JoAnne Benson Response
1
Question 1: Many alternatives to the existing education
system have been proposed; including charter schools, vouchers and private
sector involvement. Do you favor any of these approaches, or do you
have specific proposals to strengthen the current system?
Public education is the backbone of Minnesota's world-class education
system. While, in reference to the question, we can never replace the
value or contributions of public education, different educational
approaches allow the freedom to ensure that every individual has an
opportunity for success.
If our youth are to achieve success, students, parents, educators,
employers, and civic leaders must be involved at every level of
education.
Parents should have the lead role in determining the best learning
environment for their child. Private, charter, and magnet schools,
enrollment options, tax deductions and credits, and various enrichment
programs are additions to public education that give parents the ability
to be more involved and customize educational experiences for their
child's learning style and needs.
Teachers connect students to success and transferable skills for the
work world. Together, parents and teachers can be trusted with the
flexibility to select and create a learning environment that best meets
the needs of students.
As long as policymakers provide a clear mission, goals and standards, I
believe that state government should work to reduce its control over the
classroom. If an education practice or mandate fails to contribute to a
child's academic success, then we should remove it.
One of my priorities is to enhance the link between K-12 schools, higher
education institutions, and careers. Building partnerships through
community involvement raises student test scores, lowers truancy and
drop-out rates, and encourages creative thinking and social
responsibility.
In this era of technological advancement, the delivery of education
should undergo continuous quality improvement. This will require
extraordinary participation and investment in ongoing discussions,
mid-course evaluations and corrections. Similar to when I taught at the
Campus Lab School at St. Cloud State University, we will learn what
works, address shortcomings, and make a menu of options available so
that students may excel.
