Few people choose to willingly waste money. However, after we make a decision on what to buy, where to go, or what to do, hindsight often gets the better of us and we realize that our funds could have been used in a more efficient and effective way. Schools are no different. At every level of the education system, we are making financial decision that either advance student learning or drain funds that could have been used more effectively.
I believe that we should invest in what has a positive impact on student achievement and school leaders should be good stewards over taxpayer resources. Every cent counts. This means that when we spend money on education, every penny needs to be as focused as possible on preparing our children for the workforce or college and citizenship.
We need to prioritize the classroom in educational spending. Today, the classroom can refer to online and digital spaces and content as well as the traditional schoolhouse learning environment. We must be mindful of the changing technological advances and continue to cultivate mobile learning environments. However, technology is just a tool. We will need to continue investing in other classroom related materials. No matter what classroom environment we find ourselves discussing, the point remains – we must prioritize the classroom in educational spending. This comes in the form of a common sense approach of spending monies on materials that will help our students learn and paying effective teachers well.
Too often I see taxpayer resources wasted on elaborate buildings, ineffective programs, and flashy gadgets. This must stop. As your next Superintendent of Education, I will work to limit the portion of the educational dollar used for back office infrastructure and capital investments. I will fight to ensure that dollars are spent on our students. Our children deserve better and the taxpayers of South Carolina deserve better.
I believe that we should invest in what has a positive impact on student achievement and school leaders should be good stewards over taxpayer resources. Every cent counts. This means that when we spend money on education, every penny needs to be as focused as possible on preparing our children for the workforce or college and citizenship.
We need to prioritize the classroom in educational spending. Today, the classroom can refer to online and digital spaces and content as well as the traditional schoolhouse learning environment. We must be mindful of the changing technological advances and continue to cultivate mobile learning environments. However, technology is just a tool. We will need to continue investing in other classroom related materials. No matter what classroom environment we find ourselves discussing, the point remains – we must prioritize the classroom in educational spending. This comes in the form of a common sense approach of spending monies on materials that will help our students learn and paying effective teachers well.
Too often I see taxpayer resources wasted on elaborate buildings, ineffective programs, and flashy gadgets. This must stop. As your next Superintendent of Education, I will work to limit the portion of the educational dollar used for back office infrastructure and capital investments. I will fight to ensure that dollars are spent on our students. Our children deserve better and the taxpayers of South Carolina deserve better.
