and retirement benefits; classroom teacher
programs (mentoring, planning time, aides, discretionary supply resources);
student loan forgiveness; professional development; elimination of SSA offse |
2. Would you work to amend state statute to make
sure that district claims of financial shortfalls are verified by independent
third parties when dealing with the layoff of tenured teachers?
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Yes Explain: Layoff of tenured teachers must be fair
and unbiased and based on demonstrable financial exigency. |
Elementary
and Secondary Education Act/No Child Left Behind (ESEA/NCLB)
1. Would you support categorical funding so educators (teachers and instructional aides) can receive professional development to meet the standards set by ESEA/NCLB?
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Yes |
2. What amendments to the Elementary and
Secondary Education Act (No Child Left Behind) do you believe need to be made
to make the law workable in Alaska?
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Among areas needing adjustment are: funding,
paperwork requirements; |
3. What are you willing to
do in concert with NEA-Alaska and other organizations to amend No Child Left
Behind to be “Alaska friendly” and to gain full funding of the Act?
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I will use available avenues to get the act
amended. Although Congress should met
its obligation and cover this unfunded mandate, if it does not the State must
step in. |
High Stake Testing.
1. This past year, some students did not receive
diplomas for the sole reason they did not pass the High School Graduation
Qualifying Examination (HSGQE.) Would
you support amending the law to allow schools to assess student knowledge and
abilities through a variety of means and not just through a single test?
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Yes |
2. Would you support funding for additional
programs/staff to specifically assist students having difficulty passing the
HSGQE?
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Yes |
3. Would you support categorical funding for
district-developed remedial programs for students who do not meet standards on
Alaska’s benchmark exams?
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Yes |
PERS/TRS
1. Would you support a single tier for each
public retirement system as a means of attracting and retaining quality
educators?
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Yes |
2. How would you see the state’s public
retirement systems meeting their increasing financial burden?
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Long term the actuarial assumptions may need to
be adjusted and efficiency in administrative and benefit areas enhanced;
however, in the short term the State must provide extra financial support. |
Vouchers
1. Do you support the use of public money for
private and religious schools?
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No |
2. Would you support vouchers?
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No |
3. Would you support tuition tax credits
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No |
Safe Schools
1. Students and staff must feel safe and secure
in our schools for learning to take place.
Would you support funding for programs/staff that have been demonstrated
to increase student and staff safety?
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Yes Explain: Education requires a safe learning environment. I support school safety and security programs that produce safe school area environments. |
Note: …. indicates the
response has been truncated.