Explanation of Positions and Answers to questions

By Michael J. Jurkovic

This paper provides a more extensive explanation of my views and expands upon answers to questions that have been posed to me during the campaign. Last Updated 10/17/03. More Updates To Come.

If you would like to see the answer to a question, please call me (925-600-9964) send me an e-mail at mjj2@columbia.edu.

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This paper provides more extensive explanations of my views and expands upon answers to questions that have been posed to me during the campaign. In some cases, I have been asked questions of which I've had no foreknowledge and have been asked to formulate responses within seconds that would both accurately reflect my positions/views and also be meaningful to the Pleasanton Community. In my view, you deserve responses to questions that are well thought out. It is not in my nature to simply recite keywords and catch-phrases or to speak publicly regarding my thoughts and positions on various issues without extensive deliberation and having my thoughts on paper and in hand. However, it is in my nature to thoroughly research all relevant material and to formulate unbiased and appropriate conclusions regarding all issues. Members of the school board are never expected to render any decision without at least a 2-week notice. As a voter, I value the abilities of creativity, critical-thinking, and problem-solving in prospective board members, and I hope you do as well.

Q: Why Are You Running For School Board?

A: My wife and I moved to this community from NYC nearly 3 years ago, and, to state it as simply as possible, we love it here. We are home. We plan to raise children and spend the rest of lives here and we would like to thank all our friends who've made us feel so welcome. As I view the school district, I see it somewhat as something that works pretty well at doing what it is supposed to do, which is to bring out the potential in our children. But it is not yet perfect. It needs refinement. It needs some modification in order to realize the dreams that we all have for our children. This is what I hope to achieve and play a part in bringing about in the years ahead. As an opto-electronics engineer and project leader with a demonstrated record of analytical ability, problem-solving skills, and creative thinking, I believe I can offer the district a perspective and skill set that both complements and supplements those found in the current and potential board members. I have applied my education in science and technology to great benefit in education, industry, and academia. In short, I believe I would bring an eye for detail and a mindset for success and achievement as part of a team that is already an accomplished school board.

Q: What are the top three issues facing the school board?

A: The numerous interrelated issues facing PUSD require careful determination, maintenance, and constant reassessment of a strategic plan that is implemented in policies, procedures, and appropriately balanced allocation of resources. This plan must address all issues in an optimal manner that results in the most favorable outcome for our children and our community. The enormous trust that is placed on the shoulders of each board member must be met with intelligence, integrity, and responsibility. I believe that the task entrusted to each board member is to research all relevant data and information and to apply that knowledge and experience to establishing a plan that optimally meets or exceeds educational needs for all students. I believe that the most difficult matter facing the board today is to constantly reassess and re-establish such a balanced plan in the midst of ever-changing conditions. This main issue can be broken down into 3 categories:

1. Maintaining and enhancing high academic standards with programs in place that appropriately address the academic needs of all students, from those that are at-risk, to average students striving for improvement, to gifted students.

-"NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND: Reduce to ZERO the ~9.5% of students testing below basic level.
-More extensive evaluation of teachers that includes teacher/class survey feedback from parents/students.
-More transparent & informative reporting of standardized test results.
-Incentives and motivational programs for teachers to encourage performance rather than years-of-service.

2. Efficient, balanced, and appropriate allocation of resources and constant reassessment of the strategic plan to respond quickly and effectively to external influences such as the current economic situation and increasing enrollment.

-Teacher/staff compensation that is allocated to QUALITY-of-service, not just YEARS-of-service.
-Optimized management of facilities & resources to best serve the community, for now & the future.
-Enhanced partnership with the Pleasanton community, city council, & businesses to provide for programs.

3. Promoting and maintaining an environment that is conducive to molding the character of our students and producing responsible adult citizens as well as fostering social, physical, artistic, emotional and other non-academic development.

-Leading by example: Integrity, Honesty, Responsibility, Respect, Compassion, Self-Discipline
-Promote responsible citizenship: Community of Character, Instruction of Law in high school.
-Consistent enrollment procedures that foster neighborhood school enrollment pattern.

Q: What are your views on the budget? What would you consider dropping from the budget? Would you consider a parcel tax?

A: I am deeply committed to finding ways to avoid program and personnel reductions while continuing to enhance the quality of education in light of the budgetary challenges that lie ahead. Let me begin by saying that the mere mention of specific streamlining measures does not imply a willingness to implement them. PUSD administration and the budgetary committee work many hours to identify areas for streamlining and make recommendations which I would certainly consider if and when the time comes. I state the following measures only as examples to express a philosophy regarding the school budget. A fair amount of belt-tightening has already been completed without program and personnel reductions. However, if the need arises, I would consider taking further temporary streamlining measures for compensation/services that are beyond those that are offered in other districts such as: across-the-board compensation review, elimination of double sets of textbooks, temporary reduction/rotation of elementary school assistant principals and counselors, and temporary deferment of funding for extra or after-school activities as such coaching stipends. If and when it becomes necessary, it is important to streamline only in areas that do not effect the much needed core and support functions of the school district, and in a manner that minimally effects students, programs, and personnel. Again, I state these priorities in order to express my philosophy on the budget. Mere mention of the word streamlining should not imply a willingness to implement any measure. The budgetary situation is uncertain at this time and will have to unfold in the months and years ahead.

