Candidate Q&A: Lt. Governor
Election 2023
Our public education questionnaire is offered to candidates in statewide and legislative elections. Search for candidates’ questionnaire responses below.
Election dates: Primary – August 8, 2023, General – November 7, 2023
General Election Candidates:
D. Ryan Grover • Delbert Hosemann (Incumbent) • Shane Quick
D. Ryan Grover
NO RESPONSE
Delbert Hosemann (Incumbent)
1. What is your experience with K-12 public schools, personally and/or with your children or family?
I have visited and worked with hundreds of K-12 public schools throughout my tenure as Secretary of State and as Lt. Governor. As Secretary of State, I oversaw Promote the Vote, a non-partisan civic engagement program helping teach students about the importance of voting and getting involved in their communities. As State Land Commissioner, I also spearheaded revising our 16th Section land leasing process to ensure districts receive fair value for land leased. We raised about $1 billion for public education in 16th Section land revenue.
As Lt. Governor, education has been a primary focus area. In four years, we have raised teacher pay to historic levels, investing more than $300 million in salaries. We also:
• Increased funding for early learning collaboratives, adding about 5,600 new pre-K seats for students in Mississippi
• Allowed districts to choose between bimonthly and monthly pay for teachers
• Doubled classroom supply funds and required cards to be distributed at the beginning of the year so teachers do not have to pay for supplies out of their own pockets
• Required the licensure process to be faster and more efficient
• Provided $9 million for dual enrollment programs at public schools
• Spearheaded an effort to fully fund MAEP which ultimately led to $100 million more for schools across the state
• Created Teacher and Administrator Councils to seek feedback on legislation
From a personal perspective, my family has been committed to helping children with autism and other developmental disabilities receive treatment. To this end, our family has helped fund programs to train behavior analysts and teachers at universities and community colleges across the state.
2. Do you agree that the Mississippi Adequate Education Program (MAEP) should be fully funded every year? If yes, what actions will you take to ensure full funding? If no, explain why.
Working with education stakeholders, the Mississippi Senate under my leadership voted unanimously during the 2023 Legislative Session to slightly tweak the formula and fully fund it at $181 million in additional funding. Our office led this effort, pouring over the calculations; holding meetings with organizations, teachers, and others; drafting the legislation; and garnering support for the bill. The House ultimately would not take up the legislation, but we did push for $100 million in additional funding for schools. We support fully funding Mississippi schools and have demonstrated this throughout our administration.
3. What will you do to ensure state revenue that is sufficient to provide all of the services Mississippi’s citizens need to lead productive lives?
On the spending end, we need to continue eliminating waste, duplication, and earmarks unnecessary to the delivery of services Mississippi citizens need. We also focused in our first term on paying down more than $500 million of the state’s debt, which saves us millions in interest which can be spent on critical services like education.
On the revenue end, we have to grow our economy without incentivizing our way into debt to lure businesses to Mississippi. Our unemployment rate is still at a historic low, but our labor participation rate is only about 54 percent, compared to the national average of 63 percent. When more of our citizens are skilled and working, our tax revenues increase, which solves budgetary problems across the board. The best way to increase our revenues is to raise our labor participation rate.
4. Will you oppose vouchers that send taxpayer dollars to private schools, religious schools, home schools, or virtual schools? Why or why not?
For Mississippi to succeed, our public schools must succeed, which is why we have focused on providing resources, funding, and other legislative support to our schools and educators across the state.
5. Do you agree that all K-12 schools that receive taxpayer dollars, including private voucher schools, should be accountable to taxpayers for the quality of education they provide, using the same accountability measures as public schools?
Yes.
6. Public schools serve the vast majority of Mississippi students with disabilities. Do you agree that special education services in public schools should be fully funded every year? (Special education has been underfunded by the state every year since 2008.) If yes, how will you accomplish full funding? If no, explain why.
Yes, every child deserves a quality public education, including our children with special needs. Our special education teachers are saints. They have told me of their high burn-out rates and concerns about class size. We are laser-focused placing emphasis on training, recruitment, and retention, including economic incentives, for special education teachers.
7. Do you agree that Mississippi should provide high quality early childhood education statewide?
Yes, studies show the earlier we engage our students in high-quality pre-K, the more likely they are to succeed in the future. This is why we increased funding for early childhood education every year this term—and we added about 5,600 new pre-K seats. Our goal is to have a seat for every child who wants to enter a public program by the end of the second term.
8. The nation’s top teachers say that the greatest barriers to school success for K-12 students are family stress, poverty, and learning and psychological problems. What steps do you believe legislators should take to alleviate these obstacles for Mississippi children?
Educators across the state have communicated that mental health is a major concern, particularly post pandemic. We hope to have hearings in the fall regarding this issue. We have also supported investing in other resources in schools, like nurses, nutritionists, and counselors. Innovative solutions like modified school calendars can also be helpful. Intercessions provide time for children who are behind to catch up and children who are ahead to engage in gifted courses. Schools provide stable environments with people who care about students and our society is no longer centered around an agrarian calendar.
9. In the 2022 Legislative Session, a significant teacher pay raise was passed. Do you support continued pay increases to ensure that Mississippi’s teacher salaries keep pace with inflation and salaries in our neighboring states?
