League of Women Voters of the Cincinnati Area Education Fund
	Hamilton County, OH November 3, 2009 Election
	Candidates Answer Questions on the Issues Board Member; Cincinnati City School District

The questions were prepared by the League of Women Voters of the Cincinnati Area and asked of all candidates for this office.     See below for questions on Qualification, Priorities, Year around school Click on a name for candidate information.   See also more information about this contest. 1. What are your Qualifications for Office? (50 word limit) Answer from Joyce E. Hooks: I have direct personal knowledge of the school district and extensive documented leadership skills. I worked my way up in the school system from a civil service employee to a highly qualified teacher. I am committed to Cincinnati Public Schools where I enjoyed a fulfilling career.... (over word limit) Answer from John Banner: Presently there are no practicing attorneys on the Board. The Board would benefit from my extensive financial and legal backgrounds in addressing the myriad of issues it faces during the course of the school budget and academic years. As a CPS parent, I am deeply concerned over past Board actions. Answer from Vanessa White: I was parent organization president at Sands, on the district's budget commission for four years, board president of Parents for Public Schools, Cincinnati, currently VP of National PPS. I've worked in partnership with the district on several committees and currently on CPS' Building Futures Leadership Team, which provides strategic direction. Answer from Lisa Schare: I have been an educator for over 15 years. I have broad teaching experience including at the university level as well as a both the secondary and elementary levels. I am a CPS parent and active community volunteer. I am the chair of the Catholic Democrats of Ohio. Answer from Curtis A. Wells: Activism: Successfully researched and lobbied the Cincinnati Board of Education to evaluate Cincinnati's TIF District #10(Bond Hill) to safeguard students' future interests at AMIS. Successfully researched and advocated against Port Authority financing to the Sisters of Mercy for school facilities construction that undermines CPS taxpayers' commitment to CPS' FMP. Answer from Christopher Ray "Chris" McDowell: Prior to becoming a partner at Dinsmore & Shohl, I was an officer in the Army. There I learned to lead a culturally and economically diverse group toward the accomplishment of a goal. I tought college courses. I volunteer in the schools to instruct 3rd graders in math and reading. Answer from Jason A. Haap: I have taught high school for 13 years - in parochial, charter, and public schools. These experiences have given me versatile insights into diverse learning and administrative environments. In other words, I know some things about how to run schools, things I've learned in a practical and hands-on manner. Answer from Eileen Cooper Reed: Completing first full term on School Board with two years as President Member of Executive Committee of the Council for Great City Schools Extensive experience in educational poicymaking and community engagement Answer from Catherine D. "Cathy" (Asbury) Ingram: I am a responsible. experienced person who understands not only the system of continued education transition in Cincinnati, but on a broader, statewide and national scale. I view education from various frameworks with consideration that it is a multi-billion dollar industry which impacts our community, state and national progress. Answer from Mary Welsh Schlueter: As a CPS parent, elected Trustee, business owner, educator and author, I offer a breadth of experience to help push CPS in its achievement goals. As a student, educator and alumna of Harvard University, UC, Victoria University, and as an international business advocate (US Fulbright), I have a record of creating - and meeting - accelerated educational goals. Answer from Melanie Bates: Prior to serving eight years on the Cincinnati School Board, I served as an elected member of the Ohio State Board of Education, 1995-2001. My three adult children are all graduates of the Cincinnati Public Schools. Answer from Ceair J. Baggett: As a Xavier Graduate and former successful Cincinnati Public Schools student I understand the issues confronting Cincinnati Public Schools from a businessman's and a student's perspective. Given my work in our schools and speaking to hundreds of our students I clearly understand the difficulties we face today. 2. What plans do you have to address your top three priorities? (100 word limit) Answer from Joyce E. Hooks: I am a strong proponent of social-emotional learning because it directly leads to safe and orderly schools, thereby increasing academic achievement.. As a board member I will wholeheartedly approve of the integration of social emotional curriculum to improve student achievement. Research indicates that by promoting social emotional learning students develop skills that lead to reduced truancy, an abatement of violence and aggression, and higher academic achievement. I will be a good steward of schools funds and make sure revenues and expendirutre balance. Answer from Jason A. Haap: Common-sense solutions should be addressed squarely by the board, which is why I have centered my platform on simple solutions that work. Consider my plan for "Proportional Cuts": if ever the district levies cuts against services for students, they should be reflected proportionally in the budgets of the high paid administrators who make such decisions. This is a simple solution that makes sense and protects kids. That's why I also believe in "holding principals accountable," and for basing curricular decisions on peer-reviewed research. Such sensible solutions only require experience and vision, traits I bring to this race. Answer from Mary Welsh Schlueter: Currently, the CPS Office of Innovation -- an Office that I plan to serve as BOE liaison during my elected tenure -- has many plans for achieving success within the district. Introducing