In consideration of the current budget, which includes the $6M of reserves that are available, Neal school Set-Aside Funds that are available since the Neal school is not yet in operation, and the streamlining options such as those that I previously mentioned that still are available to us, it does not appear necessary to consider a parcel tax at the present time. As I've stated, I am deeply committed to finding ways to avoid program and personnel reductions while continuing to enhance the quality of education, and I would look closely at implementing the previously mentioned temporary streamlining measures on secondary or extra services BEFORE any consideration of a parcel tax. But, I would certainly consider a parcel tax before considering reduction in programs and personnel that are instrumental in performing the much needed core and support functions of the district. There are, however, other facts to take into account as well. Consider the following three points:

-Compensation and benefits for PUSD teachers and staff comprise upwards of 80%-85% of PUSD's $100 million annual budget.

-The average compensation for Pleasanton certified teachers is upwards of $80k and is well above national and CA averages. To put this in perspective, compensation for Associate Professors teaching undergraduate and graduate-level courses at universities like Columbia University is in the range of $40k-$60k. This is not to say that PUSD teachers are overpaid. For example, in Ukraine, where my wife is from, teachers can expect to make upper-middle class incomes and I feel this is well deserved. The Pleasanton community may also place similar values on our teachers and I look to the members of the district to help determine whether this remains the case. However, consider the next point.

-According to the negotiated agreement between PUSD and the APT (Association of Pleasanton Teachers, which is the certified teacher's union. This is not to be confused with parent/teacher associations.), teachers are compensated at rates of ~$50k when they start, and this rate increases with years of service to ~$85k after 20 years of service. The pay rate appears to increase with years of service with no reference to evaluation or the difficulty of the service being provided.

According to the certified pay schedule and the above data, the average PUSD teacher is credited with 15-20 years of service. Now the question I ask is the following: Do years-of-service and its associated compensation for PUSD teachers correlate well with teacher performance and the difficulty of the services they provide. I believe the answer can only come from more extensive evaluation of teacher performance than is currently carried out. Yet another question: Should teacher compensation be more related (or at least somewhat related) to evaluated teacher performance as opposed to only years-of-service? I believe that the answer is yes. The current pay schedule appears to encourage teachers to clock in years-of-service while performance and achievement are not encouraged in the compensation schedule. Posing a final question: How do the difficulties in teaching, for example, 2nd graders how to read and teaching biology in high school compare and should there be a difference in compensation? I find that I must question whether, for example, it makes sense to pay a 2nd grade teacher $85k per year or to have such a teacher teach more advanced subjects. Again, I state these issues and priorities in order to express my philosophy on the budget and not to express a willingness to implement any specific measures. I would expect to consult extensively with PUSD management, administration, the other board members, and the Pleasanton community on these issues before reaching any conclusions.

Q: Should there be a 3rd high school? How about Neal School?

A: Resource allocation is a very difficult task and must be carefully thought out with all of the relevant facts in hand. As a researcher and engineer with a fair background in mathematics, I realize the fact that optimized resource allocation for a complex system, like our school district, is a difficult problem.

However, if we want to keep our class sizes low, if we want to ensure that there are 4 dedicated classrooms (or ancillary classrooms) for science, art, & music, etc available at each school, if we want to maintain and enhance a superior standard for excellence in education for our children and our community, if we want to avoid school overcrowding as enrollments approach school capacities and if we want to preserve neighborhood school enrollment patterns, the answer is a resounding YES, both for the Neal School and the 3rd high school. Should we build these schools NOW? Unfortunately, the budget too uncertain to allow for it at this time. Although I see a need to build these schools for the future, I believe that our budget will need to be changed rather significantly in order to pay for the schools unless some creative arrangement with the city and/or the builders can be made.

First, let me address the problem of school overcrowding and overflow enrollment. The problem of overflow enrollment at this time is not due to a lack of facilities, although if the community continues to grow and enrollments continue to increase, this may very well become a problem in the future (perhaps 3-6 years). A fair amount of construction to expand existing facilities has already been completed to alleviate this problem. The true bottleneck of overflow enrollment lies in the following: 1. Overflow enrollment is actually not related to the total enrollment for a school. It is actually related to the enrollment within each class/grade at each school. For example if there are 5 classes of 20 students each in the 2nd grade at a school and 3 2nd grade students want to enroll, the choice is made to overflow the students rather than add them to existing classes or creating a sixth class. 2. The reduced class size of 20 students is a threshold for funding. It is an artificial barrier we get from the state. I do not see a problem with having 22 or 23 students in a class if extra students want to enroll, except for the fact of the funding threshold of 20 is exceeded. I believe that the facilities can easily handle more students if we can get the state to relax the funding threshold requirement from 20 to 22 or 23 students. Of course the other choice is to add a teacher and a sixth class and have 6 classes of 17 or 18 students each. Can the facilities handle the sixth class? YES. There is no question about it. Why not just add the sixth class? PUSD would need to hire another teacher and in light of the budget situation, I am told that it may be difficult to justify hiring a teacher for 3 students.

So, is overflow enrollment a problem at this time? Yes, but not due specifically to overcrowding of the facilities. It is due to the artificial funding threshold of 20 students per class. Will school overcrowding become a problem in the future? I believe that PUSD should be prepared for the possibility and build the facilities that will be needed. So, what are the solutions to the overflow enrollment problem?
1. Find a way to get the state to relax the funding threshold from 20 students to 22 or 23 students. This will fix the problem for now, but the schools will still have to be built for the future.
2. Open extra classes and hire extra teachers at the existing schools. This will both alleviate the problem for now and some of these teachers can then be transferred to the new schools once they are built. However, this is an expensive way to go and may not be fiscally responsible given the economic conditions.
3. Find creative ways to finance the building of the schools and accelerate the building process.

