PTA Votes / Election Activities: Questions for Candidates

Public education in general
A candidate who supports public education should support providing students with the tools and guidance they need to achieve academic success, and also should have a clear position on a wide range of children’s issues.

• What is your position on the value and importance of public education?
• What are your top priorities for improving public education?
• What education policy changes are you proposing?
• What proposals, if any, do you offer for public programs to support underserved children?

Accountability for public schools

Elected officials at every level have some say in how schools are run and who is held responsible for student achievement. Strong education candidates understand the role their offices play in public education and should be able to articulate what they will do to improve school quality.

• Who do you think should be responsible for ensuring that public schools operate effectively and children achieve?
• What do you believe are the best ways to evaluate school and student performance?
• What do you believe are the best ways to evaluate teacher quality?
• What is your response to the large number of schools that are failing to meet the high standards set out in the No Child Left Behind Act?
  

Public school funding
Most candidates for office support improvements to ensure quality public education, but their proposals for how to pay for public education vary widely. A strong education candidate should have developed a viable plan for school funding.

• What are your views on how much is spent on public education and whether this amount is adequate?
• What changes, if any, would you make to the existing education funding structure?
• What is your position on pending court cases that challenge inadequate state and federal funding for education?
• What programs and areas do you consider most vital and deserving of the highest protection from budget cuts?
• Do you have any tax proposals to offer for public school funding?
• Do you believe the amount spent for special needs and limited English proficient students is adequate? What changes, if any, would you make to support these students?

Other key PTA issues

• What is your position on bilingual education?
• What is your stance on using public funds to provide vouchers for students to attend private or religious schools?
• What is your position on increasing funding to promote school construction and renovation, and to promote healthy schools?
• What are your plans for increasing parent involvement in education?

PTA, a nonpartisan 501(c)(3) organization, does not endorse the election or defeat of any candidate or party.

Additional Resources

More

More

More