Justin P. Keating - District B

1. What are your top two priorities for the school board and what skills do you bring to the 
board to help you achieve them?

(1) To make a more active Board that does more to let the community know how  good our schools are and can be, and at the same time address the shortcomings we  have. This goal takes no special skills other than a willingness to work with various parts of the community  to get together and tell city residents and prospective residents and ACPS families that children can get a top  notch education here. One of our biggest problems is our image. And although I am not a "fry Mort Sherman"  candidate, he has become too much of a lightning rod in the City. Board members being more actively  engaged with the community can overcome the knee jerk reaction many people have about ACPS. The negative  perceptions of Sherman have contributed to that. Although an important part of my job will be to oversee him,  in the community I will be working hard to get people to pay attention to the important things in the schools  rather than to whether Sherman is good or bad. Internally, I will be working diligently to ensure that his administration gives ground level staff the tools and time they need to do their jobs. I believe that  his self-proclaimed “Mort Speed” approach to policy implementation is sometimes counter-productive.  These goals may at first glance seem contradictory, but they are not because they both aim toward improving the schools. (2) My second priority follows naturally from my statement above regarding how to deal with the administration internally. The Board needs to ask more questions about administration policies and planning. The results of this type of process need to then be relayed  to the community along with an explanation of the process Board members followed to get there. Consider, for  example, the various curriculum programs that ACPS puts into place at individual schools. When it is proposed,  the Board should ask the administration more questions about the research that shows it will work here, probe ways  that it can be tweaked to better serve each affected child (being hesitant to accept anything that appears too "one size fits all") and then setting up defined metrics and goals that will be revisited at set points in time.  At those points in time, the Board  should take an active role in evaluating the program's merits AND in  explaining the decisions on the next steps to the community. I bring skills to the table to assist me in this effort. I make my living as a lawyer asking questions, often about subjects of which I have little substantive knowledge, that those in authority do not want to answer. I also have a lot of experience negotiating contracts between parties with interests that are very disparate in many ways. I can always find a common ground. Failure to do so results in your organization making no progress and nobody wins. Finally, I have the "soft skill" honed in my many labor relations disputes of arguing passionately one day with someone but working hand in hand with the same person the next day on a collaborative effort. So, yes, I'll be 100% comfortable having possibly contentious exchanges with Dr. Sherman and his staff on a Thursday night, then on Friday morning discussing new proposals with him, and standing with him at a PTA ice cream social that afternoon.

2. What are your two top critiques of the system and how do you intend to address them?

(1) We are a relatively small system and I do not think we take advantage of that enough. We should be more nimble with more individualized approach to student improvement. (I intentionally say "improvement" instead of "achievement" because our obligation to our students is more than test scores. It is to improve their ability to make the most of themselves, no matter what their race or socio-economic background or home life.) Instead, we too quickly fall into inefficient blanket approaches. (I must say though, that I see bright spots already in this regard. The AVID program is a good example.) Although in rough terms, I envision a program by which some children would get something similar to an IEP that students in Special Ed get. Many children in the system (such as my own) probably would not need this, but those children without good, engaged support networks at home could benefit. This program could work in close collaboration with other government agencies and community organizations (e.g. youth sports and artistic organizations) to find ways to help a child see how much potential he really has inside him. (2) I believe ACPS needs a better system for identifying principals and teachers who are high performers in various aspects and finding ways for those people to spread their “secrets” to other parts of the system. This is a type of mentoring, but not in the classic sense of senior teachers mentoring younger ones. The effort to spread successes is much more complex.

3. Parents want to understand how Alexandria measures the success of its schools. They also want to know if they are sending their child to a good school. What measures of achievement are now being used? Are they adequate or are additional metrics needed?