Now, I will address the issue of the Neal School. PUSD contracted with Signature Properties to build the school for $8.5M, but there is a dispute with the builder for an extra $5.5M. In the meantime, the school is not being built due to the dispute. PUSD currently has funds approved from the state specifically earmarked for the building of the Neal School and these funds will need to be re-applied for should a certain time limit be exceeded (about 18 months from now). Signature Properties is applying pressure on PUSD to succumb to their demands for the extra $5.5M. This pressure is simply the passage of time: time without the school as enrollment increases and time to the deadline for the state funding to expire. I believe that it behooves PUSD to also apply pressure. Signature Properties is not the only builder in town. If Signature Properties claims that they cannot start construction because we do not have an agreement, then we can agree on the fact that we do not have an agreement and initiate bids from other builders. Also, considering that the Pleasanton City Council has expressed a definite need to make public use of classrooms in PUSD schools and is actively pursuing a partnership with PUSD in this area, I think it would be possible to create a financial arrangement with the city that will enable the school to be built while remaining fiscally responsible.

In retrospect, I think that we had ample opportunity to build these schools in the past when economic conditions were more permissive, but I think it is difficult to have expected the board members to predict the severity of the present economic downturn. In any case, I would look to focus on creative financial arrangements that would accelerate building of these schools. I would also focus on efficiency efforts such as sharing/consolidation of future school facilities such as athletic fields used for league games in order to ensure higher utilization of facilities that may be redundant and/or underutilized.

Q: What kind of housing incentives do you support for teachers, if any?

A: I believe that is important that the teachers and support staff that serve the educational needs of our children also have the opportunity to partake in the community success that they help create. It fosters ties that will enhance service to our children and our community and it behooves the school district to make every attempt to work closely with city council to find ways to create appropriate incentives. However, in light of the current housing prices ($250k is probably the among least expensive housing, such as in Laguna Vista Estates where I live), I realize that it will be difficult to motivate homebuilders to agree to the kind of incentives that would be needed. 1st, let's consider the fact that the ratio of the cost of renting to the cost of owning is close to 50% in this area. 2nd, consider the stability of employment that we establish for the staff in the district and the background that is required to work with and around children. I believe that, working closely with city council and/or rental property owners, it may be possible to create appropriate low-cost rental housing incentives for teachers and staff at existing rental communities at little or no cost to the school district.

Q: How do you feel about uniforms and/or dress code?

A: For me, in elementary school in NY, we had school uniforms that consisted of uniform dress-shirt/tie&slacks for boys, and uniform skirts/blouses for girls. Shoes were mandatory. In high school, dress code consisted of personally selected jacket/tie/dress-shirt/slacks and shoes for boys. Dressing for school for me was relatively expensive, especially as I grew out of the clothes. In contrast, the current dress code for PUSD appears to consist of the "limits of good taste" where sneakers and jeans are allowed, but such things as strapless tops and bare midriffs are not. In retrospect, I realize that although it is important to establish standards for dress and appearance early in life, imposing more stringent dress code or uniform requirements on our children is not necessary to promote the growth we'd like to see in our children. I believe that the current dress code of "within the limits of good taste" is sufficient, as long as it is stated more specifically in terms of explicit do's and don'ts.

Q: In what ways could the local business community partner or provide students with the skills, knowledge, and experiences they need to be successful in life and work?

A: The local business community already provides several experiences I would encourage augmentation of this activity. For example, through the involvement with PPIE, through career awareness, aptitude surveys and career days. Arrival of guest speakers, field trips to businesses, and career shadowing cumulatively occur several times each year. Fostering more opportunities for internships and volunteer work for students (such as those listed in the Bay Area Volunteer's Handbook by EarthWorks Press) would also be beneficial. In addition, I would favor programs for professionals to step forward and instruct students, such as lawyers instructing in a proposed Citizenship Class, where students are introduced to the federal, state, and local laws by which we live such as tax law and Civil Rights. I encourage members of the district to view my paper on the citizen class at http://www.smartvoter.org/2003/11/04/ca/alm/vote/jurkovic_m/paper2.html for more details. I believe this to be a novel concept in high school education and may very well be a first in this country.

Q: How do you see the role of the school board member?

A: I see the primary role of the school board member as a seeker and gatherer of information, as a critical analyzer of that information, and as a high-level designer who uses the available data in order to determine the suitable strategic plan, implemented in policies, procedures and appropriate allocation of resources such that all issues are addressed in an optimal manner that results in the most favorable possible outcome for our children and our community. The school board member is also a role model and a leader, who is able to foster and maintain avenues of communication and productive working relationships with the members of the district, students, parents, teachers & staff, the city council, and the business community. Finally, the board member is a model representative for the district.

Q: What are the 3 biggest problems facing teachers?

A: In talking with the APT (Association of Pleasanton Teachers), I came to realize that time was their biggest concern. They need more time in order to prepare for lessons and perform all the tasks necessary for an environment that is conducive to learning and which promotes progress at all student levels. They also need time to spend with those students that need it most. It appears that the dichotomy between the curriculum and the material tested on standardized tests results in wasted resources and increases pressure on both students and staff. They would also want to be recognized for the professionals that they are and have the freedom to teach material in the manner in which they choose rather than have methods and specific practices dictated to them from above. They want to be recognized publicly, and in a meaningful way, through incentives and recognition, for the contributions they make. Finally, they strive to partake in the community success that they help create.

Q: Do you seek contributions/endorsements from organizations?

