Steve Toth*

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Survey Responses

Did not respond to the 2024, 2022, or 2020 ATPE Candidate Survey.
 

Below are the candidate's responses to the 2018 ATPE Candidate Survey:

1. If elected, what will your top priorities for public education be?

1) Increase local control. 2) Eliminate unfunded mandates 3) Ensure that CEI (Cost of Education Index) funds are used to pay teachers and not used for non classroom expenses. Currently, only 5 of 1,240 ISD's in Texas use 100% of their CEI funds to pay teachers. 4) Limit TEA reporting requirements. Teachers have too much paperwork thus limiting quality time with kids.

 

2. Is there a need to increase state funding to meet the needs of our student population? If so, how would you recommend securing more revenue for public education?

Current funding levels are about right. The problem is that ISD's have put a greater emphasis on buildings rather than the classroom. If Texas cuts back on its crusade of unfunded mandates we will have the money needed to properly educate our kids.

 

3. Healthcare costs for educators have increased dramatically and outpaced the state's contributions, with many current and retired educators now paying more out of pocket than their counterparts in other states or in other professions. As a legislator, how would you address this crisis to ensure that active and retired educators have access to affordable healthcare?

The TRS Care program is grossly underfunded. My colleagues and I made a big issue out of this in the 83rd Session when I came in as a Freshman. The State of Texas has betrayed the trust of its teachers by not properly funding TRS Care. I will continue to speak up about it and vote to adequately fund this program.

 

4. Do you believe the Teacher Retirement System (TRS) should be maintained as a traditional defined benefit pension plan for all future, current, and retired educators, or do you support converting TRS to a defined contribution plan that is more like a 401(k) plan, in which future benefits are not guaranteed?

TRS Care for retired teachers and those who are currently employed should be guaranteed by the DB program they were promised. Future hires should be moved to a Defined Contribution in order to be able to meet the retirement needs of the current DB program. Teachers should not trust their retirement to politicians. Look at the mess TRS Care is currently in. Why is it a mess? Because of politicians from both parties, Democrat and Republican made promises they didn't keep. A DC plan mandates the State to match participants contribution each year.

 

5. What do you feel is the proper role of standardized testing in Texas's public education system? For instance, should student test scores be used for school accountability purposes, for evaluating teachers, for measuring student progress, etc.?

High stakes testing is a failure. All too much time is spent teaching to the test. There are plenty of ways to judge the quality of education without STAAR.

 

6. Would you support a state-funded across-the-board pay raise for all Texas classroom teachers?

No because it won't go to teachers. CEI Funds are suppose to go to teachers yet only 5 out of 1,240 ISD's comply.

 

7. To what extent should student performance determine teacher pay?

None

 

8. Would you vote to create any type of voucher, tax credit, scholarship, education savings account, or other program aimed at paying for students, including any subpopulation of students, to attend non-public K-12 schools, such as private or home schools?

In a situation where the State of Texas has identified a school that is failing ie. Kids are being recruited by gangs or excessive violence I would support parents having the choice to move them to another school with a voucher.

 

9. State law allows educators and other public employees to voluntarily choose to join professional associations like ATPE and have membership dues deducted from their paychecks at no cost to taxpayers. Do you support or oppose letting all public employees use payroll deduction for their membership dues?

It should be the teacher's choice.

 

10. Current law allows school districts with accountability ratings of "C" or better to become Districts of Innovation (DOIs) and exempt themselves from many state statutes, such as elementary school class-size limits, requirements for hiring certified teachers, and more. Would you recommend any changes to the criteria for becoming a DOI? Would you place any limitations on the state laws that can be waived by DOIs?

I would have to see what the proposed legislation consists of.