PLATFORM
LIST OF ISSUES
"I come from proud a family that has been involved with public service for as long as I can remember. I want to work for you. We need to create more living wage jobs, improve our schools, and make public safety - especially getting guns off the streets, a top priority. With nearly a decade of government experience, I know what it takes to find solutions, navigate the complicated governmental agencies, and get things done."
Class Size
In tough budgetary times, school administration needs to make every effort to lower class sizes. Students, especially minority students and those from low-income backgrounds, cannot receive individual, personalized attention from the teacher when classes are severely overcrowded. Teachers are being asked to do more with less, and they need ample support from all levels in ensuring student success. When class size often determines student success, our focus must be on the learning needs of the students.
Smaller classes in the early grades (K-3) can boost student academic achievement; A class size of no more than 18 students per teacher is required to produce the greatest benefits;A program spanning grades K-3 will produce more benefits than a program that reaches students in only one or two of the primary grades;
Low-income students and students of color show even greater gains when placed in small classes in the primary grades; The experience and preparation of teachers is a critical factor in the success or failure of class size reduction programs;
Reducing class size will have little effect without enough classrooms and well-qualified teachers; and
Supports, such as professional development for teachers and a rigorous curriculum, enhance the effect of reduced class size on academic achievement.
External Audit
Students and taxpayers of Prince George’s County deserve a full external audit of the school system's budget every 2 years. With cuts to education becoming a nationwide endemic, we must explore any cost-saving measures that can be afforded to the school system without affecting student growth, achievement and each student’s ability to reach their maximum potential. The first step is transparency and openness so that the School Board has a complete financial picture. This has been something that the current members of the School Board board have inexplicably been opposed to for multiple years. *Per Maryland state law, an audit is required every six years.
Parent Engagement
I’m committed to expanding and encouraging parent involvement in PGCPS. I support creating a position (Be more specific. What kind of “position”? Why not a Parent Teacher Advisory Board, instead of a position.) that will work full time to devise strategies and programs that will get even more parents involved in the education of their children. The National Education Association has consistently supported the belief that academic success is directly tied with close parental involvement. As your school board member, I will make every attempt to encourage and grow parental engagement in our school system.
Special Education
Anti-bullying measures are important and need to be expanded in the special education community. Special Education students are at a greater risk of being bullied than other students. It is our duty to ensure that all students feel safe and comfortable in the school environment. Additionally, it’s critical that students have adequate resources and instructional programs in place for them to be able to attend their local area schools.
Innovative Programs
I’m a strong supporter of specialized programs including language immersion, vocational, magnet (Also, usually separate school.), and Montessori (Usually these are separate schools, but does PGCPS have such programs?) programs. As a School Board, it’s important that we provide students and their families with a variety of programs that caters to choice, specialized needs and specific interests.
All students are different, and they thrive in different environments. As a product of a public school’s vocational-technical school program I understand the importance and benefits of a smaller learning community. I support the “Middle College” program which would allow high school students to begin earning college credits with the potential to graduate with an associate’s degree at no cost to them.
Middle College Reference: https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www1.pgcps.org/WorkArea/DownloadAsset.aspx%3Fid%3D143481&sa=U&ved=0ahUKEwiiptSN4pPOAhVGXD4KHet2Dm8QFggHMAE&client=internal-uds-cse&usg=AFQjCNE1gu9cRqh9UPxbM_tTaDxvVTZgiw
Financial Literacy
Courses in Financial Literacy should be offered as an elective in all high schools. This subject is becoming increasingly relevant in today’s society, everyday skills such as personal banking, investing in savings, using a credit card, and managing finances are all essential skills that students are not exposed to otherwise. A practical course in everyday finance will aid students in achieving long-term financial stability beyond graduation
For example, I support the JA Finance Park. This knowledge serves as a foundation in personal finance education and gives them the skills they need to take on their JA Finance Park ® experience successfully. Students' experience culminates at JA Finance Park ®, where they have the opportunity to put their newly-learned skills to the test in this digital, 21st century, innovative learning environment.
Graduation Rates
PGCPS is one of the nation’s 25 largest school districts in the United States and the second largest school system in Maryland. As of the 2015 the current graduation rate is at 78.8 percent. I support legislation that would raise the dropout age to 18 in order to work towards helping more students graduate from the school system. At age 16 a young person is typically not ready to make a decision about their educational future that will affect them for the rest of their lives. We have to do more to ensure that more students are graduating, and promote the intrinsic value of completing a high school education.
Parent Engagement
I’m committed to expanding and encouraging parent involvement in PGCPS. I support creating a position (Be more specific. What kind of “position”? Why not a Parent Teacher Advisory Board, instead of a position.) that will work full time to devise strategies and programs that will get even more parents involved in the education of their children. The National Education Association has consistently supported the belief that academic success is directly tied with close parental involvement. As your school board member, I will make every attempt to encourage and grow parental engagement in our school system.
Budget
I would like to establish two committees for the budget process. Business and Finance works with both the Employee’s and the Citizen’s Budget Advisory Committees, and with school and program administrators to determine enrollment projections and anticipated programmatic changes.
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Citizens’ Budget Advisory Committee: This 14 person committee of community volunteers will develop recommendations for the school district budget. The role of the committee is to solicit community input at the front end of the process rather than waiting for public response to a proposed budget as the deadline for adoption nears in the springtime.
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Employees’ Budget Advisory Committee: with the formation of a similar group comprised of delegates from the district’s various employee groups and collective bargaining stakeholders. Both advisory committees will provide input to the school board as it works toward adoption of the budget
