THE DELTA KAPPA GAMMA SOCIETY INTERNATIONAL
CHI STATE LEGISLATIVE PLATFORM

The Platform was established in May 1981 and has been reviewed and revised in 1989, 1997
 and 2003

"To initiate, endorse, and support desirable legislation in the interest of education and of women
 educators" is Purpose Number Four of the Delta Kappa Gamma Society International.  This
 mandate is reinforced and expanded in Purpose Number Seven, "To inform the membership of
 current economic, social, political, and educational issues to the end that they may become
 intelligent, functioning members of a world society."  Chi State members believe that free public
 education is a basic and essential part of our national heritage.  Therefore, Chi State Members
 will support programs that provide free public educatiion of high quality and equal opportunity
 for all.

To fulfill these Purposes, Chi State will seek to initiate and support legislation in the following
areas:

EQUAL EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL

Chi State recognizes that the purpose of education is to enable individuals to become
responsible, productive adults and to continue intellectual, personal, and spiritual pursuits
throughout their lifetimes.  To this end Chi State supports measures that will provide:

     1.  A public education system from early childhood through higher education,
         including adult education.

     2.  Programs of instruction, guidance, and counseling to permit optimum
         development of abilities and skills.

     3.  Programs to encourage and make use of innovative methods to reach every child,
         building on the cultural backgrounds of all children.

PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES FOR CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT

To meet their professional responsibilities, educators must:

     1.  Be held accountable for the fulfillment of their professional role in the education
         and well-being of youth.

     2.  Assume major responsibility for working with students, parents, policy makers,
         and the general public in determining the goals and objectives of the schools.

     3.  Assume the leadership role in curriculum planning and in the implementation of
         the educational program in order to achieve the goals and objectives of the
         schools.

     4.  Assume major responsibility for delivery of services to students and must protect
         student-teacher interpersonal relationships from excessive time infringements.

     5.  Actively support the implementation of existing legislation to provide a safe and
         secure environment for students and school personnel.

     6.  Re-examine the extent to which schools should be responsible for educating
         recalcitrant students and should support legislation for alternative programs.

PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS

Every child has the right to be instructed by competent teachers.  Maintenance of high standards
for the teaching profession is essential and Chi State supports measures to provide for:

     1.  Involvement of educators, including classroom teachers, in decisions concerning
         teaching credential requirements.

     2.  Teaching credential requirements which include a balance of courses in academic
         fields as well as instruction in physical, intellectual, emotional, and social growth
         and development of the learner as they apply to the role of the teacher.

     3.  Pre-service preparation requiring some courses, beginning no later than the
         sophomore year of college, which combine observation of and involvement with
         students of varying ages and instructional levels and include a variety of
         experiences with pupils from differing ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds.

     4.  More emphasis on early screening of teacher candidates prior to their entering
         training to determine their sensitivity to, and understanding of, human relations
         as well as their suitability for a teaching career.

     5.  Continuous evaluation of teacher training candidates.

     6.  Early and continuous evaluation of teachers and administrators.  In-service
         training designed with emphasis on knowledge, skills, and attitudes towards
         those they teach, and sensitivity to, and understanding of, human relations.

     7.  An orderly process for the release of incompetent and unsuitable educators.

EMPLOYMENT CONDITIONS

Agreements on employer-employee relations need to be made in an orderly manner.
Chi state supports measures that will:

     1.  Provide teachers a professional atmosphere in which to carry out their
         responsibilities to their students without undue or improper restraint, permitting
         them to present factual information on conflicting sides of controversial issues.

     2.  Protect by law the continued employment of competent teachers.

     3.  Safeguard, improve, and strengthen the State Teachers' Retirement System.

     4.  Establish procedures whereby agreements concerning goals of the educational
         program, conditions and terms of employment, and the content and mode of
         instruction can be achieved in an orderly manner.

FINANCIAL STRUCTURE OF EDUCATION

Every student is entitled to a quality education.  The burden of the financial structure of the
system of education must lie with the state rather than with local districts.  Chi State supports
measures to provide for:

     1.  The major financial burden of the cost of education to be borne by the state,
         equalizing contributions with consideration for the tax basis of local school
         districts.

     2.  State financial support for state-mandated programs.

     3.  Public funds allocated for education to be used for public schools only.

     4.  A financial structure for the education system that includes a cost-of-living index
         escalation clause.