S.C. Code of Laws Title 59 Chapter 41 Grants To Students Attending Private Schools - www.scstatehouse.gov-LPITS

S.C. Code of Laws Title 59 Chapter 41 Grants To Students Attending Private Schools - www.scstatehouse.gov-LPITS

Never say never.

2008-09-School-District-Budgets.pdf (application/pdf Object)

2008-09-School-District-Budgets.pdf (application/pdf Object)

Money is not the problem. Check out per pupil expenditures.

Diplomas_Count_2010_Digital_Edition.pdf (application/pdf Object)

Diplomas_Count_2010_Digital_Edition.pdf (application/pdf Object)

Only 55% of students graduate on time based on Education Weekly's latest report. It is time to offer multiple pathways to a high school diploma.

"A general State education is a mere contrivance for molding people to be exactly like one another; as the mold in which casts them is that which pleases the predominate power in the government...it establishes a despotism over the mind...." John Stuart Mill, On Liberty, 1859

"Just say No to status quo..."

"Just say No to status quo," is my motto and I hope to convince you of the same. A prime example:

Zais is part of the problem and not the solution. He has served on the Commission of Higher Education (CHE) as a non-voting member. CHE is chartered to work with the Superintendent of Education for a seamless transition between secondary and post-secondary institutions. CHE policy requires only 19 academic credits for admission to state colleges. However, students must have 24 credits to graduate from SC high schools.

In fact CHE found that no other state requires more core credits for a high school diploma than SC. Our diploma is considered advanced by other state standards.

These five non-essential credits are costing the SC taxpayers over a 1/2 a BILLION DOLLARS ANNUALLY! This is an extremely expensive practice CHE and Zais have not corrected.

Zais is also well aware of the ill effects of the SC Uniform Grading Scale. It was developed when the lottery came into being. This unfair and non-competitive 7-point grading scale favors out-of-state student in admissions to our colleges. Zais is a member of the South Carolina Regional Education Association (SCREA) that oversees K-12 education. He has done nothing to address the issue.

The law specified that SC had to set a uniform grading scale that was in the best interest of students. A 7-point grading scale became the norm. However, it is not in the student's best interest because an 81% in SC is a C. Out-of-state students working with a 10-point grading scale earn a B with the same 81. SC colleges like this 7-point scale. It justifies giving admission to an out-of-state student with the higher GPA but the same numerical grade. That student will pay higher out-of-state tuition, a clear financial advantage to the SC institution. Clearly a 7-point scale puts SC students at a disadvantage.

Zais was a SC college president and benefited from this lopsided equation. He would not want to change that revenue stream. Additionally, more secondary students qualifying for lottery funding means less lottery money available to lure research professors with expensive endowment chairs.

As a mother, I would never trust Zais to take care of the educational development of my young children or any other child. He has no exposure to or experience with K-12 issues. He says kids that can't read should drop out. But SC obviously needs more kids reading, not more drop-outs! What corrective plan does he offer? None. He doesn't have the slightest idea of how or why this is a problem.

The Department of Education sets the Standards of Learning. It has established a department for each of the subjects. SC sets very high learning standards. For example, SC has decided that children in kindergarten should be able to read. This is not age, grade or developmentally appropriate except for the most advanced children. Kindergarten is the proper time to learn socialization and recognition of letters and numbers. Certainly though, all children should have developed the ability to read before leaving third grade. I propose a complete review of these standards to align them with appropriate age and development levels of performance. Once again, Zais has no policy offering.

The worst news for parents comes from Baron Holmes, Director of S.C. Kids Count. He says, "We [SC] have never had a formal state reading plan." This is not great news for those of us who thought schools taught reading. We not only don't teach reading in schools, we don't know how to. Also, these teachers were taught by post-secondary education to be teachers for secondary education – but they're not taught how to teach. It is absolutely mind bending! The Department of Education needs better, more effective and practical policies, not more of the Zais status quo.

The SC high school graduation rate is appallingly low. Recall that Zais serves CHE and SCREA, both of which are charged with improving K-12. The SCREA lists the graduation rate at 61% with a 39% dropout rate. That's horrific! What has Zais identified as the problem? What has he offered as solutions? Nothing!

Jobs, education and economic development are all related to each state's high school graduation rates. Why? The perceived quality of education is tied to those rates. Families with young children will be placing their children in local schools. If SC wants to lure new businesses here it must address the issue of the current very low high school graduation percentage. Zais' status quo approach will only mean more of the same sub-standard educational performance we have endured so long.

SC offers only a college prep high school diploma. That is not appropriate to all of our students. I propose that we institute vocational education statewide. Zais is silent on the subject.

Virginia has 5 high school diplomas including advanced, general, modified, technical and special needs. New Jersey only requires 16 credits for a high school diploma and accepts out of state transcripts for a their diploma. These states are graduating their students and we aren't.

I offer Real Choice and Real Change. I have developed common-sense, practical educational initiatives to improve SC secondary education and raise the high school graduation rate. I issue with SC secondary education is not money. It is the dysfunctional policies in place. I offer workable solutions.

Just say NO to Mick Zais on June 8.

SC Elects Women // Elizabeth Moffly

Women and politics. Check out my link with the South Eastern Institute.

SC Elects Women // Elizabeth Moffly

Wednesday’s letters to the editor - Letters - TheState.com

The State editorial on Elizabeth Moffly for Superintendent of Education.

Wednesday’s letters to the editor - Letters - TheState.com

GOP candidates seek votes as primary nears

Great article on my plans for education from stumping in Orangeburg.
GOP candidates seek votes as primary nears

HSLDA: Common Core State Standards Initiative

Birth to college and government institutions of education threaten personal freedoms. Standardization removes unique ability from the learning environment.

HSLDA: Common Core State Standards Initiative