York- Republican gubernatorial candidate Tom Corbett today announced his plan for the future of education in Pennsylvania during a visit to Lincoln Charter School in York with Jeb Bush, former Governor of Florida. Following a roundtable with students, parents and school administration Corbett detailed his plan, Agenda for Excellence, to ensure all children in Pennsylvania receive a first class education, enabling their success in the global economy.
“My commitment to reforming our education system can only start in one place, with our children. My plan provides for every Pennsylvania child the choice of a great public school, led by highly effective teachers and leaders that will enable students to achieve their full potential,” said Tom Corbett. “In Harrisburg, we must put students and their achievement at the center of our education system. Every child can learn, but we must empower them with the tools they need to achieve and enable their success in the job market of today and tomorrow.”
To accomplish the Agenda for Excellence, Tom Corbett’s Vision for K-12 education in Pennsylvania encompasses several components:
- Funding schools and students;
- Enhancing educational opportunities;
- Ensuring effective teachers and leaders;
- Embracing accountability for results; and
- Creating safe learning environments.
“Tom and I agree that all children can learn,” said Jeb Bush. “Under Tom’s plan, Pennsylvania will soon see rising student achievement among all students across the state.”
Tom Corbett’s Agenda for Excellence will work to ensure education funding aligns more directly with students, linking it directly to students and the schools they attend. By infusing funding directly to the classroom, providing greater control of resources at the school level and promoting portability of funding school districts will be better able to focus on achieving student learning goals.
Tom Corbett believes in Pennsylvania’s public school system and will make funding them a priority. Harrisburg needs to change its traditional mindset of compliance and enforcement. Instead, Tom’s plan alters the focus of education policy toward setting goals, while providing support and flexibility to school districts to achieve them.
To enhance access to great schools and give families choices in their children’s education, Tom Corbett will work to strengthen support for charter schools. Additionally, Tom will work to improve greater dual enrollment opportunities for high school students pursuing post-secondary degrees, expand career and technical schools, support the Education Improvement Tax Credit and pilot Innovation Schools.
“Pennsylvania is home to many great public schools, but not all schools meet the needs of students. We must deliver on our promise of a great school for every child, by allowing families choice in educational opportunities,” said Corbett.
Great school choices are only made possible if schools are staffed by effective teachers and leaders. The current systems fall short in ensuring that every student has a highly effective teacher and that every teacher has the tools and support they need to achieve that goal. Pennsylvania can do better for both our students and our teachers by implementing new evaluation systems that fairly and accurately gauge teacher effectiveness and using those evaluations to customize professional development to individual teacher needs.
While Tom Corbett’s plan will demand accountability from teachers, he knows that all parts of our education system must be held to high standards of accountability to achieve success including students, teachers, administrators, school districts and lawmakers. Tom’s plan embraces performance based accountability and supports the development of a school grading system to better explain education success and identify those schools that are in need of the most assistance.
“Accountability, measurement, high expectations and choice worked in Florida,” said Bush. “I am confident Tom’s bold vision for reform will bring the same success to Pennsylvania.”
As Governor, Tom Corbett will continue to push for safe schools and direct the Pennsylvania Department of Education to strengthen and implement initiatives to ensure that our children not only are getting a quality education, but also learning in a safe environment.
“Whether they are post secondary or technical training bound, going directly into the workplace or achieving milestones as a special needs student, every student not only needs to be embraced, but also must serve as the focal point of Pennsylvania’s education system,” Corbett said. “As we work to increase economic opportunity in the commonwealth we must also provide the strong educational foundation our children need to succeed in the economy of tomorrow.”
Tom Corbett’s detailed Agenda for Excellence: A Great K-12 Education for Every Pennsylvania Child is available online. In the coming weeks Tom will unveil additional detailed plans to specifically support early and higher education. For additional information about Tom Corbett and his vision for Pennsylvania, visit www.tomcorbettforgovernor.com
