PTA Voter Guide 2008
A guide to help you become a more informed voter.
About This Guide
It is critical that all PTA members demonstrate their role as child advocates by becoming educated about candidates for public office and their positions on legislative issues that are important to children and public schools. By exercising our democratic right to vote, we are able to give children a voice. This is especially critical in the upcoming elections on November 4, 2008.
In the 2008 federal elections, voters will determine our president, our vice president, all 435 members of the U.S. House of Representatives, and 35 U.S. senators. In state elections, voters will elect 11 governors, more than 6,500 state house and senate members, and countless mayors, regents, city council members, boards of supervisors, county officials, and school board trustees. Your vote can make a difference for our children and communities.
Whom to Choose
As you begin to learn more about the candidates, keep in mind that every candidate will say that he or she supports public education. The real question is, how far will that support go? A strong public education candidate:
- Knows education policy; the federal, state, and local laws that govern public education; and the responsibilities of the desired office.
- Makes public education a high priority in his or her political platform.
- Knows about school reform and ways to improve public schools.
- Solicits opinions and viewpoints from citizens through polling, town meetings, community conversations, and face-to-face discussions.
- Has prior experience with public education policy.
- Has a clear message about public education priorities.
- Has a realistic funding plan to support public education improvements and ensure adequate resources for all schools.
- Communicates who will be held accountable.
Questions for Candidates
While there is no single “correct” answer to the questions below, candidates’ answers to them will shed light on what types of education decisions the candidates will make if elected. This will assist you in making selections based on which candidates you believe have the strongest public education agenda.
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.
