Wes Hayes on TV to talk about School Funding Reform

"In Our Schools" TV program will focus on comprehensive revenue, funding reform

 

COLUMBIA –   A special live edition of the "In Our Schools" television program this coming weekend features a roundtable discussion on funding 21^st century public schools in South Carolina.  

 

The one-hour telecast airs at 6 p.m. Sunday, August 17, on South Carolina ETV.  "In Our Schools" is a series designed for parents, educators and community partners and produced by ITV, which is part of the Department of Education, with ETV's assistance. 

 

The August 17 program will be hosted by State Superintendent of Education Jim Rex, who will lead a conversation with business, education and community leaders on the negative impact of property tax reduction legislation, on the shortfall in funding for education and on the need for comprehensive revenue and funding reform.  Viewers can participate in the program by e-mailing their questions to inourschools@scetv.org.

 

Rex's guests on the telecast include:

• Representative Gilda Cobb-Hunter (D) of Orangeburg County, a member of the House Ways and Means Committee
• Senator Wes Hayes (R) of York County, a member of the Senate's Education Committee
• Robert Kroom, assistant director of the South Carolina Association of Counties
• Howard Duvall, director of the Municipal Association of South Carolina
• Greenville County school board Debi Bush, president of the South Carolina School Boards Association
• Karen Woodward, superintendent of Lexington School District One
• Jim Reynolds, president of Total Comfort Service Center, Inc. and a board member for New Carolina, South Carolina's Council on Competitiveness

 

As the new school year gets under way, Rex is starting another round of town hall meetings statewide to build support for public school funding reform legislation.  His major themes are the need for student-centered funding, teacher pay reform and new fiscal accountability measures.   

Laying the groundwork for a new system of fair and equitable funding by addressing the way South Carolina raises and distributes all state revenues – with a special focus on public schools – is Rex's chief priority before the new legislative session in January 2009.    

Sunday night's program will be repeated on August 21 and 25 and on September 8 from 10:30-11:30 a.m. on Channel 301 for taping by schools (unlimited rights).