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Legislative House Candidate Questionnaire
Campaign 2006
Candidate: Peggy Wilson House District: 2
Candidate responses exceeding 30 words have been truncated.
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:
We need a
non biased group without ties in AK which is research based so it will be
credible.
If you
support an adequate funding study, how would you accomplish this?
Get it in
next session’s capitol budget.
2. Do you support the use of area cost
differential factors to provide equity in school funding?
Yes
Rationale
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?
Go back to
the way it used to be done.
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?
Rationale
Depends on
how its done.
5. Would you support adequate funding of
Yes
Rationale
We need an
over all long fiscal range plan with goals to meet each year on all debts.
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.
PF earnings
PERS/TRS
1. What percentage of their salary at retirement
do you believe public employee retirees should have to retire with dignity?
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?
I don’t know the answer to this one. Each persons
would be different.
If not,
what do you propose to do to provide public employees access to a pension plan
that provides a retirement with dignity?
3. Would you support returning to a defined
benefits retirement plan as a means of attracting and retaining quality
educators?
No
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?
Put in a
lump sum each year of $1 Billion.
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
1. What do you believe are the three essential
factors in recruiting and retaining quality teachers?
Affordable
housing which is nice
Good
pay
Good
working conditions
Good
retirement program
2. As a legislator, what will you do to address
these factors?
Put in
another bill on affordable housing.
Work more
on PERS & TRS.
Look at
again the retirement program.
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?
Continue
with the mentor program.
Increase teachers pay
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?
Rationale
Auditors
could be used with this who would pay the 3rd
parties. I would be willing to change
the statues on this issue.
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.
No
Rationale
I would like
to see a fiscal note on this first and find out what amount we are talking
about.
If yes,
would you introduce such a bill and seek co-sponsors?
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?
Rationale
Depends on
what the program is.
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
Yes
2. Would you support categorical funding for
district-developed remedial programs for students who do not meet standards on
SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT
What
additional ideas do you have to improve K-12 education in
Change
funding for intensive need kids. Schools
need more for them because of one-to-one care.
Now only rural schools can get loans for teacher housing. Some of my schools have ….
