SENATOR MITCH CARMICHAEL
Much of the focus of this legislative session is directed toward public education policy and student achievement. There’s no greater responsibility of government than to provide a superior education to our children.
With regard to this essential function of government, evidence points to a struggling West Virginia public education system. The National Center for Education Statistics compares test data in grades 4 & 8 across the country and found for 2011, West Virginia 4th and 8th graders ranked among the lowest in the country in math and reading and scored below the national average on 21 of 24 indicators of student performance.
Any objective review of this data indicates a public education system in need of reform. Every West Virginia parent and grandparent should demand a first rate education for their children. We should expect our students to score at or near the top levels in the nation. Unfortunately, our citizens often become complacent with a system that produces near last place results. West Virginian’s should not continue to accept these results. Our students deserve a world-class education that will enable each child to compete in a global economy.
Faced with evidence our education system is failing, Governor Tomblin commissioned an independent audit to review current practices and recommend improvements to the system. The audit made over 56 suggestions regarding methods for improving public education. These recommendations can be summarized with one overarching theme: Return control of school systems to local Boards of Education.
We fully support this concept. Each county school system should be vested with the flexibility and responsibility of delivering a superior educational experience. Administrators must have the ability to set school calendars, make personnel decisions and design curriculum. Teachers must be freed from burdensome state mandated policies. The most important element in the education process is the classroom teacher. We’re blessed with many talented and effective teachers. Current West Virginia policy is restrictive and requires so much paperwork our teachers are unable to educate the next generation.
We are confident that the West Virginia public education system can be among the best in the nation. Let us take the necessary steps to provide innovation and reform to a system that places our children at a competitive disadvantage.
DELEGATE PATRICK LANE
As the second week of the Legislative session closes, Republicans remain focused on job creation and higher student achievement in our public schools. We were pleased to see the public school reform bill introduced by request of the Governor. Policy makers must work to reform education in a way which ensures that our children are educated at a high level in order to compete for jobs in the high tech manufacturing and information economy in which they must compete.
In order to make sure students are able to put a high quality education to use in the private sector, we must enact policies which will both attract outside employers looking to expand into West Virginia. These same policies must also promote the growth of existing West Virginia small businesses. We have been told by two tax modernization studies that a major impediment to job creation in West Virginia is the property tax imposed upon machinery and inventory. I am hopeful that reforms will be made to remove this hurdle and allow employers to hire the 59,700 unemployed West Virginians.
While jobs are the number one issue facing our families, Republicans are also committed to improving the lives of low income earners and seniors. We have pushed the elimination of the food tax and will make sure it is finally ended in July 2013. We are currently working to increase the Homestead Exemption for seniors and disabled to keep up with the increasing real estate values. Additionally, we are protecting West Virginians from the onslaught of over regulation from the Federal government and guarding against any further tax or fee increases. While the food tax, Homestead, Federal intrusion and other tax increases may seem unrelated, each of these issues contribute to the quality of life our friends, neighbors and families enjoy here in the mountain state.
As we progress through the session, many issues will cross our desks as Legislators. Some of those issues are important to select groups or industries and will be addressed. But, West Virginians should rest assured that in my mind and in the minds of Republicans in the House, this session is about Jobs, Jobs, Jobs.
