Phil Leventis believes in public education. He believes our state's education policy must be based on achievement in our public school system, not abandonment of it. Initiatives such as First Steps, full-day kindergarten, incentives for increased teacher quality, and school accountability must receive full support and funding.
As your state senator, he will continue to focus on fighting for programs that help kids get ready for the first grade. He'll keep standing up for smaller classes so children get the attention they deserve. And he'll keep pushing to give teachers the resources they need to get the job done.

"That's why my four children all went to public school," Leventis says. "You can count of me to continue to stand up for our children and fight for the best education our state can give them. It's not just their future. It's the future of our community."
"For the past 24 years in the state Senate, I've stood up for public education because I know that a good education is the road to economic success. It's the road to better jobs and better lives for our children. That's why I work hard for educational initiatives like First Steps and full-day kindergartens that help our children get ready for first grade."

Teacher Morale: Leventis says improving teacher quality must be job number one. He believes it can be done in two ways.

"And education should not stop at high school. That's why I fought - and won - the battle to make USC-Sumter a four-year college. Now, our students will be able to get their degrees here where they live and work."

First, incentives for teacher quality improvement must be continued and enhanced. Teachers who cannot teach students to today's demanding and ever increasing educational standards must be removed from the classroom.

Second, based on progress of teacher quality, teacher pay must be raised to the national average as soon as possible. Once this goal is achieved, Leventis believes we must continue to set even higher standards for both quality and pay for this critical profession. Our state's continued progress depends on it.

Phil Leventis believes we have to continue improving teacher quality, boost teacher participation and fund alternative schools to improve the overall classroom environment.

Teacher Participation: We must also create designated seats on boards of education at all levels for active, working classroom teachers, Leventis says. This is critical to better the decision making process for educational issues.

Student Discipline: A few disruptive students can inhibit teaching and learning for many. To address this critical problem, funding for alternative schools and alternative programs within existing schools must be improved so that there can be at least one fully funded, permanent alternative school in every county. Disruptive students must be removed from regular classroom settings and given the attention they need. This will allow students in the classroom to have a much better environment in which to learn. This will also improve working conditions for all classroom teachers. Alternative programs must include a plan to return students from the "alternative track" to regular programs when they are prepared to behave and to learn in the normal surroundings.

Learn more about Phil Leventis:

• Military service -- Phil is a decorated retired fighter pilot
  
  
• Public service -- Phil's family believes in giving back
  
  
• Small business success -- small business owner, chair of a local bank, more
  
  
• Family life -- Married for 32 years; 4 children

A SOLID RECORD OF
EDUCATIONAL ACHIEVEMENT

In his years in the Senate, South Carolina has made amazing strides in education, but Leventis says there's still a long way to go.

"Continued progress in our state begins with education. The ability to attract economic investment, jobs and families to South Carolina all depends on the quality of education we as a state can provide. I offer you my record of support for progressive educational initiatives and ask for your vote."

Among the initiatives Leventis supported:

• Fighting to make USC-Sumter a four-year college.
  
  
• The Education Accountability Act.
  
  
• First Steps.
  
  
• Full-day kindergarten.
  
  
• Increased pay for teachers.
  
  
• The billion-dollar bond bill for school construction - accomplished without raising taxes.
  
  
• Smaller classrooms for K-3.
  
  
• Increased teacher pay and incentives for nationally certified teachers - resulting in almost a 100-fold increase in the number of nationally certified teachers in the last 3½ years.
  
  
• Funding for endowed chairs at our three major research Universities.
  
  
• Ensured that local school boards can manage school calendars without mandates from the state.