Q. What should the State Board of Education do to recruit and retain qualified teachers?
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A. Salaries for Kansas teachers are some of the lowest in America. To retain good teachers, we need to increase their salary and benefits—especially to teach science, math and technology. And, just like our colleges and universities, the State BOE needs to revise the certification requirements so people with subject matter knowledge are allowed to teach in our K-12 classrooms.
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Q. Should the board incorporate career and technical education courses into the state’s graduation requirements? If so, how? If not, why not?
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A. YES!! Kansas must teach employable skills to each K-12 student. They should be prepared to earn a living wage with skills which employers need. By allowing students options to meet graduation requirements, they and their future employers will be better able to compete in the global economy. This means more emphasis on practical, relevant skills and knowledge after the 3 Rs are learned.
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Q. What should the board do to aid Kansas schools that face sanctions or restructuring under the federal No Child Left Behind Act?
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A. First, the State Boards need to work with the USDOE to make sure that the tests used are measuring relevant skills and knowledge. Then, the Kansas SBOE needs to hire teams of experienced teachers and administrators to evaluate and mentor schools which are not meeting State standards. We must do everything possible to make sure that each Kansas student has the resources and effective learning environment to reach their full potential.
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Q. Should the board revise its science standards to include criticism of evolution? If so, why, and in what way? If not, why not?
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A. NO!! I have taught evolution in Kansas middle and high school science classes plus served on the College of Medicine faculty at the University of Iowa. Each major religion and culture has its own explanation of how the universe was created. No one knows how it began. But, the millions of years of scientific evidence of evolution on Earth are well documented and must be taught in our classrooms.
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Q. Should Kansas schools be required to screen students for dyslexia? If so, should they provide additional tutoring or remediation? If not, why not?
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A. YES!! Dyslexia is one of many learning challenges for students and teachers. Not every child learns the same way, so how they are taught must be individualized to fit the special needs of each student. All Kansas K-12 students have a constitutional right to a “suitable” education. The focus must be on teaching each child instead of how to exclude some students because they do not fit the “sit still and be quite” mold.
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