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?
| Expanding educational opportunity for all students in ACPS would be my key focus as a school board member. If elected, I plan to prioritize actions that set up all students to reach their highest potential. Based on my experience as an educator and many conversations with members of the community, I would focus on: • Prioritizing Teacher and Leader Quality: The most successful schools and school systems are those with the strongest leadership at every level. I commit to ensure that there are strong systems and structures in place to recruit, cultivate and retain excellent leaders in our system. I want to ensure that teachers receive meaningful, effective, and efficient professional development that is designed by and for teachers. • Expanding Early Childhood Education: I will fight tirelessly for access to early childhood programs for all students in Alexandria City. If we don’t focus on early childhood education, and early literacy development then we are setting back our children from day one. Studies show that half of the achievement gap that exists by the 12th grade is present before Kindergarten ever begins. Similarly, a 30 million word gap exists between middle and low income families by Kindergarten. Providing early childhood education is one of the best ways to level the playing field for students and stop the achievement gap before it begins. As the only candidate with classroom teaching experience, I bring the perspective and skill-set of an educator to the board. I will draw from my front line experience as a teacher, teacher coach, and education non-profit manager to formulate policy that expands access to opportunity to all of our students. As a teacher, I helped craft a dual language program. I navigated multiple curricula, professional development opportunities and assessment resources in order to lead my students towards our academic goals. As a teacher coach, I supported teachers in using curricular resources to design instructional tools such as goals, plans, assessments, and data tracking systems. As an education non-profit manager, I have engaged in multi-year, annual, and quarterly strategic planning processes that work toward a specific vision and include strategic priorities. I have managed both public-private partnership contracts, and components of an $8.5 million annual operating budget. I have had the ability to source talent, hire, coach and develop, and promote individuals, as well as terminate ineffective employees when necessary. I have worked closely with 163 schools and district leaders in Washington D.C. and Prince George’s County, MD, along with community based organizations, teachers, and families. I understand the importance of collaboration and seeking multiple perspectives to both truly understand an issue and make decisions that represent the needs and interests of the community. I have a Master’s in Teaching and Spanish language fluency which would allow me to engage directly with a large portion of our ELL community. |
2. What are your two top critiques of the system and how do you intend to address them?
| While I think that there is a strong desire to do right by our students, my top two critiques focus on meeting the needs of all families and students through having authentic conversations with parents and community members and differentiation of instruction for all students. 1. Transparency: Families and community members want to know how decisions are made at the school and system level. They want to know what discussion went into decisions, and what role they can play in influencing decisions that will affect their students and community. As seen with the recent roll-out of the extended day program at Jefferson Houston, a number of families didn’t feel like they had the opportunity to weigh in on the decision-making process before a decision had been made. I would work to ensure that the school board and school system share what factors go into decision-making, and authentically engage community members in the process. 2. Differentiation: I don’t think that a one-size fits all approach works for a school system, an individual school, or a group of students. Rather, I think teachers and schools must be empowered with the flexibility to meet the needs of all of their students. We are fortunate to have a diverse student population, but that diversity requires an even greater need to tailor instruction and programs to a variety of learning styles, needs, preferences, and levels in order to maximize the learning of all students. |
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?
| The current model of measuring success looks at a number of different accomplishments and hard metrics. As seen in the recent Education Digest, some of the softer accomplishments have included keeping classes small and student-teacher ratio low despite a higher than expected enrollment, rolling out new curricula, and creating a new teacher evaluation system. Success is perhaps most commonly equated with the harder data, the most crucial of which is proficiency levels on the SOLs (standards of learning) which detail the expectations of learning and achievements for students in a particular course. The hard data also includes the details around AP test-takers, growth in number test-takers, and proficiency on the tests. I think that both these soft and hard data sets are important, but that it is also important to include metrics that help tell the full story of student accomplishment. These include attendance data (we know that truancy rates have a direct correlation with proficiency rates), graduation rates, and college enrollment figures. |
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?
| At the end of the day, the school board and the superintendent have the shared goal of providing all of Alexandria’s students with the best education possible. The school board has the important responsibility of managing the superintendent and holding him and his administration accountable to Alexandria’s families and guardians. If the ACPS Central Office makes a decision that is not clearly communicated to the community, does not engage the community sufficiently in the decision process, or makes a questionable decision, it is the role of the school board to ensure there is accountability and transparency moving forward. The school board should set clear measures of success for the superintendent and central office, that can be tracked ongoing, analyzed to find causes of successes and challenges, shared publicly with the community through multiple forms of communication, and adjusted as necessary collaboratively. The relationship should be collegial and focused on what is best for kids. |
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 would give the current administration a C+. I believe that the school system is well-intended and has some good communication structures (a frequently updated website, Education Digest publication) in place with the Alexandria community, but unfortunately, their messages don’t always tell the full story. When sharing news about student achievement performance, we often receive a rosy picture of the state of the schools. For example the recent Education Digest included a sampling of SOL results, but only highlighted certain grade levels and schools with increasing pass rates. Charles Barrett and Patrick Henry were both listed as having great increases in learning, but 3rd graders at Barrett had their proficiency drop by 10 percentage points and Henry 4th graders dropped by nearly 20 percentage points. I also think that some information is lacking from comprehensive reports. For example, teacher retention numbers, graduation rates, and attendance rates are also important metrics to highlight when sharing an accurate picture of student performance. However, these important indicators are not currently being widely shared. I would recommend that ACPS share a full and complete analysis that highlights both successes as well as areas for improvement with possible causes and strategies associated with each. I would also recommend hosting data forums for families to become familiar with data at the school and system level. |
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?