A: I do welcome endorsements from organizations that include explanations and/or comparison to other candidates. However, as a matter of policy regarding my campaign, I state to each and every organization that I do not actively seek endorsement. I continue to meet with various groups and individuals for the dual purpose of attaining an understanding of the members of the district and the issues that are important to them (and are, thus, important to me) while expressing my views on the issues. In the same venue, while I do accept contributions in order to help defray my costs (which I don't expect to exceed $1000 for this campaign), I do not actively seek contributions as I would rather see the money be used for more worthy causes than a campaign for public office. Especially in light of the current economic situation, I would feel awkward asking for money for a campaign when there are other more important uses for the money like buying food and paying a mortgage.

Q: How do you see the role of PAC's (political action committees) like the APT (Association of Pleasanton Teachers) in the political process?

A: I believe that in their ideal form, PAC's provide an important service to community. They bring issues to the forefront that may otherwise not receive the attention they may deserve. The leaders of the PAC's represent the members of group and they facilitate the 2-way exchange of information between potential board members and the members of the association. More importantly, PAC's provide a way for people of a common cause to group together and bring pressure to bear for a common good that they perceive as a group. However, in their non-ideal form, PAC's can be used to swing a heavy political hammer through endorsements and unjustified control of the questions that may be asked of candidates in public forums. As an example, I believe that the designation, "APT", for the Pleasanton Teachers Association (which is a teacher's union) may unintentionally tend to confuse voters into thinking that they are an organization that includes parents (like a PTA). Voters may wonder why a parents organization called APT would vote NO to building schools, until they realize that it is a teacher's union. It is perfectly appropriate for the APT to endorse candidates with whom it shares common ground. However, I think it would best serve the political process for PAC's to explain to the voters what that common ground is in comparison to the other candidates.

When an organization endorses a particular set of candidates to the exclusion of others without offering an explanation or a detailed comparison of candidates' views as a result of their interview and review process, I think voters should be wary of such endorsements and weigh them appropriately. An endorsement from a particular organization does not necessarily mean that the organization thinks that endorsed candidates are the best candidates. It may mean that the organization shares a similar view with the endorsed candidates. Unless this shared view is stated explicitly with reference to opposing views of other candidates, I would caution voters as to the true meaning behind an endorsement as this shared view may not be to the greatest benefit to the district and the community. This is not to say that political groups do not have the right to influence election results in order to further their causes. It is all part of a healthy political process. Finally, I applaud organizations like the League of Women's Voters for their efforts to remain neutral in the political process while, at the same time, providing an equal platform for which all candidates can be involved in a 2-way exchange of information with the members of the district.

Q: How should the board react to inflammatory confrontation from a member of the public?

A: We must understand that there is a lot at stake for parents and non-parents alike, and that it is the future of their children and our community at risk. Understandably, with so much a stake, emotions can be expressed quite strongly on issues that affect the futures of their children and our community. That is why it is so important that the board does not respond to input from the public at the board meetings, but the issues that were raised may be put on the agenda to be discussed at future board meetings. Board members must remain objective, impartial judges of facts and data in rendering decisions. Decisions must be made with your head in consideration of what is in your heart, not with your heart without consideration for what is in your head.

Q: Who should decide what textbooks to use?

A: It is of course the school board's decision to approve curriculum and textbooks. The board should try to make the curriculum be consistent with standards set by the state, but it should also take into consideration such things as common sense, recommendations from PUSD management, the opinions of our professionals who are teaching the material, and input from of the district members, parents, and students.

Q: What are the 3 biggest problems facing students?

A: 1. Learning the core material that will enable them to succeed in life, especially in light budgetary challenges that threaten to make it more difficult to do so. Also progressing to learning at the more advanced levels for which we must make available the tools, both in textbooks and equipment, they need
2. Understanding what it means to be a citizen of character and to model themselves after this ideal, especially in light of the conflicting examples of behavior we see, for example, in the news everyday.
3. Personal and emotional growth, social artistic, and athletic development. The school needs to create an appropriate social environment and provide the tools and equipment necessary to promote development of skills and character we all need in order to succeed and enjoy life.

Q: What unique skill set will you bring to the school board?

A: As a 35 year old opto-electronics engineer, with 14+ years experience as a researcher and project leader, a patent and over 30 technical publications and conference submissions, I believe that I am uniquely qualified among all the current and prospective board members and that I understand the meaning of world-class achievement. I have applied my education in science and technology to great benefit in education, industry and academia and have spent several years educating at the collegiate and elementary school levels. I have a demonstrated record of analytical ability, problem-solving skills, and creative thinking and I can offer the board a skill set that both complements and supplements that found in current and potential board members. In particular, constant reassessment of a strategic plan implemented in policies, procedures, and allocation of resources in the midst a ever-changing conditions requires that we research all relevant data and consider many changing variables in rendering decisions that will optimally effect our students and our community. I believe that my training as an engineer has prepared me well for this task.

Q: What is your definition of a "world class" school district? How close is PUSD to that standard? Of what importance is being a world class district to you?

