Paula Pennypacker
What is your education and relevant experience for this office?
BA Communications from the University of Toledo, Political activist for 19 years.
If you have children, do you/did you send them to public school? If so, did they graduate from a public school?
My son will be in the 5th grade in public SUSD's Redfield Elementary School this fall.
Do you feel you are an advocate for public education in Arizona? Use specific examples of what you will do or have done to demonstrate your level of support for public education in Arizona.
Yes, I am a huge advocate for public education in AZ. As a founding member of Citizens for Positive Education Reform (CPR) our goal is to bring much needed reforms to public education.
Will you work to protect public education from any further budget cuts?
Yes!
The system for funding public education in Arizona is a maze of laws, rules, regulations, funding sources, etc. Please share specifics on how you would simplify how we fund our public schools here in Arizona to make that funding source more efficient, effective and reliable?
The funding formula in Arizona needs to be blown up and we need to start over. It is too complicated and cumbersome. I am also a huge advocate for tax reform so that we have a more reliable revenue stream for education
Should the education formula be based on seat time and average daily membership or on student academic progress and successful achievement of academic standards?
Note sure. Everything should be on the table when it comes to drafting a new education formula.
Knowing that money does not cure all, how do you feel that Arizona ranks dead last in per pupil funding? Are you happy with the status quo or how will you work to change that? Can you share your plan on how Arizona can improve it's school funding to at least a competitive level? Be specific.
No -- I am not happy with the status quo but we cannot continue to through good money after bad. More money has to go into the classroom and to our teachers -- not into the district bureaucracy. I would also like to see the end of the one-size-fits-all, factory like model of our schools. Principals should operate each school as a charter school. They should be allowed to set their own calendar, start time, etc. Parents want and deserve more choice in what public school they send their children to. Until my son tested into SUSD's gifted program, I always said I would never send my son to public school. How wrong I was. My son is thriving in this program.. It proves that they are doing something right as it attracts children from all over the district. Since I believe every child is gifted -- we need to offer more choices like this to parents so we can mine the passion in each and every child.
Do you think that class-size affects academic performance? How and at what size?
Somewhat! The quality of the teacher is more important than class size in my opinion.
How do you feel about the unfunded mandate of the AIMS test (or a similar test) when teachers spend a large portion of their school year "teaching to the test"? Be specific.
I have never been a fan of AIMS and believe that teaching to the test is the number one why we have such a high drop out rate.
Do you believe that the voters approving Prop 301 intended the 2% inflation factor to be applied to the entire M&O budget or just legislatively selected portions of the operating budget?
Not sure! But with tax reform there would be more 301 monies
How do you plan to support districts with textbook adoptions with the decrease/limits on soft capital funding? Do you understand that many districts such as CCUSD operate with textbooks that are ten years old?
I will push for tax reform, that includes a lower and broader sales tax on all final goods and services so we have a more reliable revenue stream to fund education.
The budget cuts have eliminated the funding for the Gifted Students Educational Program. With the passing of Prop 100 what legislative measures will you take to restore this funding to meet the many critical needs for our brightest minds and high acheivers in AZ?
As a parent of a gifted student I am working on this issue. We need tax reform so we can grow, nurture, and develop more programs like this.
Where and what grade level classrooms have you observed in the last 12 months? What specifics can you share about class size and per pupil expenditure in those classrooms?
See above.
Due to our district's low poverty, or "free and reduced lunch" level, do you understand the disparity that places CCUSD at a disadvantage for federal and grant application-based funding, and would you be willing to support legislation that would allow districts such as CCUSD in low-poverty areas to secure supplemental funding to reach curriculum or achievement standards that may be desired by the governing board? If so, what might those funding sources be? (please cite examples such as local prop tax, program fees, etc.)
Comprehensive tax reform -- see above.
Do you support performance pay programs like Career Ladders and Prop 301 for teachers?
Yes!!!!!
In constructing new schools, do you believe that bonding or direct general fund support is the most efficient and cost effective?
Bonding!
Would you support a requirement that all new education policy initiatives proposed by the legislature contain a fiscal note and be required to include all necessary funding prior to adoption?
Yes!
Do you think the Constitutional requirement to fund a general and uniform public education system should take precedence over programs supporting private schools?
Need more information.
Please describe your level of support for school vouchers and private school tax credits, how should they be used (if at all), to whom should they be given/used for, and how would you change the current system in place? Be specific.
I would only support vouchers if it is the only way to push for much needed reforms. We need more competition and choices for parents within the public school system (i.e. the gifted program, multi-age, and for those with special needs). That is why I am a huge supporter of charter schools. I will only support tax credits for those truly in need.
Do you feel that the use of Vouchers and private school tax credits is appropriate considering the struggle that our public education system has recently faced and continues to face? Be specific.
Vouchers -- not at this time! Tax credits? Yes -- so long as they go to those in need.