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The Luksik/Clymer team believes that effective schools must be
successful academic delivery systems. To accomplish this, we
will work to:
Restore Local Control
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Remove the federal government from Pennsylvania schools.
According to testimony before the U. S. Congress, the federal
government currently provides only 6% of the dollars for local
schools, but controls over 50% of the decision-making.
Since there is no constitutional role for the federal government
in education, no research supporting federal intrusion into local
classrooms, and no financial study proving a cost-benefit
relationship from federal mandates, we need to disentangle
our schools from Washington and return them to parents and teachers.
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End the state's micro-management of our school districts.
In recent years, the state has forced Outcome-Based Education down
the throats of unwilling districts; moved into School-to-Work
restructuring with NO public debate; and created a high-stakes
assessment system that allows it to measure and report on its
own progress.
This kind of micro-management is inappropriate
and needs to be stopped immediately.
Stop Experimentation
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Require that all programs used in Pennsylvania schools be based on validated
research made publicly available before implementation.
Schools are NOT laboratories and children are NOT guinea pigs. We are now reaping the disasters
caused by years of non-research based educational practices. Our students need, and deserve, the most
effective academic delivery practices we can give them - not someone's pet theory.
Empower Parents
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Guarantee parents right of access.
As primary educators of their own children, parents must have access to all information, including
curriculum, tests, and children's records. Nothing concerning their own children should be a secret from
their parents.
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Honor parents' right of consent.
Since parents are the primary educators of their own children, no school should assume their consent to
curriculum which has an impact on a family's religious beliefs, ethnic background, or family traditions.
Such controversial programs need to become "opt in", with schools requiring active parental consent
before a child participates. Then those parents who desire a particular program can select it, and those
who don't won't be forced into it. Schools should not be battlegrounds, and respecting the parents'
right to be the primary educators removes a major source of conflict.
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Offer parents the right to choose the educational experience that best serves their
own children, without financial penalty or state control.
A complete explanation of our tax credit approach to school choice is available at
School Choice
or by calling 1-800-801-2027.
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A recent study revealed that 39% of Pennsylvania's fourth
graders were illiterate. In response, this administration announced
that they were dumping $100 million
into our schools to "improve reading at the local level".
No one analyzed the problem to discover:
Where the non-readers were;
Who the non-readers were;
How the non-readers were taught; and
Why these children couldn't read.
The program requires districts to "match" state funds. So
the wealthy districts will get more help than the poor districts.
Is that because the non-readers are in the wealthy districts? Then
money wasn't the problem, so money isn't the solution. And if the
non-readers are in the poor districts, why are the resources going
to the wealthy ones?
A business would insist on an analysis of the problem, specifics
on how the proposed plan solves the identified difficulties, and a
detailed cost analysis for implementation before they spent a penny
to implement a program.
Why don't the politicians?
It's time to restore accountability to our educational system.
It's time to restore local control.
It's time to take back our schools!
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