new, best practice teaching methodologies, initiating teacher-run schools with full responsibility for achieving results, and providing new tools for benchmarking student success and educational transparency are important to speed achievement. Moreover, as business stakeholders seek to include CPS students into their programs, CPS can imitate co-op job learning programs, preparing them for success in the 21st century. Answer from John Banner: In order to ensure properly funded delivery of education to our students, controls on district expenditures at every level must be enacted. Education begins at home. Parents are an integral part of student success. Therefore, parental involvement in the education of their own children is expected. The learning environment is found not only in the classroom, but also in the home. Parents must be a part of the child's educational experience and supportive of the efforts of their classroom teachers. Excellent teachers should be rewarded. Tenure should not protect poor performance in the classroom. Answer from Ceair J. Baggett: 1. As a CPS Board member I will endeavor to work collaboratively with local businesses and seek to build relationships similar to that of Cincinnati Bell and Robert A. Taft Information Technology High School. The investment and recreation of that historic school of which I am a successful product is a dramatic example of how we can rapidly improve student academic achievement in our district. 2. I will seek to create policies that designed to increase transparency of our administration and provide genuine innovative options for a positive community involvement with our students and the schools of our community. 3.... Answer from Curtis A. Wells: Property Tax Relief Background: Cincinnati property owners pay 65 percent of their tax bills to CPS. Action: No tax levy renewals for 6 years. All salary schedules negotiated for a 33 percent downward adjustment. Dropout Recovery Background: CPS has not complied with the Bronson Lawsuit settlement. Action: Certain CPS dropouts who have not earned a diploma or GED will be eligible for Dropout Recovery Intervention at no cost. 598 Schoolwide Building Program Fund Accountability Background: NCLB Act allows local, state, and federal monies to be pooled. Action: Every school with a 598 Fund will be monitored for standards alignment utilization. Answer from Catherine D. "Cathy" (Asbury) Ingram: I will continue to provide a foundation of experience to create policies that allow successful academic and personal growth and outcomes at all levels in our district. I will perform my role to monitor the district progress and hold the Superintendent and Treasurer measurably accountable for the demonstrated growth. I will keep myself informed of the many changes and increased mandates from the State and Federal government in order to add value to the decision making process for the benefit of the Cincinnati Public School families and other stakeholders. I will hold the Board accountable for fiscal oversite. Answer from Vanessa White: I will support having measurable goals for district leadership and then hold the superintendent accountable for meeting them. I will push for greater recognition of civic volunteers and partners. I'll support and champion the new Office of Innovation and promote new approaches that provide the greatest opportunity for students and teachers to be successful at achieving academic excellence. I'll ensure continued support of the Parent Leadership Institute which helps parents become leaders and creates demand for better schools. I'll work towards greater collaboration among students, parents, teachers, administrators and community towards a performance-driven education system. Answer from Christopher Ray "Chris" McDowell: In order to raise the level of education within CPS, we must set high standards for both students and teachers. We must get the parents and the community more involved in the education process. Children cannot learn alone and cannot succeed if they are only working during school hours. We must work with parents to help them understand the importance of homework and to turn the TV off and sit down with their children and read a book or help the child with his or her school work. (To see full answer to this question see attached paper) Answer from Eileen Cooper Reed: 1. Achievement - set high expectations and bold annual goals, ensure more excellent school options, make rigor a goal 2. Serious consideration of New Teacher Project recommendations and implementation of them strategically, promote strong and effectivce professional development 3. Ensure alignment of resources to achievement, closely monitor the budget, continue CGCS benchmarking Answer from Lisa Schare: Early intervention is key and I will endeavor to begin the conversation on how we can most effectively provide greater funding for our pre-school programs through public and private educational grants. I wish to make sure all our students in CPS are receiving meaningful art & music experiences. CPS can expand programs with existing arts institutions that are willing to partner with CPS to make sure arts enrichment occurs in schools w/o an art or music specialist. It will be my goal to create dynamic programing for parents/guardians in our schools (CLC) to engage parents more effectively. Answer from Melanie Bates: Increase Academic Achievement Set high expectations and goals for raising student achievement, and ensure accountability for progress. Increase innovation and flexibility to incorporate new and proven best practices for student learning. Provide more excellent school options for parents and children. Ensure the highest quality teachers in the classroom. Ensure Safe Schools Support Student Resource Officers Hold school staff accountable for enforcing the Code of Conduct. Fiscal Accountability Continue to increase financial efficiency, transparency, and stability within the district. Closely monitor the budget and the ongoing work of the facilities building project. 