Currently, ACPS talks a lot about improvements in some SOLs in some schools. I don't find this particularly helpful and I think it contributes to the myth that these scores tell us more than they really do. We should also look at other "hard" statistics, some of which are showing improvement. Examples might include whether we have a higher percentage of students not just taking, but actually scoring higher on, AP exams. We do not seem to hear much else from ACPS in terms of how we measure academic improvements, other than graduation rates. I would like to have closer examination of, and discuss with the community, some other statistics: • Participation and grades in the middle schools' honors programs • What our placement rates are for Special Ed students seeking employment directly after high school • What type of jobs are non-college bound TCW graduates finding after TCW • In what tangible ways (e.g. job placement in the field, income figures) have participants in our adult education programs seen benefits? These are somewhat "hard" data points that I think would give us a better look at how we are doing at serving various parts of the ACPS student body. With regard to the AP and Honors/TAG programs, I would also want to look at how we are doing at increasing the numbers of racial minority students, students with disabilities, and economically disadvantaged students participating in AND succeeding in those programs. With regard to STEM subjects, I would also want ACPS to talk more about how we are doing in closing the gender gap. A lot of these statistics become more informative when we start comparing them year over year, so these ideas are not necessarily the type that will give us answers in the next six months. But I do not think we should focus only on that type of "hard" data. I want to look into gathering more "soft" measurements. My ideas include: • Parent and student surveys at every level of our system • Active follow up with the non-college bound TCW graduates to find out if they are pleased with how TCW prepared them for the job market and what changes they would recommend • The same type of inquiry with Special Ed graduates and their families to assess how we prepared them for the job market. • Follow up surveys with college student TCW alumni to find out how they are faring as compared to products of other systems in similar types of colleges and academic tracks

4. One of the school board’s major responsibilities is overseeing and managing the superintendent. What do you believe is the right relationship between the school board and the superintendent?

I actually see this as a two part question, because the actual relationship between Board and Superintendent may be different from the public perception of that relationship. In some ways, the perception is as important as the reality. In terms of actual relationship, I believe it should be a very cooperative and collaborative one, but one in which the Superintendent never forgets that he works for the School Board elected by the citizens. As a Board member, I have no interest in doing the Superintendent’s job or the jobs of his administrators. But the Board has a right and obligation to question the administration’s ideas and to intervene where proposed policies take the school system in the wrong policy direction. He is subordinate to the Board. The Board is not an advisory body, yet Dr. Sherman sometimes seems to treat it like one. In terms of the perception of the relationship, the Board needs to either question the Superintendent at meetings or affirmatively explain to the public why such questioning was not necessary. I have no interest in turning Board meetings into adversarial affairs more akin to litigation; on the other hand, the scarcity of questioning by Board members leads the public to justifiably question whether the Board is thinking critically about the administration’s proposals. I understand and partly support the current Board’s efforts at resolving some disagreements privately so that the public is not subjected to bickering at meetings. But that type of off the record negotiation can only happen after the new Board builds more trust with the public, so that the public gradually accepts that the Board members (or at least yours truly) is working matters out “off line” in the interests of candor and efficiency, not because the public is not welcomed. It will not take long for the public to give me that type of trust.

5. Superintendent Sherman stated that, “Our community and students deserve candor and a complete picture when it comes to looking at school and division performance.” On a scale of A to F, how would you grade the school administration on communication, transparency, and candor? If you give a grade less than A, what changes to improve the situation would you recommend?

I will give it a C, and it is a shame, because in other respects I believe ACPS deserves “A”s. Part of the reason for this low grade is the above-referenced constant discussion of SOL scores. I believe the administration spends too much time and energy discussing the positive results, but if they are going to do that, they lose credibility by not giving the negative results equal attention. This is yet another reason to stop talking about the scores; we have other positives to discuss. On the “communication” and “transparency” pieces, I have gone on record as saying that I do not believe the administration has given teachers (and in many situations, parents as well) enough role in new curriculum/teaching programs. Transparency does an organization little good if it is really just window dressing. Real organizational transparency is not just giving stakeholders a look through the window, but bringing them into the process.

6. Because of big enrollment increases in recent years, Alexandria’s elementary schools are bursting at the seams. But these enrollment increases appear to be limiting elementary school choice. How would you address the capacity challenges facing the schools and their effects on parental choice?