| We currently have more than 13,000 students in ACPS, and are projecting more than 15,000 in the next five years. In the short term, I would introduce modular classrooms wherever possible to ensure that student-teacher ratios are not substantially increased, and that students are still able to attend their neighborhood schools. I would also ensure that all students are either Alexandria residents or children of teachers in ACPS. In the long-term, I propose utilizing the soon to be released regional study of enrollment projections to come up with a long term capacity plan, working closely with City Council to discuss budget planning, beginning planning for the construction of new elementary schools, and thoughtfully considering creative school expansion options such as public-private space partnerships. The reality is that growing enrollments will lead to some limitations on school choice in the short term. However, I think there should be some exceptions which include siblings being able to attend their brother/ sister’s school and the ability to attend a specific program as needed or desired, such as for students with special needs,. I would need to review the exact data which shows how many families are not able to receive choice due to enrollment constraints. Families should be very involved in the process of helping make schools what they want them to be. |
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?
| The city has shared that yes, we are showing signs that “poverty and home life are not barriers to high levels of achievement…our great teachers and leaders can make the difference for each and every child!” We are seeing some big academic wins, such as the proficiency scores from this past year at Ramsay and Cora Kelly, which showed substantial gains in achievement with a student population that is largely designated (over 80%) as receiving Free And Reduced Meals. (FARM). Another win from this past year was in SAT participation. The percentage of seniors who took the SATs was the highest in 9 years and the percentage that identified as minority test takers was 72% as compared with Virginia’s 41% average and the nation’s 47%. However, despite these exciting results, significant gaps remain. While we may see great successes in particular grade levels or courses, when you look across grades and across content areas, across the district, you still see a gap. And until this gap is closed, there is still much work to be done. More work is needed in supporting our ELL population and in schools like Jefferson Houston. We need to focus on ensuring that foundational skills in reading and writing are in place as early as possible, and we also need to focus on developing some of the noncognitive skills such as “grit” or perseverance (as detailed in Paul Tough’s How Children Succeed) to ensure that students can work through challenges that arise. |
8. One of the board’s major responsibilities is budgeting. How do you restrain costs and still provide what students need?
| My budget priorities are focused on spending dollars that will directly impact student learning. I would look to institute structures that cause us to engage in the analysis of different vendors/ programs and increase efficiencies through thoughtful collaboration between existing expenditures. For example, when schools select curricula or choose a new form of professional development, I would recommend that they review a number of options and develop a rubric rating that includes cost for different options, before making a decision. We must ensure that we are engaging in a competitive market. Additionally, I would look for areas where we could consolidate expenses. For example, I think there is opportunity for collaboration between after school tutoring and the FACE program. |
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?
| This is the most common question I get when knocking on doors. People love the community, just as I do, and often ask, “Steph, I want to be here, but can I really send my student to and through schools here?” A number of people have also brought up the recent Trulia study that was highlighted in the Wall Street Journal, stating that Alexandria was rated one of the “least attractive school districts to families.” I think there was a lot that this study did not take into account, including the large percentage of transient families in the area and the increasing enrollment numbers in ACPS, but I do think the perception is accurate. I believe that the proof is in the pudding. Families want performing schools and want to know that every school in the district is achieving results. I don’t love the notion of “convincing” families to stay in ACPS. I think we want people who want to be in the school system. Rather, I would say we want “informed” families who know about what is happening in our schools and who know what role they can play in their student’s learning and the school system across the board. I think the school system/ PTA/ community members/ school board need to be really honest about our current performance level, successes, and challenges, so that families have a deeper trust, and know how they can better support the system. |
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?
| I think teacher evaluation systems should include a substantial student outcomes component, as long as the outcomes measured are based on growth in addition to mastery, and as long as student outcomes are one piece of the evaluation puzzle. A growth measure is essential in order to track progress of students that may be very far behind academically. For example, making two levels of reading growth in one year would be a huge achievement, even if the student was still behind grade level. The new system designed by ACPS, for example, includes both documentation logs of various teaching competencies and observation data in addition to student outcome metrics. There are currently seven standards in the evaluation system that receive different weights: professional knowledge (12%), instructional planning (12%), instructional delivery (12%), assessment of and for student learning (12%), learning environment (12%), professionalism (20%), and student academic performance (20%). Standard 7 (student academic performance) should be strong if 1 through 6 are executed well. I think that 20%-30% is the right level of weighting for Alexandria, as long as it is based on a growth measure. |
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 school board must ensure that ALL of Alexandria’s students are receiving an excellent education. In order to serve our students with special needs, ACPS must ensure that students have high-quality IEPs and that teachers and schools are able to successfully execute these plans. The school board should ensure that professional development exists for teachers and school leaders to create and execute thoughtful, rigorous, and integrated IEPs that incorporate all instructional leaders that support a student’s learning. Additionally, the school board can play a key role in working with SEAC and community members to help broaden the understanding of special education in both ACPS and the broader community. |
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?
| A number of families pursue non-ACPS options for young children because pre-school or Pre-K programs are not available at their neighborhood school. By expanding access to early childhood programs, more children could become a part of the system from an earlier age, and therefore be more likely to remain in the system. Additionally, many young families do not have a full understanding of the challenges and successes of ACPS. Reaching out to families with young children by sending materials such as the Education Digest and holding information sessions that include the opportunity to talk with other families currently in the system would be helpful ways to improve communication. |
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?
| The decision to restructure the Adult Education Program at the Adult Learning Center was controversial for the Alexandria community. As a result of the re-structuring, GED completion assistance is no longer offered, and individuals over the age of 23 are no longer able to participate in the Adult Learning Center. I believe that parent/ guardian access to literacy and training opportunities is a key component to setting students up for success. I understand that FACE has now acquired some of these components, but in talking with community members, this was a real loss. The decision is one piece, but the process is another. In thinking through this decision, I would have engaged the educators and participants of the Adult Learning Center in a more robust way. |
