Jim Hodges on Education

Former Democratic SC Governor

$10M more for preschools

We need to strengthen our commitment to education. Our budget provides an additional $10 million to expand our preschool initiative, First Steps to School Readiness. These funds will expand First Steps and provide grants for all 46 counties in South Carolina. We’re also funding the Excellence in Middle Schools initiative. These funds will give middle schools the flexibility to hire additional school resource officers, guidance counselors or nurses. Source: Remarks on Legislative Initiatives Jan 8, 2001

Sales tax holiday for back-to-school items

As a parent, I know that the purchase of required school supplies, uniforms and band instruments represent some of the hidden costs of public education. That’s why we proposed the creation of a sales tax holiday on all purchases of clothes and back-to-school items during the first weekend in August. Source: Remarks on Legislative Initiatives Jan 8, 2001

Improve and invest in public schools.

Hodges is a member of the Democratic Governors Association:

Principles of the Democratic Governors Association:

IMPROVING PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND INVESTING IN OUR YOUNGEST CHILDREN

Democratic Governors are leading the way with highly-trained teachers, strong standards and accountability, increased funding to repair and modernize public school facilities, access to technology and computers, and more discipline and safety in the classrooms. Democratic Governors believe the most important aspect to insure a child’s education is to have the best possible teachers in the classroom. They believe that we must value teachers as professionals, encourage their development to be the best teachers they can be for our children and compensate them accordingly. Democratic Governors favor greater parental choice, but oppose measures that weaken public schools diverting taxpayer dollars to private schools with no accountability for results. Democratic Governors around the country are also forming innovative public-private partnerships to create programs to provide early childhood education, nutrition and health care services to ensure that our children have the best possible start in life.

Source: DGA website, www.DemocraticGovernors.org/ 01-DGA2 on Aug 15, 2001

Click here for definitions & background information on Education. Click here for a summary of all issue stances of Jim Hodges. Click here for a profile of Jim Hodges. Click here for VoteMatch responses by Jim Hodges. Agree? Disagree? Voice your opinions on Education or about Jim Hodges in The Forum.
*Other governors on Education:*		*Jim Hodges on other issues:*
AK Frank Murkowski AL Bob Riley AR Mike Huckabee AZ Janet Napolitano CA Arnold Schwarzenegger CO Bill Owens CT Jodi Rell DE Ruth Ann Minner FL Jeb Bush GA Sonny Perdue HI Linda Lingle IA Tom Vilsack ID Dirk Kempthorne IL Rod Blagojevich IN Mitch Daniels KS Kathleen Sebelius KY Ernie Fletcher LA Kathleen Blanco MA Mitt Romney MD Bob Ehrlich ME John Baldacci MI Jennifer Granholm MN Tim Pawlenty MO Matt Blunt MS Haley Barbour	MT Brian Schweitzer NC Mike Easley ND John Hoeven NE Dave Heineman NH John Lynch NJ Jon Corzine NM Bill Richardson NV Kenny Guinn NY George Pataki OH Bob Taft OK Brad Henry OR Ted Kulongoski PA Ed Rendell RI Don Carcieri SC Mark Sanford SD Mike Rounds TN Phil Bredesen TX Rick Perry UT Jon Huntsman VA Tim Kaine VT Jim Douglas WA Christine Gregoire WI Jim Doyle WV Joe Manchin III WY Dave Freudenthal	Abortion Budget/Economy Civil Rights Corporations Crime Drugs Education Energy/Oil Environment Families/Children Foreign Policy Free Trade Govt. Reform Gun Control Health Care Homeland Security Immigration Infrastructure/Technology Jobs Principles/Values Social Security Tax Reform War/Iraq/Mideast Welfare/Poverty