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Legislative Senate Candidate Questionnaire
Campaign 2006
Candidate: Lesil McGuire Senate District: N
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:
Without recognized, research based information, it is next to impossible for lawmakers to know what level of funding is adequate for our K-12 schools.
If you support an adequate funding study, how would you accomplish this?
We have funded a cost differential study in years past, I see no reason why we couldn’t support funding for a recognized and reliable school funding study.
2. Do you support the use of area cost differential factors to provide equity in school funding?
Yes
Rationale
Providing a good education to all Alaskan students is a constitutional mandate. We must study this issue because the cost of providing an adequate education differs for different students.
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?
I support increasing the state contribution to pupil transportation funding. It bothers me that our failure to fund this adequately at the state level eats into other district costs.
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 and will continue to.
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
Education funding is a clear constitutional mandate that I have upheld and will continue to. It has meant giving less resources to other optional programs at times.
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.
1st Savings: We should save some of our surplus while funding education at high levels. If necessary, I would consider using permanent fund earnings and taxes to meet our obligations.
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?
No
If not, what do you propose to do to provide public employees access to a pension plan that provides a retirement with dignity?
I cannot do anything about the GPO/WEP problem, but wish I could. I have consistently opposed attempts to create defined contribution plans and will continue to do so.
3. Would you support returning to a defined benefits retirement plan as a means of attracting and retaining quality educators?
Yes
Rationale
I believe our teachers desire a defined benefits retirement plan and am very concerned about what the Senate has done to adopt a defined contribution system.
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?
First, I want to eliminate these unfunded liabilities. We should use part of our unanticipated surplus. A change to a more progressive PPT system will also help.
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
Of course
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 A good retirement
#2 A good health plan
#3A good salary
This is tough because safe quality schools with reasonable class sizes also make a difference.
2. As a legislator, what will you do to address these factors?
I will continue to:
*support increases to education funding;
*support efforts to reinstate a defined benefit system for TRS; and
*oppose efforts at eliminating/cutting teacher benefits.
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 is one of the most serious complaints I hear about from educators. BSA increases, higher salaries and better benefits will be the keys to reducing teacher turnover.
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
Retaining quality teachers is something to be highly valued. A tenured teacher who continues to meet standards should be dismissed only in extreme circumstances that can be independently verified.
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
When classrooms are overcrowded it is difficult for teachers to teach and children to learn. South Anchorage is growing rapidly and this is a serious problem for us.
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
Rep. Lynn and I sponsored a school assault bill that passed this year to increase safety. I will continue to look to other ways of ensuring student and staff safety.
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?
Continue to increase the BSA; continue to support at least a 70/30 bond debt reimbursement to build more schools; listen to my friends at NEA and support their ideas.
