What Are Terran Perry’s Core Beliefs in Education?

Terran Perry of Hammond, Louisiana served in the United States Army prior to becoming a teacher. Joining the military is a tradition in his family.

Terran Perry has made incredible strides in improving Hammond’s educational system in the years he’s worked for local schools and districts. He has served as a teacher, assistant principal, principal, supervisor, district network leader, and chief administrator of a high school magnet program. Terran has won numerous awards and accolades for his achievements. His transforming ideas about education drive Terran Perry to work even harder to make a difference in the world.

STEM Education Is Key

Terran Perry is a zealous advocate of STEM education. Terran designed, facilitated, and helped to implement St. John the Baptist Parish School System’s first STEM high school magnet program. He believes focusing on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics together can better prepare students for real-world careers. Terran thinks placing a stronger emphasis on STEM learning in Louisiana can keep the state on par with the trend toward globalization, and help students earn better-paying jobs.

Kids Should Be College and Career Ready

Terran’s faith in the STEM system goes hand-in-hand with his belief that all students should be both college and career ready. Terran has spoken out against writing children off, and instead pushes to identify ways to meet each child’s individual needs. He believes intervention at early childhood stages can lead to improved performance on tests such as the ACT in the future. This can ultimately empower students by giving them more options for jobs and colleges.

Magnet Programs Should Be Larger

Terran Perry is a proud graduate of the Hammond High Magnet School, where he first realized his love for this educational system. As an educator, Terran believes magnet programs can help “iron sharpen iron.” In other words, he thinks placing high-performing students together will optimize their potential. Terran thinks schools should label more children as gifted and talented than the number of students labeled as recommended for expulsion.

Teachers Deserve Better Pay

Terran Perry’s focus is on the students. He believes that one of the fastest ways to fix problems in the educational system is to improve teacher job satisfaction. During his campaign for the Tangipahoa School Board, Terran listed one of his goals as exploring ways to increase salaries for teachers and other school employees. He said increasing pay could show support and appreciation for teachers, which in turn could motivate them to perform better at their jobs. Thus, children would benefit. Terran even drafted proposals identifying ways to increase pay for school bus drivers. 

Terran Perry has students’ best interests in mind in everything he stands for. His main mission is to ensure all students have access to a high quality education.