3. Would you support a "year around school" pilot program for grades K-5? Why would you support or oppose such a program? (100 word limit) Answer from Curtis A. Wells: No, I would not support a "year around school" pilot program for grades K-5. I would oppose a "year around school" pilot program because the hypothesis for that proposed education policy is counter to the historical facts of this country's agricultural, industrial, and technological productivity where such a mandatory program never existed. Furthermore, outside-of-school developmental experiences must occur in a child's life from ages six to eleven that are free from "year around school" intrusion and marginalization. Answer from Mary Welsh Schlueter: Yes, I support the "year around school" pilot program, but only if the school program is teacher-directed, with complete ownership of results. A 12 month school would be best implemented in areas of extremely low achievement, where achievement results could be best measured over a shorter time horizon. Improvement against targeted benchmarks would result in greater remuneration pay packages (above contracted salary) and other employment incentives. Answer from Jason A. Haap: I have concerns about year-round-education (YRE). In California, researchers noticed the "multi-track" calendar led to segregation and achievement gaps (Teachers College Record, Apr 2005). A March 1992 study by Wake County Public Schools found "no significant differences between the achievement test scores of YRE students and a similar population of students at traditional schools." What problem is YRE supposed to solve? Do we seek to improve student achievement? Basic instructional reforms should come before adding more of the same to the current calendar. I support models like this, from the Coalition of Essential Schools: http://tinyurl.com/36v5nf Answer from Catherine D. "Cathy" (Asbury) Ingram: In our mini-districts of years ago Cincinnati was one of the first districts to implement year round school. We learned that there are no sustainable positive outcomes without explicit finacial and operational comittment to higher expectations. As a participant at the recent UVA Turnaround School Leadership training we again recognized that there are no cookie-cutter responses to improving achievement for all students. I would hope that 5th quarter and other such proven innovations will also be considered to meet or exceed our academic goals. Answer from Vanessa White: Yes. The majority of our students, largely low-income and minority, are still inadequately educated. A year around school would help accelerate their academic success. Curriculum changes and new programs have benefited some, yet too many students are still in low-performing schools. The structure, culture and operations of three such schools just changed but we need to create more high-quality learning opportunities -- school by school -- in partnership with the community. More choice among our schools, such as providing year round curriculum, would benefit students in our district and encourage families to stay in the system. Answer from Christopher Ray "Chris" McDowell: I would support such a program. Studies show that economically disadvantaged children fall behind other children most during the summer months. Children in many other developed countries do not take months off from school. We as a nation need to understand that education is not a part time activity. Wealthy children spend their summer months in organized activities that foster educational growth; however, other children do not have these opportunities and when they return to school, the first month or so is spent just refreshing the children on what they forgot during the summer. Answer from John Banner: Yes, but on a voluntary basis. Answer from Lisa Schare: Yes, I would support studying the option of having a year around school pilot program. It is clear that in this 21st century global economy, our students are competing with others from around the world. Year around education is the international norm, and I believe studying the possibility of such a program would be beneficial to the district. Answer from Eileen Cooper Reed: I support extended day/extended year that has proven to be effective through research. CPS has had year around school previously. Any extended learning program must be implemented well and be included in the budget. Answer from Melanie Bates: Cincinnati Public Schools had implemented a "Fifth Quarter" in our schools of greatest academic need this past summer. This was not traditional summer school; this was an expansion of the academic year through the summer for all students enrolled in the targeted schools. If the data indicates that students who participated in the "Fifth Quarter" significantly increased their academic achievement, I would support the program's expansion and inclusion of all students whose families' desired year round school and make funding this initiative a priority. Answer from Joyce E. Hooks: Cincinnati Public Schools at one time had a year round school housed at the old Crest Hills Junior High School. As a board member, understanding the national and statewide discussion of extending the school year into the Summer months, will support a pilot project to determine the feasibility of increased operation of our school system and whether it can enable our students to more effectively compete in the 21st century economy. Answer from Ceair J. Baggett: Yes, I would support the effort to develop a year around school pilot program. This will allow our district to compare and contrast the differences with each program, and find the best suitable program for our district. Responses to questions asked of each candidate are reproduced as submitted to the League.  Candidates' statements are presented as submitted. Word limits apply for each question. Direct references to opponents are not permitted. The order of the candidates is random and changes daily. Candidates who did not respond are not listed on this page.