League of Women Voters of Ohio Education Fund
Hamilton, Warren County, OH November 2, 2010 Election
	John L. Spohn Answers Questions Candidate for Member; State Board of Education; District 4

The questions were prepared by the League of Women Voters of Ohio and asked of all candidates for this office.
Read the answers from all candidates (who have responded).

Questions & Answers

1. What are your Qualifications for Office? (50 word limit)

I am experienced as an educator, administrator, tutor, and businessman. I have taught those seeking teacher's certificates in ethics, management, and behavior. I have tutored elementary students in math and science. Also, I have created policy and contracts similar to those the Ohio State Board of Education position will require.

2. What plans do you have to address your top three priorities? (100 word limit)

I recognize the trust that may be given with the responsibility of managing a large amount of public resources. As trustee of these funds, I will be vigilant in fulfilling its responsibility to see that these funds are used wisely for the purposes for which they are allocated and a proponent of school choice. Competent personnel and efficient procedures are essential for sound management of fiscal affairs. Without school choice a cookie-cutter approach to education may continue- not allow a community to meet the needs of their children in their area. Efficient and community supported programs draw in parental participation.

3. What can the State Board of Education do to ensure that all school districts comply with Operating Standards for Ohio's Schools? (150 word limit)

Ohio's students have seen great strides in the reported levels of achievement in Ohio Achievement Tests (OATS), but the state has lowered the standards. Ohio's House Bill 1 eliminated testing for students in writing at grades4 and 7, and in social studies at grades 5 and 8 for the 2009-10 and 2010-11school years. As a result, the indicators for schools and buildings in these subjects were not and will not be used. Now I do not advocate the taking of tests for test's sake, but the ability to learn early on how to write and your own history would seem to lend itself to how one would become successful. Additionally, other areas suffering are science and mathematics. With accountability in testing eliminated we may begin to understand why Ohio's graduation rate has dropped over the last school years.

4. What can the State Board of Education do to ensure that all community schools and nonpublic schools that accept state financial support (including vouchers) are accountable to the public? (150 word limit)

The State Board of Education should create rules that are the same for every school both public and nonpublic; as well as, require transparency in spending. Additionally, the State Board of Education should not be allowed to cut support for these schools and not look into cutting public schools, as was almost the case this last fiscal year. If the State Board of Education treats schools differently, then they will act differently.

5. What can the State Board of Education do to ensure a public school funding system that provides a realistic level of state funding, which meets the educational needs of students? (150 word limit)

The quantity and quality of learning programs are, for the most part, directly dependent upon the funding provided and the effective, efficient management of those funds. It follows that any attempts to best achieve these goals include excellent fiscal management. The Ohio Evidence-Based Model needs to be re-examined because of the unproven, unscientific approach to funding distribution. The model has teacher's salaries estimated below what is being spent; unrealistic class sizes; creates a new school administrator for buildings; and requires school districts to fund administrators at a higher level every year until 2014. A new level of government will not teach Ohio's Students.

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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.

Read the answers from all candidates (who have responded).

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Created from information supplied by the candidate: September 8, 2010 12:04
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