A: At the Candidate's Forum on September 16, we talked about a "world-class" school district. I believe that PUSD has the potential to achieve world class status in a number of areas. We have the right management and staff. We have ample resources. We have the support of the community. We have motivated parents and students. As a researcher, engineer, and project manager, I read technical publications and go to technical conferences. People in our profession know "world-class" to mean something practical, useful, and progressive is being accomplished that has never quite been achieved before or is on par with only select few around the world. For example, in my mind, NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND means that our goal for PUSD is to reduce to ZERO the 9.5%, or 1000 or so students in our district that tested below basic level on 2003 standardized tests. This is a world-class goal and is something to strive for. I believe that the standard by which we evaluate the performance of the school district is by how ready, willing, able, and equipped we are to address the needs of the most difficult students, the ones who test below basic level. At the same time, we must be equipped to address the needs of all students and to do all we can to help them reach their potential. When the number of eligible students (those that can be and want to be helped) who test below basic level is reduced to zero, we can then consider our school district world class. Certainly, the needs for ALL students: at-risk, average, and gifted, should be addressed. Through augmenting PUSD's partnerships with the business community, more opportunities can be made available to gifted students in order to enable them to achieve their potential as well as fostering experiences for average students. The proper and balanced weighting of resource allocation with PUSD funds should occur for the students who need it. In addition, "world class" status can be achieved in non-academic areas. For example, artistic, athletic, leadership, entrepreneurial, environmental awareness, and altruistic achievements are all worthy goals. Finally, unmatched promotion of character and responsible citizenship (see the paper on the Citizenship Class) are world-class goals to strive for.

Q: I'm concerned about their academic and social development. I'm also concerned about their nutrition which is essential for good performance in these other areas. How do you feel about fast food sold in our school. Do you support a ban on sodas sold in our schools?

A: I am committed to maintaining high nutritional standards on campus. I fully support the availability of a wide selection of foods that are highly nutritious as a major part of the full gamut choices offered on campus. While I understand that some parents may not want their children to be tempted by foods of moderate nutritional value, I can't see taking the choice away from everyone as being an appropriate solution. I think that we need to revisit previous decisions regarding the commercialization of sodas and foods on our campuses. We must make sure that commercialized fast food does not dominate the choices available at the cafeteria. Also, soda machines may be confined to the lunch area as long as filtered water fountains are available throughout the campus.

Q: I appreciate both the quality and quantity of special education services available, but I'm very aware of the fact that special education is extremely expensive. Comment on how to meet the challenge of funding special education in the years to come.

A: This is a very difficult question to answer, especially in light of the current and expected economic conditions. We've talked about this problem at the previous forum on Spetember 16th. Simply stated, we're given a mandate to teach special education, but are somewhat left on our own to fund it due partially to the way the state categorizes the funds that are made available. It is a political problem and it requires a political solution that is not obvious to me. In the meantime, we must look for ways to better serve special education children so that they are served within PUSD rather than to pay outside vendors for external education for these children.

Q: How would you propose to improve the relationship between PUSD and the teachers?

A: I am committed to maintaining good working relationships and open avenues of communication to all members of the district, including students, parents, non-parents, teachers/staff, the city council, and the business community. The key to maintaining good working relationships is communication and effective listening. We may not agree on all issues, but the respect that is due an informed decision for which all sides and perspectives have been considered is unquestionable.

Q: With increasing enrollment, a decision was made to spend $15M in order to increase current high school capacity instead of building a 3rd high school. Current projections say we will exceed capacity by 2007. How has PUSD done with regards to facility planning for elementary schools and high schools?

Coming from NYC, I am quite impressed with the facilities that are available. Although the planning for these facilities probably could have been done better in the past in better economic times, I understand the fact that resource allocation, particularly when it comes to facilities planning, is a difficult task. It requires analytical ability and foresight coupled with knowledge of the needs of the community and historical background. I see this problem as akin to trade-offs in device and system design where limited resources must be allocated for optimal results that meet or exceed criteria which are dynamically specified. Determining our facilities needs for the future in light of the uncertain economic situation will require establishing a decision table which will provide guidelines for the board in determining trigger conditions and appropriate board responses. There may also be issue regarding possible underutilization or redundancy of facilities such as athletic fields that are used for league games and I would look to see if it makes sense to increase efficiency in this area.

Q: Standardized tests are just one method of judging student achievement, what other ways can we judge student achievement in public schools?

A: In short, standardized test scores are the most accurate objective way to measure the success of our academic program and the relative academic strengths and weaknesses of each student. However, in addition to academic development, equally important are other areas of development, including social, athletic, emotional, leadership, and altruistic service. It is important that we publicly recognize and celebrate achievements in each of these areas. In some areas, evaluation can be accomplished by nomination and monitoring by both students and staff. However, teachers are in the best position to monitor and nominate students for recognition. For example, each school can designate a student of the month (if this is not already done) as well as a student of the year.

Q: In view of low voter turn-out, should we move the school board elections to even years?

A: In order to answer the question of whether moving the election to even years so that it coincides with other "major" elections will have a positive effect, we must first answer the following question: Why is the voter turn-out so low for PUSD board elections? Of the roughly 36,000 registered voters in Pleasanton, less than 3600, or 10%, voted for the top winning candidate in 2001 while 9,200 votes were cast 3 among candidates seeking to fill 2 seats on the board. Are the members of the Pleasanton community not aware of the fact that the board makes decisions regarding how $100 million is spent by PUSD each year? Are they not aware that these decisions effect the entire community, including parents and non-parents alike? Are voters not aware that the availability of absentee ballots makes it more convenient to vote up to 30 days or so before the election date? Simply stated, voter interest in the PUSD election is poor and moving the election to even years can only serve to get voters who are voting in a "major" election to also vote, as an after-thought, in a minor election. Surely voter participation would increase, but I believe that the votes would be cast without the thought and consideration that is necessary for a responsible vote. Thus, I believe that the cost of moving the election to even years is not justified.

Q: Should school board members be subject to term limits?

