The Wicomico County Education Association (WCEA) will recommend candidates for the general elections to be held in November of 2014. In order to be considered for this endorsement, you must complete this questionnaire and return it to WCEA, 1302 Old Ocean City Rd, Salisbury MD 21804 no later than August 29, 2014. The Interview Team will schedule interviews with all candidates who complete and return this questionnaire. If you have any questions concerning the content or meaning of any questions, you may call J.C. Parker at 443.614.2532.
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General Issues/Positions:
A. Please write a brief summary of not more than 200 words stating why you believe WCEA should recommend that our members support your bid for public office.
Do you feel that Wicomico County supports education to the extent to which it is capable? Comment on areas in which you feel improvement is needed.
In these tough economic times what is your vision for increasing the County’s revenue to support education?
What has been your involvement in Wicomico County public schools? Did your children/grandchildren attend Wicomico County Public Schools?
What methods would you advocate, at this point, for insuring that the County can attract and retain a competent and inspired teaching and support staff work force?
What are the two most serious problems facing the County? How will you deal with them? What specific solution would you offer?
What aspect(s) of the county’s public school system do you feel is/are the most positive?
What aspect(s) of the county’s public school system do you feel need(s) the most improvement?
In order to receive its full share of state funding, our county has generally kept pace with or exceeded the state requirement to fund the schools at a rate no lower than the last year’s per pupil cost. Would you support continuing that policy?
The ”revenue cap” has seriously impacted the level of education funding. Combined with the recession, county funding for education has been reduced over the last 5 years. What is your plan to begin to restore education funding to an adequate level?
Fiscal/Monetary Issues:
Teachers’ salaries and support salaries in Wicomico County have not kept pace with
other Shore counties
A. Increases in teachers’ salaries are essential to retaining and attracting the best teachers for our children.
Agree ( Disagree (
Teachers and support staff in Wicomico County should make as much as teachers and support staff in other counties of similar wealth and size.
Agree ( Disagree (
Teachers and Support staff should make as much as other professionals requiring similar education and experience.
Agree ( Disagree (
D. The Board of Education budget as a percentage of the total county budget has fallen in recent years. It is important that Wicomico County increase its share of the funding of education.
Agree ( Disagree (
E. The reduction of class size is an important goal.
Agree ( Disagree (
The level of funding for equipment and materials, including computers, used in the classroom must be increased.
Agree ( Disagree (
Fringe benefits, such as health insurance, are important to the well-being of the employees and must be protected to attract and retain the best teachers and support staff.
Agree ( Disagree (
General Issues
Where do you stand on the following issues? Please attach any detailed explanations you wish.
Oppose Support
Public aid to private schools(vouchers) _____________________
Increased funding for special education _____________________
Merit Pay schemes _____________________
Increase in the property tax rate to fund education _____________________
Direct involvement of the county Commissioners in
negotiations _____________________
Censorship of material for classroom and/or library use _____________________
Privatization
Are you in favor of contracting out custodial, cafeteria, and maintenance services to replace current board of education employees?
Violence/School Climate Issues: Violent incidents in Wicomico County schools have increased. What are your suggestions for solving this problem?
What are the three most important issues you would like to address in the next four years?
7 comments:
This is not WCEA anymore. It is the Annapolis union using Wicomico County money to further their political goals. Unfortunately they have hijacked the once local association.
Wouldn't it be nice if all the candidates sent copies of their form here for publication. These questions deserve more detailed responses than simple yes/no.
I will be requesting ALL RESPONSES FROM ALL candidates.
You will have to get approval from Annapolis to get the responses.
The union in Annapolis already knows who they are going to tell WCEA to endorse. This is just a courtesy to the candidates to see who will get in bed with MSEA
Anonymous said...
The union in Annapolis already knows who they are going to tell WCEA to endorse. This is just a courtesy to the candidates to see who will get in bed with MSEA
August 18, 2014 at 12:53 PM
They have already endorsed Norman Conway and Jim Mathias. Checks have been paid.
Those questions are actually asking the candidates to support them in their salaries.
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