Candidate advocates improved education system

August 8, 2006

By JOEL DAVIDSON/Frontiersman

WASILLA - Former governor Tony Knowles said the ongoing debate regarding oil tax rates and various gas pipeline deals are necessary and important, but he is seeking to frame his 2006 bid for governor based on how he would spend all the petrol-generated revenue if elected to his third term.

In a swing through the Valley last week, Knowles said his campaign is built on a vision to dramatically expand and redefine the whole idea of public education. Schools need more money, longer days and shorter summer breaks, Knowles told a gathering of reporters at the Frontiersman offices last week.

Longer school days, running from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., would better match parents' work schedules, while giving kids a chance to study theater, art and basic citizenship, Knowles said. In addition, lengthening the overall school year would allow for more teacher training days, he said.

As far as preparing kids for school, Knowles said the state should give students the option to start school at far younger ages than what the current K-12 system pays for.

&#8220We need to broaden the definition of education,” he explained. &#8220If you're going to have success in K through 12, it starts with the earliest age through early child learning programs.”

Those programs should include public funding for childhood nutrition, health care and safety, he said.

Knowles' expanded view of education also includes higher teacher pay, smaller class sizes and more resources directed toward vocational and career training.

Funding to overhaul education will come through future budget surpluses, Knowles said. He predicted that the money will materialize thanks to increased oil taxes and revenues from a gas pipeline.

&#8220At current production and current prices, the surplus we are going to have will be a couple billion dollars a year,” he figured. &#8220The gas line, when developed, will have an equal amount of surplus.”

Knowles' education vision included a pointed critique of the federal No Child Left Behind Act, a measure he said distracts from real learning.

After decades of what many thought were declining academic achievements, the United States Congress passed and President George Bush signed the act to measure student academic progress in reading, writing and math. The law took effect in 2001 as an attempt to keep states accountable in their use of federal education dollars.

Knowles, however, said NCLB stifles learning.

&#8220It was meant to bring accountability, and that's good,” he said. &#8220But I think it misdirects our educational effort.”

With the heightened stress on reading, writing and math scores, Knowles said NCLB works against his plan to expand education to include a greater emphasis on vocational and career training programs.

&#8220No Child Left Behind takes us away from those because they are not one of the tested subjects,” he said.

Knowles said he favors a more state-controlled accountability program that tracks individual student progress throughout their academic careers. &#8220If we devote all our resources to a very narrow concept of education, we are going to lose,” he said.

Knowles was first elected state governor in 1994 and again in 1998. The consecutive two-term limit prohibited him from running for re-election in 2002. He is being challenged in the Democratic primary by Anchorage Rep. Eric Croft and Bruce Lemke.

Contact Joel Davidson at 352-2266 or joel.davidson@frontiersman.com.