A: I believe that this is a question that should be posed to the registered voters of Pleasanton. I don't think it is appropriate for the board to approve or disapprove term limits on its own board members. However, as a registered voter, I would probably vote no for term limits for Pleasanton board members. Perhaps another way to ask this question is to ask: Do many years of experience in public office mean that the public official is serving the public well, or does it mean that the public official has the unfair ability to campaign well due to the office that is held? Clearly, the answer to this question depends on the particular incumbent. Proponents for term limits would claim that officials in public office, especially those who have held office for a long time, have used their office to garner power, especially in the way funds are spent, and that they have the ability to wield this power in order to sway voters in their favor to the disadvantage opposing candidates. The bad way to say this is that incumbents can use their power to unduly influence contributions and endorsements from organizations and individuals in order to effect election results in their favor. The good way to say this is that voters are pleased with the way funds are being spent, so the incumbent garners contributions and endorsements that effect election results. Certainly, term limits are appropriate for such offices as President of the United States. So, the question is, do the incumbents on the PUSD board wield their power over the $100M annual budget to unfairly garner endorsements, contributions and, ultimately, votes? I do not believe this to be the case. According to 2001 election results, if there is a political machine in Pleasanton, it is quite small as it was only able to raise less than 3,600 votes out of a possible 36,000 registered voters in the last election. This would be a machine that may be easily toppled if voter interest were to increase to 20% of registered voters from less than 10%.

Q: Are PUSD schools adequate?

A: I think that PUSD schools can be described as being a little more than "adequate". But is adequate good enough? NO, with the resources that are available to us, the motivation and talent of our staff and students, and the level of participation of parents and the business community, I think that PUSD schools can be doing much better than they are these days. An average of ~$7,200 ($100M/14k students) is spent per year for each PUSD student. This amount is comparable to college tuition.

Q: Is the Community of Character initiative effective in promoting responsible citizenship?

A: I think that the Community of Character initiative is effective in raising awareness regarding the values we treasure in ourselves, each other, and our children: integrity, honesty, responsibility, respect, compassion, and self-discipline. However, the public education system is not mandated to specifically teach in the areas of tolerance, diversity, morality, politics and religion as it is unconstitutional to do so. In the areas of ethics, diversity, tolerance, and morality, I believe it is of utmost importance to establish and maintain a suitable and safe environment on campus and to set an example of, and model for, character for each student and the community. However, I believe that to specifically instruct students on the particulars of such things is unconstitutional and exceeds state mandates. Setting the example and establishing and maintaining an appropriate environment on campus is exactly what the Community of Character initiative does and I applaud and fully support this effort. However, I feel it and the curriculum fall somewhat short in preparing students to be fully responsible citizens as graduating students are not specifically instructed to be knowledgeable of the laws of the land in which we live, which is something all responsible citizens should be expected to do. My observation is that many disputes occur due to ignorance of the law by one party or another and people sometimes exceed their rights, fail to recognize the rights of others, or fail to protect their own rights. I explain this more fully in "A Citizenship Class for High School Students: A New Vision", a position paper available online at http://www.smartvoter.org/vote/jurkovic.

Q: Comment on the availability of on-site childcare in the Pleasanton USD?

A: Current total enrollment for on-site K-5 childcare in Pleasanton's elementary schools of approximately 500 children (as reported to me recently) appears to be quite a bit below the demand for such childcare as the service appears to be competitively priced ($365/mo/child) while financial aid is available through Child Care Links. I've discovered that the waiting list for at least one school in the district is more than 200% higher than its current enrollment. In addition, the limits on March enrollment is not expected to result in enough openings in enrollment to appreciably reduce the unmet demand. In discussing the enrollment issue with PUSD staff, it appears that the lack supply in childcare service relative to demand is not directly related to budgetary considerations, but is rather limited by the occupation capacity of the dedicated facilities currently available for childcare. One solution that has been suggested would be to make use of empty on-site classrooms during childcare hours. The logistics of this proposal appear to have thus far prevented this solution from being implemented, but I would commit to seek ways in which this can be accomplished. I would certainly be open to other suggestions from district members and PUSD staff regarding implementing a testcase solution a single elementary school (at first).

Q: Could you comment on enrollment at the elementary schools in relation to school overcrowding, overflow enrollment, reduced class size, and facility capacities?

A: Of as 9/4/03, enrollments at the elementary schools are as follows:
Alisal: 598
Donlon: 725 (extra capacity for 750 students)
Fairlands: 631
Hearst: 605
Lydiksen: 622
Mohr: 675
Valley View: 655 (extra for special programs)
Vintage Hills: 647
Walnut Grove: 713 (extra for Discovery Program)
Total: 5871--->Avg of 652 students/school

The average number of students in the elementary school system is 652 students/school. I am told that every attempt is made to keep enrollments in the 600-660 range at each school, but the extra capacity at schools like Donlon (for 750 students) and special programs at schools like Walnut Grove and Valley View permit more students. Below this range, there may be underutilization of the facility while above 660 increases logistical issues with regards to overflow enrollment in particular classrooms. Although facilities capacity may be an issue, it appears that other factors take precedence when it comes to overflow and open enrollment policies. 1st, the overall enrollment number for each school is only surface information. The data that is truly pertinent in making enrollment decisions is the enrollment in each class/grade. Although total school enrollments are a general indicator as to how congested a school is, limits to enrollment do not appear to be facilities-based (although we are approaching limits), but rather, they are limited by enrollments in each class & grade combination. An enrollment table for each class/grade in the entire district is rather large, and management of such a system is not an easy task when there are many factors, sometimes conflicting factors, to consider.