I have a few different ideas on this and I will list them from short term solutions to longer term solutions. • Very short term: Trailers at some of the overcrowded elementary schools. This does not solve a problem for long. Aside from being ugly, it does not solve the problem of having so many students in the school that lunch service begins at 10:15 AM. • Somewhat short term: Continue with the modular construction program. This still runs into the internal limit due to use of common areas and facilities within the school. • Medium term (a 5-10 year plan): I believe there is some value in looking into re-purposing existing buildings. If ACPS could turn part of Landmark Mall into a school facility, then similar wonders can probably be had elsewhere in the City. Obviously, cost would be a substantial consideration here: I might not find it wise to spend $5M renovating a building that would be used as a school for 5 years if we could find a way to build a new school for $15M. • Starting to think long term: The City is reportedly releasing a comprehensive study of demographics and population projections in late 2012/early 2013. This study will give us a better idea of what volume of school facility capacity is really needed. I must note here that population projections of the last 5 or so years were apparently way off the mark, so I will question the assumptions of the study and seek well reasoned assurances that this study will not fall victim to the same errors. • Starting to think longer term: Dr. Sherman frequently refers to the “five new schools” we need built. Although the J-H plan is well underway and I believe it should proceed, I want to proceed more cautiously with the other projects. Major renovations are on the drawing board for Patrick Henry, but I have been told by some reliable sources that that building has serious structural problems that might make it cost inefficient to renovate. I would want to discuss this more with the Facilities Director and his staff. At the same time, I plan to personally walk through every nook and cranny of every building we have to get an idea first-hand of how bad the crowding problem is in every school. • Long term: After the above steps are taken, we will have a clearer idea of what need in new construction. One idea I have heard that I like is that we should use the large parcel where Minnie Howard is and build a large facility that could be used for various multiple levels of the middle range of school, e.g. could easily be switched from a Grades 8-9 to Grades 7-8 depending on needs. • Long term: Time to start talking with City Council about funding long term projects. Whether this be a project to re-build Minnie Howard or a more obvious move to build two new elementary schools, ACPS will need the money. The new Board will have to act as lobbyists to Council to get the money. I also recognize that the more money any of these proposals costs, the more difficult it will be to get City Council to finance it because other City projects (mainly Potomac Yard) will be monopolizing a lot of the credit the City has with lenders. To answer the portion of the question of how these issues affect parental choice, I will say that we should adhere to the system of neighborhood school zones. Transfers into a different school zone should be allowed only where the receiving school has capacity. I am open to discussing a system of more open choice, but nobody has shown me a detailed breakdown of how that would work, especially if we are trying to work within the current space limitations.

7. Superintendent Sherman said in October 2011that “eliminating academic achievement differences among race, income, disability and language subgroups must be the highest priority.” This, he said, is “an educational and moral imperative.” Schools across America are struggling to close this achievement gap. Do you believe that Alexandria has been making progress in closing its achievement gaps? If so, what are the best examples? Where and in what areas do we need to do more?

This is a tough question because it is probably the toughest problem we face. If you pick through the SOL scores, you can find a few improvements here and there and other examples where seem to be losing ground. Thus, the evidence there is inconclusive and it also runs counter to my general belief that those scores don’t tell us much. I want to reserve any further “yes” or “no” answer as to whether we have made progress until I can look at some more of the types of statistics I discussed in Question # 5 above. That said, I am impressed by the AVID program because it is a creative approach to exposing children from disadvantaged backgrounds to a world of possibilities and teaching them the doors that open up if they work hard in middle and high school. It is still in its early stages, but I think we will see some fairly tangible positive results from this in a few years. My ideas for further improvement go back to my discussion that we need to make an effort at more individualized education plans for children, plans that integrate with other City agencies and non-government organizations that can play an important role in a child’s life. Closing the achievement gap becomes closer to our reach if we can improve a child’s entire life, not just what he does during school hours. This is slow and inefficient effort, but the goal at stake is worth it.

8. One of the board’s major responsibilities is budgeting. How do you restrain costs and still provide what students need?

