Education Reform That Works for Sudbury in the State Senate
As a certified MA teacher and former state transportation official, I'm running for State Senate to put 'Education and the Economy First' – not a failed and narrow policy agenda targeted exclusively to the Special Interests.
I'll look at every issue on the merits and vote in the best interest of our city, towns and schools.
I have worked in our school systems committed to excellence. I’ll use that experience to be an effective and passionate voice in the State Senate on accountable, local and student-centered reforms that benefit our successful districts.
The next generation of Education Reform must provide our charter, vocational, and public schools flexibility and funding to fulfill their mission.
- I support an MCAS Exam for U.S. History & Government because citizenship should be a Core Subject in the cradle of democracy.
- I'll help school districts professionally develop their workforce based on merit and student outcomes.
- I'll work to further reduce Project Delivery times for all MassDOT and MBTA projects by 40% with the goal of completing jobs in six years or less. And exempt municipal construction projects of $100,000 or less from the state’s prevailing wage law.
- I'll push to enact my bill An Act to Make MA Competitive for New Jobs and shore up all small businesses by lowering tax rates; capping fees and freezing regulations; closing loopholes and tax breaks and letting the market decide winners and losers.
Dean Cavaretta (R-Acton)
Candidate for State Senate
Sudbury, Precincts 2 and 3
www.DeanCavaretta.com
Neil
1:35 pm on Wednesday, September 19, 2012
High stakes testing is a reform agenda aimed at schools with high poverty and low test scores. It is used to trigger "reforms" by which charter schools are opened and public schools are closed, as opposed to addressing the causes of the under performance directly.
The boards of the charter schools are filled with connected people and are not elected like our public schools.
In the end, charter schools, despite their advantage in selecting their student body, perform no better on average than public schools.
Ed reform needs to address the drivers of poor test scores, namely poverty and early education. That problem is a different one than how to improve well performing public schools.
Dean's focus on education and economy is one I share as a Democrat. I'm struck by Deans campaign as being one premised on Democratic ideas and priorities. I have no doubt though, that I'd take a very different approach than he in addressing them.