For example, there may be five 2nd grade classes, each with 20 students, at a particular school and if, say, 5 new 2nd graders want to go to the school, a choice must be made to either create a sixth class from the other five and have 17 or 18 students in each class or to overflow the 5 students to other schools in which space is available. Another example is the high priority that is given to keeping school transfers to a minimum for all students. For example, if a class with 20 students has a student who got there by open enrollment and a student wants to get into the class through the normal enrollment process (the school is in his neighborhood), the precedence is given to the open enrollment student and the neighborhood student is overflowed to another school out of his neighborhood. This can obviously be upsetting to the parents of the neighborhood student who is now overflowed. I am in favor of supporting neighborhood school enrollment when it is the possible, but it is difficult to decide whether to transfer both students in this case. In this enrollment process, there does appear to be a danger that a particular set of priorities is applied to a student in one case while a different set of priorities may be applied to another student in the same situation unless the proper checks and balances are put in place. Namely, a specific set of rules and priorities regarding enrollment should be established and posted for all district members to see. In particular, I would look to examine the enrollment process as well as patterns of open enrollment and overflow enrollment in relation to the established set of priorities that are applied equally to all students.

In summation, although it is important to maintain school enrollments within the limits of our facilities (and we are below these limits, although we are approaching them in some cases) and the closer we get to the facilities limitation, the more congested the school is, it appears that actual the limiting factor is enrollment in each class/grade combination, not total enrollment at each school. Another important factor to consider is the reduced class size of 20 students. Personally, I was never in a class that had less than 30 students having grown up in NYC and I was fortunate in that I don't believe this was detrimental to my education. I, however, greatly appreciate the fact that many of my classmates would have benefited greatly from the extra attention provided by a reduced class size, and I believe that it is very important that reduced class size be maintained. The number 20 seems to be a magic number for class size. Can a teacher give just as much attention to each student of a class of 22 as opposed to a class of 20? I believe the answer is YES. Should we increase class size to 22 students? NO, because the magic class size number of 20 comes from the fact that this is the threshold for which funding is provided by the state and we must maintain this number to qualify for the funding. Lastly, and most importantly, we must maintain class sizes below the fire safety limits for each class (This should go without saying.) and there should be a safety individual/committee that checks frequently to ensure that safety limits are not being exceeded.

Q: Comment on your position on school vouchers.

A: Although school vouchers would provide flexibility and offer parents a wider range of choices for the education of their children that would otherwise not be available, there are several doctrines which I firmly believe in that prevent me from supporting school vouchers. First, parents who choose to enroll their children in private school for reasons of religious education would be provided with a direct means getting the government to pay for it. I firmly believe in the separation of church and state. Second, and more importantly, I believe that local, state and federal taxpayer dollars that are earmarked for education should be used solely for enhancement of the public education system. School voucher proposals appear to be an admission that the public school system is broken, that it cannot be fixed, and that we must offer parents an alternative solution that only private education can provide. These are dollars that would otherwise be used to improve public schools that would be diverted to private enterprise. In a word, this is wrong, and I cannot support a proposal for school vouchers. A school voucher is especially unwarranted in the PUSD district given the exemplary record we have seen in PUSD student performance and as manifested in standardized test results. For example STAR results reveal that 69.5% of tested PUSD students scored at proficient or higher and 9.5% scored below basic or lower on the 2003 English/Language Arts CST test. These results are far superior to the respective 40.5% proficient or higher and 29.4% below basic or lower for Alameda County and rank quite well among private schools. Although statistics show that, on average, private schools are better at educating our children than public schools and that children of low-income families may not have the choices for private education available to them (especially in urban areas), I don't believe that the solution is to divert money from the public school system to private schools, but rather to continue to use the full education funds that are available for improving and enhancing the quality of education that the public education system provides. In my view, the PUSD school system is not broken. Rather, it is something works pretty well in educating our children, although there is much room for improvement in some areas. However, I do believe that, in some schools/districts (certainly not PUSD) such as in urban areas, a compelling case can be made to show that the education system is broken. In these cases, I believe that parents whose children are not being educated by a broken school system must be provided with some alternative for their children. Is school vouchers the correct solution? I do not know. I think that if there were a way to implement an alternate system of education, such as school vouchers, such that money is not diverted away from the public school system and religious education is not being publicly funded, it is a way of which I am not aware.

Further Topics...

Class Size Reduction: My view on class size reduction is answered directly in the Q&A Paper on the web page. In summary, I personally have never been in a class of less than 30 in K-12, but I know that some students would have benefitted greatly had class size been reduced somewhat. I think that the class size of 20 requirement can be relaxed to 23-25 without detriment and that this would relieve the overflow enrollment problem and result in neighborhood enrollment patterns without building new schools and hiring new teachers as long as classroom safety capacities are met (The new schools should be built in consideration of future higher enrollments, though). It is unfortunate that the funding threshold related to class size is so strictly held at 20 and is not more flexible. I believe that the overflow enrollment problem is currently not limited by the capacity of facilities, but rather by the limited budget in relation to the extra teachers that are needed to add classes. I am not aware of any credible evidence that shows that reducing class size from 23-25 to 20 is effective in significantly enhancing education in PUSD schools

Teacher Experience/Remedies: The average compensation for certified Pleasanton teachers is upwards of $79k, close to the $85k max and above the $50k starting compensation. According to the salary schedule, the average PUSD teacher is credited with more than 13 years/education experience units. Beyond this, I do not know the distribution of teacher experience at this time, but it would be a simple matter to find out. I believe that the evaluation system for both tenured and non-tenured teachers needs to be more extensive than it is today and that teachers' compensation should be related to the quality of their service in addition to the years-of-service as is currently done (I cover this more fully in the Q&A paper available on my web page) and I propose some specific measures to be taken in my platform. Teacher/class evaluation should be more extensive and include a survey evaluation form that parents submit in consultation with their children (No one knows better who is most effective at teaching them than the students themselves, especially at the higher grade levels.). I believe that the 3 teacher evaluation categories can be expanded from Satisfactory/Needs Improvement/Unsatisfactory to include Good and Excellent categories and that a small, but significant, adjustment of compensation (ie. +/- $500/level) can be related to these 5 levels of evaluation.