The most simple and obvious way is to just look for line items that do not seem to have a valuable purpose. I think the Board needs to take a closer look at consultant fees and ask if the service was really necessary and/or if it could have been performed by an ACPS employee. Finally, I will always be on the lookout for ways we can spend money more efficiently. Good examples are buying assistive technology (software and devices) that can be used not only for Special Ed, but also for general population students and others.

9. Despite increasing enrollment, there is a perception that some parents continue to question the quality of Alexandria’s public schools and send their children to private school or to a public school elsewhere. Is this perception accurate, and if so, what can and should the school system do, if anything, to convince these families to stay in Alexandria schools?

The perception that “some parents continue to question the quality” is unfortunately correct. Many do continue to doubt that their children can receive a first class education here. The perception itself is inaccurate. The school system needs the community’s help in battling this misperception. I have already started talking with various community leaders about how can turn this tide and convince people that ACPS has very good schools. I think ACPS should have very well publicized open houses at each school twice a year. And they need to publicize them in a way that reaches to the residents who don’t have children. Indeed, it should be heavily marketed to them in a way that points out all the reasons they should care.

10. There is pressure on school systems to develop rigorous teacher evaluation systems. Virginia requires that 40% of a teacher’s evaluation be based on student outcomes. Because the state allows districts some flexibility in determining those outcomes, what makes sense for Alexandria?

As I understand the law, 40% is only required for teachers at schools in PLA status. At other schools, the student outcome component can be as low as 20%. I say that with a disclaimer that I am not an expert in this area of VA law and have not yet researched it to any substantial extent. Given my general objections to using SOL scores for much of anything, I obviously object to using them to form even 20% of a teacher’s evaluation, let alone 40%. I would want to do more legal research and speak with people more knowledgeable about this area of law to get a better idea of just how far the concept of “student outcomes” can be stretched. Seemingly objective measurements like SOLs are misleading because each teacher has unique student demographics that can affect the scores in that class and because relying too much on the SOLs encourages teachers to focus too much on them and distracts from other methods of learning and teaching. Subjective measurements must be adequately diffused so that, for example, a classroom observation evaluation by a principal is not given undue weight. We would be naïve to think that personal agendas do not often rear their ugly head in those evaluations. In principle, I have no objection to some measure of student outcomes being a factor in a teacher’s evaluation. But I am adamant that there needs to be adequate provisions that account in some way for the demographics of the students the individual teacher has. I would also want to take a closer look at how other jurisdictions have tried to strike this balance and what levels of success they have had.

11. Despite much effort, many parents of special needs children do not feel satisfied with the services being provided to their children. Indeed, this is evidenced by the fact that parents are often seeking redress in the courts. What do you think the school board can do to address the issues with the system’s efforts to help children with special needs.

The first problem is that we seem to be short on staffing. Special Ed teachers have been given heavier IEP caseloads, which inevitably dilutes the attention they can give to each IEP and to regular classroom duties. Improving this situation obviously costs money, but extra Special Ed professionals can assist homeroom and subject matter teachers with their own classes. This is a win-win situation for students with and without disabilities. As shown by some of my earlier responses, I have a lot of interest in the efficiency of buying technical aids and software that have application for many different students. This helps us stay away from any suggestion by non-Special Ed parents that Special Ed programs are consuming too much of our budget resources for a small number of children. Those suggestions are not helpful and divide our community, so any way we can find to preempt them is worth pursuing. I also believe that ACPS needs to give the Special Ed Advisory Committee (SEAC) more input than it is currently giving it. On average, the non-ACPS employee members of SEAC are positive and supportive of the administration’s efforts, and recognize that vast improvements have been made. In my view, this gives them a great deal of credibility when they do have constructive criticisms and suggestions for improvement. I note that the question asks what “the School Board can do to can do to address the issues with the system’s efforts to help children with special needs.” The phrasing of this question gives me another example to describe how I see my role as a School Board member: I have no intention of reviewing IEPs, or calling for Board votes mandating the maximum number of IEP caseloads per Special Ed case manager/teacher, or of shopping at the assistive technology fairs to buy new software for the classrooms. My role will be listening to the “off the record” comments that parents and teachers will make to me privately and keeping those in mind as I evaluate the performance of our Special Ed programs. On issues on which I believe the administration is not adequately addressing legitimate concerns and criticism raised by parents and teachers (either to me privately or in public) I will work with the administration to address those concerns. This would become a productive collaborative process, but not one in which I act as the “shadow” Special Ed Coordinator for ACPS. This is the balance required of an effective Board member. I believe that Dr. Sherman has tried to push some current Board members in a direction that is too far away from the nuts and bolts of the administration. I want to re-adjust that balance.

