Education (K-12)

By Michael J. Sites

I will support candidates who will work to return control of how funds are spent to local school districts working cooperatively with parents, while requiring accountability by school districts (and teachers) for student performance

What needs to be fixed is not just how schools are financed, but more importantly, how the whole K-12 educational system is organized, and especially the incentives given to schools for student performance.

In addition, there are more than 100 state special programs, called categorical-aid programs, which has created a constituency of beneficiaries that lobbies to preserve it. A district that receives money under a certain "category" must spend it for that purpose, which might range from class-size reduction to advanced placement classes. Local school officials may lack money to clean bathrooms, but may have categorical funds for adult education they cannot spend. Categorical aid represents about a third of the money Sacramento spends on schools.

I will support candidates who will work to return control of how funds are spent to local school districts working cooperatively with parents, while requiring accountability by school districts (and teachers) for student performance.