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Governor / Lt Governor Candidate Questionnaire
Campaign 2006
Candidate: Ken Lancaster Office: Lt. Governor
Candidate responses exceeding 50 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:
Adequate funding needs to be defined first; then also the end result needs to be defined so the study will be relevant and workable to acheive.
If you support an adequate funding study, how would you accomplish this?
I beleive the present administration and teachers need to advise the Governor and Legislators so they can address the criteria for a study .
2. Do you support the use of area cost differential factors to provide equity in school funding?
Yes
Rationale
Because it costs more to deliver Education in Rural area , particularly with added transportation costs , power costs , teacher housing and freight for supplies.
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?
Revisit existing contracts ,contractors , there budgets . Look at providing the service by the district or rebidding, possibly changing criteria.
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
Looking long term is essential to funding , the possilities of school consolidation , look again at the Regional school study that was done and forward funding of the school budgets.
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?
Yes
Rationale
Again I beleive Adequate funding definition needs to be defined and aggreed upon in order to be defended.
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.
From your list above, sales tax, income tax , fuel tax , alcohol tax , cruise ship tax, Permanent fund earnings. As you may remember while serving in the 22nd legislature we had a bipartisan Long Range Plan!
PERS/TRS
1. What percentage of their salary at retirement do you believe public employee retirees should have to retire with dignity?
66%-75%
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?
Yes
If not, what do you propose to do to provide public employees access to a pension plan that provides a retirement with dignity?
This is dependant on Salary, Tenure and Lifestyle in retirement ?
3. Would you support returning to a defined benefits retirement plan as a means of attracting and retaining quality educators?
Yes
Rationale
This should be worked out at local school board level.
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?
One way is to establish an endowment fund with excess revenues to earn interest to begin paying down the debt.
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
We'er all in this together , we have to work together to solve the problem.
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. Educate more Alaskans to be our Teachers , folks that are used to our enviroment, and want to stay here. 2. Have a system that keeps them working the entire year(with a vacation of course).3.During the hiring process ask what prospective teachers want that the district can do or negotiate into ….
2. As Governor / Lt. Governor, what will you do to address these factors?
Work with the Governor to bring all the parties together to discuss NEW Concepts and Ideas .
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?
This state has got to put together a Long Range plan to use as a road map to follow for Funding and Development of Alaska to overcome issues such as these.
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?
No
Rationale
These are District Issues and need to be resolved at that level.
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
These are Disrict and Local school board issues and again need to be resolved at that level.
If yes, would you introduce such a bill and seek co-sponsors?
No Response
Rationale
ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION ACT / NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND (ESEA/NCLB)
What are you willing to do in concert with NEA-Alaska and other organizations to ensure that federally mandated programs are “Alaska friendly’ and adequately funded?
Alaska simply cannot accept unfunded mandates , we would have to work with the Congressional Delegation inorder to receive ou Funding .
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
Safety in any arena is Priority number one. First we must learn why our schools are not safe ? It may be that individual Municipalities or Boroughs may be in line to provide a Safe enviroment for schools. This is also a District and School board issue.
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?
No Response
3. Would you support legislation to make a school-related assault on an education employee an aggravating factor in sentencing?
No Response
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?
I beleive we have to look again at the Regional School study and consider it. We also need to find out why there is declining enrollment in our Public schools and a significant number of Alternative schools starting up ?