Union Political Influence/Conflict of Interest: I am not a member of an education union or any teacher's union board. The Beck Ruling appears to allow a mechanism for teacher's unions to contribute financially to the political process indirectly through individual teachers' contributions to candidates the union may favor. In this way, financial contributions are able to flow from the union to school board candidates while the union itself is not "on paper" as being the contributor. At first glance, it may seem like an internal union matter, but it provides for a loophole for teacher's unions to contribute financially to school board candidates without limits or identification/ recognition. Although the teachers' unions have every right to participate in the political process of electing school board members, both financially and through endorsements (see my views on contributions and endorsements in the Q&A paper), I believe that financial participation is inappropriate and candidates should not accept contributions from teacher's unions that are above and beyond contributions they receive from other sources. Voters should be wary of such support in light of the fact that there is a conflict of interest as board members and teacher's unions negotiate with each other regarding employment agreements and working conditions.

Teacher Termination: In general, employees who are evaluated as not being able to perform their duties effectively should be given every opportunity to show improvement before being terminated. However, given that teachers' duties are critical and effect the DEVELOPMENT of MINORS, I find that the term "every opportunity" in the previous sentence must be changed to "some opportunity". A classroom is NOT an ideal place as a training ground for teachers due to effects on children, but it is, unfortunately, the best place to learn to teach.

Multi-board Members: I believe that for school board members to also serve on city boards, committees, or commissions introduces the possibility of conflict-of-interest as well as putting too much power in one person's hands. Although they may be the most qualified and motivated individuals to serve on many boards/committees/commissions, I believe that these dangers preclude permission to serve on them simultaneously

A Nation At Risk/Constitution/Federal Involvement With Education: Yes, I am familiar with the report. I believe that in many areas of the country, especially in urban areas, education is not up to par. I believe that the federal government should set federal standards for education for each state to follow. These standards should include a base curriculum upon which each state should adopt and expand upon, and standardized testing of this base curriculum for qualification of students and federal ranking of schools. I do not favor, however, the federal government injecting itself in the flow of tax dollars from taxpayers' pockets to the schools. In other words, the Federal Department of Education should exist to establish federal standards for education, & monitor and rank educational systems, NOT allocate federal tax dollars to school systems as it sees fit. The Constitution leaves education up to the states and the flow of tax dollars for education should be through states' tax systems, not the federal government's. While the government should closely monitor and rank school systems (at minimal taxpayer cost), I do not think it is appropriate for the federal government to include in its cash flow equation tax dollars that it collects which are, in turn, appropriated to state education systems. By doing this, the federal government is literally taking money that could otherwise be taxed by the states that is earmarked for education and distributing the money as the federal government sees fit among the various school systems. This takes some decision-making on education away from the states and gives it to the federal government. This is unconstitutional. Although PUSD should make every effort to adhere to both federal and state standards and apply for as much money as can be attained for our children, we should also make efforts to participate on a national level to set standards and policies on education that are in line with the philosophy I state above.

Housing Incentives for Teachers: I believe that is important that the teachers and support staff that serve the educational needs of our children also have the opportunity to partake in the community success that they help create. It fosters ties that will enhance service to our children and our community and it behooves the school district to make every attempt to work closely with city council to find ways to create appropriate incentives. However, in light of the current housing prices ($250k is probably the among least expensive housing), I realize that it will be difficult to motivate homebuilders to agree to the kind of incentives that would be needed. 1st, let's consider the fact that the ratio of the cost of renting to the cost of owning is close to 50% in this area. 2nd, consider the stability of employment that we establish for the staff in the district and the background that is required to work with and around children. I believe that, working closely with city council and/or rental property owners, it may be possible to create appropriate low-cost rental housing incentives for teachers and staff at existing rental communities at little or no cost to the school district.

Teaching/Curriculum Experience: I have 7 years experience teaching/assisting at the elementary school/collegiate/graduate school levels (see my bio on the web page). Also, in frequent discussions with PUSD staff, I have become familiar with curriculum issues for the PUSD school system.

Sexual Education: Sexual education should be taught only in a HEALTH context. The specifics of lifestyles or sexual preference should NOT be taught. The facts and mechanics male and female reproductive systems should be taught in a HEALTH context. Options for contraception, pregnancy, and protection from venereal disease should be taught. Health/Sexual education should be taught by the 12th grade, with the parents' option to enroll their child at an earlier grade level as the development of each child is different.

Diversity: I have written a paper entitled "A Citizenship Class For High School Students: A New Vision" which covers my view of education in such subjects as tolerance, diversity, religion, and morality in public schools and is attached to this email and is on the web page. In summary, public schools are not mandated to teach in these areas, but we should set the example for model behavior, as is done by the Community of Character Initiative. However, public school can and should teach, at least an introduction to, a body of law of which each adult citizen in this country should be aware.

Caucasian Club/Freedom High: I do NOT support the formation of any clubs on campus that tend to divide and separate students based on sex, sexual preference, race, or religion. In your question, the club is open to all students, but the name "Caucasian Club" is divisive based on race. At Manhattan College, we had the Minority Student Union, which did accept all students, and I felt, and continue to feel, that the name was inappropriate, regardless of the culture within the organization.

MORE UPDATES TO COME...