12. Despite the increase in enrollment, there are families of young children who still have doubts about ACPS and plan on sending their children to private schools or move out of the city. How can ACPS improve its communication to families of younger children?

This is a good question. As a parent of a 2013 kindergartener, I knew very little about ACPS, and I pay probably more than average attention to local government affairs. All I knew about Maury, two blocks from my house, up until early 2012 (when I started paying more direct attention to school issues) was what I would hear through the gossip grapevine on the playground or at the coffee shop. Earlier this year, I e-mailed the Maury PTA and asked if my wife and I could get a tour of the school as soon to be Maury parents. The PTA leader was very helpful and happy to give us a tour. It made us very excited for our son to started there in 2013. It is not fair to put all the blame for this on ACPS, although I think ACPS can and should be a partner in improving the situation. The partnership should be with community leaders and the various neighborhood civic associations. The civic associations are very strong, I believe ACPS would be well advised to get their help in publicizing the great things that are going on in our schools. I want to start a program of community outreach in conjunction with those organizations and local businesses. (Realtors are a business group that would gladly take an active role in this.) We should hold one or two open houses per year at each school. A weekend morning or afternoon would be ideal. Although I hesitate to heap more burden on the PTAs, I think they would be the best groups to act as the main coordinators for the events, but I have no doubt that if they worked with the civic associations they would easily get the volunteers needed and get food donated. My wife and I would have gladly gone to one of these even before our children were born. If we were given notice of one in a neighboring school zone (eg Mt. Vernon or Jefferson-Houston) we would have done that too because it would affect our future plans for another house. We need to have these open houses and we need to publicize them by various methods, e.g. local media outlets, civic association list-serves, and old fashioned leafleting on porches. A group calling itself “Friends of ACPS” is starting up. I believe they have the absolute right idea of trying to act as the informal boosters of how great our schools are and can be, especially if we have more active families in the school community. I have pledged to assist them in any way I can. If I get elected, I will look forward to giving their effort the unofficial “weight” of a sitting School Board member. As a candidate, I have become accustomed to roaming the neighborhoods with my children knocking on doors asking for votes; I’ll be even happier to do it for the purpose of inviting community members to an event at the local school.

13. What is the one decision made by the board in the last six years that you disagreed with and how would you have voted differently?

This question, like some of the others, gives rise to another discussion about how I approach issues and problems in general. But to answer the question directly, if I had to pick one decision it would be the splitting of the middle schools into separate internal schools. I have not been able to find an adequate explanation for how this came about or what the reasons were for it. I have tried to find an explanation for how this helps the students there. I’m still open to explanations of why it makes sense for the students. Based on what I know now, it just seems to create disparity; I can’t see any sort of internal competitive benefit from this. My larger criticism of the Board’s actions over the last few years is what it has NOT done as a body. (Although some individual members may have tried on some of these items, the collective voice is too quiet.) It has NOT insisted on more verification of Sherman’s conclusions and shared that information with the community. It has NOT given the public the data to show whether or not we really have a teacher retention problem. It did NOT do enough to lobby City Council for funding for new schools. It has NOT insisted on clearer metrics for success for all the new curriculum programs and it has NOT done enough to follow up/evaluate the success or lack of success of such programs. The new School Board can do a better job at this. Having me at the table will be a real asset to that effort.