candidate-survey-2004

CANDIDATE SURVEY 2004 DEAR CANDIDATE: T o H E L P T H E VOTING PUBLIC BETTER UNDERSTAND H O W YOU WILL CRAFT EDUCATION POLICY T O E N S U R E THAT EVERY CHILD HAS A C C E S S T O AN EXCELLENT EDUCATION, T H E C E N T E R F O R EDUCATION R E F O R M IS PLEASED T O PROVIDE YOU WITH T H E E N C L O S E D CANDIDATE QUESTIONNAIRE. IT WILL SERVE A S A GUIDE T O T H E VOTING PUBLIC T O MAKE AN INFORMED DECISION O N W H O WILL M O S T LIKELY S U P P O R T EDUCATION REFORM F O L L O W I N G THIS YEAR'S E L E C T I O N S .

O N C E W E RECEIVE YOUR COMPLETED QUESTIONNAIRE, W E WILL COMPILE T H E DATA AND O F F E R T H E R E S U L T S T O T H E CITIZENS O F YOUR STATE. W E APPRECIATE YOUR C A N D O R ABOUT T H E T O U G H I S S U E S THAT WILL N O D O U B T BE VERY IMPORTANT DURING YOUR T E N U R E IN O F F I C E , AND CONGRATULATE YOU O N YOUR DESIRE T O SERVE T H E P E O P L E O F « M E R G E V oTATE».

W E H O P E YOU WILL TAKE A F E W MINUTES T O REVIEW AND A N S W E R THE F O L L O W I N G Q U E S T I O N S AND REGISTER YOUR P O S I T I O N S O N IMPORTANT EDUCATION ISSUES. Y O U MAY RETURN T H E SURVEY BY MAIL, O R FAX IT BACK T O U S AT ( 2 0 2 ) 8 2 2 - 5 0 7 7 . IN EITHER C A S E , P L E A S E RETURN T H E COMPLETED QUESTIONNAIRE T O U S WITHIN T W O W E E K S O F RECEIPT.

S H O U L D YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, PLEASE DO NOT HESITATE T O CALL US AT ( 2 0 2 ) 8 2 2 - 9 0 0 0 , O R VISIT OUR AWARD-WINNING WEBSITE AT M .W W W . E D R E F O R M . C O

B E S T REGARDS,

ANNA VARGHESE DIRECTOR, EXTERNAL AFFAIRS

T H E C E N T E R FOR E D U C A T I O N R E F O R M

CANDIDATE SURVEY PART

2004

I: G E N E R A L INFORMA TION

CANDIDATE'S NAME:

OFFICE

You A R E SEEKING:

ADDRESS:

CITY

STATE:

ZIP

TELEPHONE:

FAX:

EMAIL A D D R E S S :

W E B SITE:

C H E C K ONE:

NATURE O F POSITION:

P A R T Y AFFILIATION:

INCUMBENT

CHALLENGER

ELECTED

REPUBLICAN

OPEN SEAT

APPOINTED

DEMOCRATIC

OTHER

N A M E O F PRIMARY E D U C A T I O N C O N T A C T :

PHONE:

EMAIL A D D R E S S :

N A M E O F PRIMARY C A M P A I G N C O N T A C T :

PHONE:

EMAIL A D D R E S S :

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ii: P O L I C Y I N F O R M A T I O N

1) W H A T ARE YOUR THREE O V E R A L L EDUCATION PRIORITIES THAT, IN A PERFECT W O R L D , YOU W O U L D ACCOMPLISH DURING YOUR TENURE IN OFFICE. H O W W I L L YOU GO ABOUT ACHIEVING THEM? W H Y ARE THESE T H E M O S T IMPORTANT PRIORITIES?

2) IN ORDER OF PRIORITY, W H A T S H O U L D POLICYMAKERS BE MOST C O N C E R N E D A B O U T IN S C H O O L S ?

CURRICULUM STANDARDS (I.E. READING, MATH, A N D OTHER C OR E SUBJECTS) CONSTRUCTION C L A S S SIZE T E A C H E R QUALITY ACCOUNTABILITY/STRONG TESTING PROGRAM S C H O O L C H O I C E (CHARTER S C H O O L S , SCHOLARSHIPS, ETC.) i

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3) W H A T R O L E DOES MONEY PLAY IN IMPROVING S C H O O L S ?

P L E A S E EXPLAIN YOUR A N S W E R .

4) W H A T R O L E S H O U L D PARENTS PLAY IN T H E EDUCATION PROCESS? H O W MUCH C O N T R O L DO Y O U BELIEVE PARENTS S H O U L D HAVE OVER W H I C H PROGRAMS OR S C H O O L S THEIR C H I L D IS ENROL LED IN?

5) D o YOU SUPPORT CHARTER S C H O O L S ? IF YES, PLEASE LIST ANYTHING YOU W O U L D D O T O SUPPORT THEM.

6 ) D o YOU AGREE OR DISAGREE T H A T THE FEDERAL N O C H I L D L E F T B E H I N D A C T IS GOOD POLICY? P L E A S E EXPLAIN YOUR A N S W E R .

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/ 7 ) F O U R STATES A N D THE DISTRICT O F C O L U M B I A N O W FUND S C H O O L CHOICE PROGRAMS FOR PARENTS WHOSE CHILDREN ARE A T RISK OR IN FAILING SCHOOLS. D O YOU SUPPORT S U C H PROGRAMS? IF SO, W O U L D YOU PUSH A SIMILAR PROGRAM IN YOUR AREA?

8 ) D O YOU SUPPORT OPENING PUBLIC S C H O O L CLASSROOMS T O WELL-EDUCATED PEOPLE FROM OTHER CAREERS A N D GIVING THEM A FAST-TRACK ROUTE T O BECOMING QUALIFIED TEACHERS?

9 ) D O YOU AGREE WITH THE POSITION O F MANY TEACHER UNIONS A N D OTHERS IN THE EDUCATION BUREAUCRACY THAT THE PUBLIC S C H O O L SYSTEM IS HEALTHY A S IT IS? HAVE YOU ACCEPTED OR RECEIVED SUPPORT A N D / O R ENDORSEMENTS FROM ANY O F THESE GROUPS OR LIKE ORGANIZATIONS?

1 0 ) IF YOU C O U L D DICTATE ONE AREA WHERE YOU W O U L D SPEND B I L L GATES' MONEY FOR EDUCATION, W H A T W O U L D IT BE?

### P L E A S E RETURN THIS COMPLETED QUESTIONNAIRE TO: CENTER FOR EDUCATION REFORM ATTN: CANDIDATE EVALUATIONS

1001 C O N N E C T I C U T AVENUE, NW, SUITE 2 0 4 WASHINGTON, D C 2 0 0 3 6 OR FAX TO ( 2 0 2 ) - 8 2 2 - 5 0 7 7 T H I S QUESTIONNAIRE W A S PREPARED A S A FREE PUBLIC SERVICE B Y T H E C E N T E R F O R EDUCATION REFORM. T H E C E N T E R GRANTS PERMISSION T O C O P Y A N D DISTRIBUTE T H I S QUESTIONNAIRE F O R N O N C O M M E R C I A L USE.

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