We have supported and led the effect to pass two significant pay raises. I support maintaining teacher pay rates which are at least competitive with neighboring states. Teacher assistants, who have a crucial role to play in classroom learning, must be valued as well.
10. Do you agree that retired educators (and other retired state employees) should be able to draw their retirement while serving in the Legislature?
Yes.
11. Legislators have little or no staff to help them understand the many bills they must consider. Before introducing or supporting a bill that could affect public education, will you commit to seeking input from teachers, principals, superintendents, and parents of public school students in your district? Who will be advising you on education policies?
Absolutely, and my record speaks to this issue. In my first term, I established Teacher and Administrator Councils so we could seek advice and counsel directly from educators in regard to legislation. We have also formed strong bonds with associations, superintendents, principals, and teachers from across the state. My door is always open and I believe educators know that.
First, do the right thing. We have always run our office this way, we ran it this way in our first term, and we do not plan on changing.
Tiffany Longino (defeated in primary)
1. What is your experience with K-12 public schools, personally and/or with your children or family?
I have been in the field of education for eighteen years as a middle school teacher, a high school teacher, and now a college instructor.
2. Do you agree that the Mississippi Adequate Education Program (MAEP) should be fully funded every year? If yes, what actions will you take to ensure full funding? If no, explain why.
I agree that annual funding for the MAEP is necessary. I will guarantee the voters that MAEP will have its own dedicated budget, and I will also assess other programs to see if any are underperforming or unnecessary expenditures so that these programs can be dissolved and funds reassigned to MAEP.
3. What will you do to ensure state revenue that is sufficient to provide all of the services Mississippi’s citizens need to lead productive lives?
I will assess Mississippi’s economic spending to ensure that it is used for the benefit of the people. I will examine how taxpayer dollars are spent on education, welfare, and other programs in order to reallocate funds that will help continue to build our economy. I will eliminate any programs that are no longer needed or required to save or reallocate money. To guarantee that all communities are being fairly and adequately funded, I will push for increased transparency in government spending at the state and municipal levels.
4. Will you oppose vouchers that send taxpayer dollars to private schools, religious schools, home schools, or virtual schools? Why or why not?
No, I will not oppose school vouchers since parents have the freedom to choose where their children attend school.
5. Do you agree that all K-12 schools that receive taxpayer dollars, including private voucher schools, should be accountable to taxpayers for the quality of education they provide, using the same accountability measures as public schools?
Yes, whenever taxpayers pay a dime to the government, whether for educational or healthcare purposes, the government must account to taxpayers for the quality of education provided, using the same accountability criteria as public schools.
6. Public schools serve the vast majority of Mississippi students with disabilities. Do you agree that special education services in public schools should be fully funded every year? (Special education has been underfunded by the state every year since 2008.) If yes, how will you accomplish full funding? If no, explain why.
I will examine special education practices with the support of the community and the SPED committee to decide what is more effective and ineffective in order to determine programs within SPED that are needed. SPED, in my opinion, should be completely funded. I will look for money from our lottery, LEAs, the farming industry, and factories to help fund our educational progress.
7. Do you agree that Mississippi should provide high quality early childhood education statewide?
Yes.
8. The nation’s top teachers say that the greatest barriers to school success for K-12 students are family stress, poverty, and learning and psychological problems. What steps do you believe legislators should take to alleviate these obstacles for Mississippi children?
1. The legislature should assure that every student enjoys a free lunch, and this criterion should not be based on income.
2. We must reduce the amount of assessments and time we spend testing our children.
3. I will propose that a pipeline be established from school districts to mental health therapists to help with psychological problems.
4. I will ensure that our remote schools have high-speed internet connections.
5. We need to develop additional preventative initiatives, such as pre-kindergarten programs, that will reduce the need for intervention programs.
6. I believe Mississippi legislation should reverse the timing for high school students to leave first and elementary children to leave last; this strategy will help with one of the stressors of after-school care costs.
7. I will design a dual curriculum that will include either a liberal education or a vocational education for students so they can choose their own career paths.
8. I plan to incorporate financial literacy and home economics into our curriculum.
9. In the 2022 Legislative Session, a significant teacher pay raise was passed. Do you support continued pay increases to ensure that Mississippi’s teacher salaries keep pace with inflation and salaries in our neighboring states?
Yes, I favor a continued pay increase for all teachers, not just K–12 teachers. College professors should be included in this compensation increase as well.
10. Do you agree that retired educators (and other retired state employees) should be able to draw their retirement while serving in the Legislature?
Yes.
11. Legislators have little or no staff to help them understand the many bills they must consider. Before introducing or supporting a bill that could affect public education, will you commit to seeking input from teachers, principals, superintendents, and parents of public school students in your district? Who will be advising you on education policies?
Yes, I am an educator and an expert in public education. However, I will solicit the advice of other educators and community members on educational policies.
Although I am able to remain calm under pressure, I will publicly declare that I stand with the people. I won’t let the promise of political gain sway me, and I’ll work openly and honestly to create legislation that benefits all parties.
Chris McDaniel (defeated in primary)
NO RESPONSE
Shane Quick
NO RESPONSE
