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Legislative House Candidate Questionnaire
Campaign 2006
Candidate: Bob Roses House District:
19
ADEQUATE FUNDING
1. Presently three methods are recognized by
experts and the courts as reliable means to determine adequate funding: resource cost, best schools, and professional
judgment. Do you support the use of a
recognized, research based study to determine the adequate funding level of K-12
schools?
Yes
Explain:
A combination of resource costs
and professional judgement. Resource costs that can be verified by
professionals that are experts in the area of adequate funding for public
education.
If you
support an adequate funding study, how would you accomplish this?
Adequate funding studies have
been completed. We don't need to "reinvent the wheel" just add a few
spokes by updating the information.
2. Do you support the use of area cost
differential factors to provide equity in school funding?
No Response
Rationale
I support cost differentials if
funding remains as a foundation formula.
It wouldn't be necessary using a
cost basis since the cost differential would be included.
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?
If a resource cost basis is used
this would be automatically resolved.
Absent such a change, supplemental funding for education needs to be
considered the same as other departments.
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?
Yes
Rationale
I have been a champion for
public education for almost 40 years and have every intention of continuing.
5. Would you support adequate funding of Alaska’s
public schools to meet the constitutional mandate prior to funding of any
other programs not constitutionally mandated?
No
Rationale
I wouldn't support it above ALL
other programs, but certainly over the vast majority of them. There are health and safety issues that must
also be addressed.
LONG-RANGE FINANCIAL PLAN
The 23rd
and 24th Legislatures identified several revenue sources for
consideration: alcohol tax, cruise ship tax, fuel tax, income tax, sales tax,
and use of the Permanent Fund earnings.
Please
list, in priority order, the sources you would utilize to create a long-range
fiscal plan.
I still strongly support a POMV plan that funds education. Creating an educational endowment fund
connected to gas and oil windfall profits should be considered.
PERS/TRS
1. What percentage of their salary at retirement
do you believe public employee retirees should have to retire with dignity?
51%-65%
2. Given that most public school employees will
not be able to collect Social Security benefits due to the federal law
(GPO/WEP), the employees’ retirement income must come from their pension plan
and personal income. Do you believe a
defined contribution plan with a 15% of salary contribution will generate a
pension that will provide a retirement with dignity?
No
If not, what
do you propose to do to provide public employees access to a pension plan that
provides a retirement with dignity?
Work to mitigate the negative
financial impact of SB 141.
3. Would you support returning to a defined
benefits retirement plan as a means of attracting and retaining quality
educators?
Yes
Rationale
4. According to recent actuarial reports, PERS
and TRS have unfunded liabilities. How
do you see the state eliminating these unfunded liabilities to meet their
financial obligations to retirees?
As a former member of the ARM
Board, I know that we can not invest our way out of the liabilities. An
infusion of cash is the only solution.
5. Will you commit to consulting with NEA-Alaska
and other employee organizations whose members are participants in TRS and PERS
when changes to the retirement plans are being considered?
Yes
Rationale
ATTRACTING
& RETAINING QUALITY EDUCATORS
The #1
factor in student achievement is a quality teacher supported by quality
administrators and support staff. It is
well known that Alaska is facing a teacher shortage. The legislature held several hearings on the
matter, but has done little to address the issue.
1. What do you believe are the three essential
factors in recruiting and retaining quality teachers?
1. Competetive salaries
2. Adequate benefits
3. Treatment as a professional
2. As a legislator, what will you do to address
these factors?
Work towards adequate, long
range, sustainable funding for public education.
3. Fiscal uncertainty has caused many “new to the profession”
educators to leave Alaskan school districts and even leave the state. According
to Commissioner Roger Sampson, the out-of-pocket cost to a school district of
losing a teacher is $12,000. What would
you do to eliminate this annual turnover that has cost our state so many
valuable educators?
If we are
successful at obtaining adequate funding, some of the turnover will be
eliminated. Expand the opportunities for rural residents to become qualified
educators.
4. 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?
Yes
Rationale
CLASS SIZE
An
important factor in student achievement is small class size. Bills were introduced in the legislature, but
little has been done to address the issue.
Would you support a bill that sets recommended class size by grade level
and provides for additional funds to schools that meet the standards.
Yes
Rationale
If adequate funding based on
resource costs is accomplished, no additional funds would be necessary since it
would be included in the cost.
If yes,
would you introduce such a bill and seek co-sponsors?
Yes
Rationale
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?
Yes
Rationale
Quite often the unsafe
conditions result from out of control students.
Educators must receive support from
the communities in dealing with such behavior.
2. A safe learning environment is a key factor
in student achievement. Would you
support the use of restraining orders for individuals who threaten or endanger
students or public school employees in the public school environment?
Yes
3. Would you support legislation to
make a school-related assault on an education employee an
aggravating factor in sentencing?
Yes
HIGH STAKES TESTING
1. For the past three years, 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?
Yes
2. Would you support categorical funding for
district-developed remedial programs for students who do not meet standards on
Alaska’s benchmark exams?
Yes
SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT
What
additional ideas do you have to improve K-12 education in Alaska?
There are over 12,000 public
school employees in