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The questions were prepared by the the League of Women Voters of Oakland and asked of all candidates for this office.
See below for questions on
Truancy,
School Success,
School District/City Cooperation
Click on a name for candidate information. See also more information about this contest.
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1. How do you assess truancy in the School District; what changes would you advocate?
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Answer from Beverly A. Williams:
Truancy in the school district is of critical concern. To change the situation the current provisions in place emphasizing school attendance should be aggressively enforced by assuring that the responsibility and accountability of attending school is attached to both the student and the parent. If the procedures are not pursued to its fullest what you have is an ineffective resource tool. For severe attendance problems home visits could be revisited as a means of followup. Where this is not reasonable, required retention classes for students and parents could be developed and instituted. While there is only one retention center in our city we should consider a retention center for each district thereby keeping the students in their own vacinity and preventing travel issues. In addition, it should be required that a parent or guardian be responsible for retrieving the student rather then releasing the student at the end of the day to be on their own. We need to move outside the box.
Answer from Alice A Spearman:
Truancy is one of the major problems affecting students in OUSD. I am currently supporting projects in place, the "Truancy Center", which provides services to truant students and a City/District Partnership which will provide multiple discipline services to address problems which affect truants and their families.
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2. What is your opinion of the District's School Success program?
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Answer from Alice A Spearman:
In my opinion, the Expect Success Program has met some of it's goals, especially the maketing of the message that All Students Can Achieve, the importance of attending school on a consistant basis, and fundraising for the programs. There needs to be however and independent assesment of the total program for measurement of total success.
Answer from Beverly A. Williams:
The District's School Success program appear to be moving in the right direction in terms of teacher and principal preparation. What I did not see was the preparation material for the student and how they have adapted to the teaching principles. While there are signs of improvement the percentages are very low. Because there is great emphasis on the State Standardized Test what I have observed in the actual school setting is teaching to the test of which I don't believe is the goal and objective of the District's School Success program. This places an unfair burden on the teacher. While we are developing new schools there is a definite need for balance being placed across the board. We need to revisit what has worked in the past that might be applied to the now. It is apparent that Small schools are working. The Woodland School project is a prime example of a successful school. We should not try to dsicourage or stop small schools from opening. One of the major issues is the budget. In order to move forward and meet the needs of schools there must be some form of stability and accountability in the budget that the people can understand and be able to make informed decisions on its distribution.
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3. How might the School District work more effectively with the City?
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Answer from Alice A Spearman:
Both entities must continue to work collaboratively with the School/City Partnership Committee to ensure the success of their efforts with the Truancy Program at this time.
Answer from Beverly A. Williams:
How might the School District work more effectively with the City? To work more effectively together both the School Districts and the City need to work toward a more direct communicative and collaborative affront. Both parties must make a joint effort to work cohesively together rather then apart by developing a common ground for understanding issues brought to the table and be able to make informed decisions by dysecting all aspects of those issues particularly in terms of the budget and the disbursement of funds. Without a clear direction you run the risk of subterfuge or supposition. In order to eliminate being stuck in that position an open line of communication must be developed without fear of persecution or censure. Keeping that in mind you forge a formidable bridge.
Responses to questions asked of each candidate
are reproduced as submitted to the League.
Candidates' answers are presented as submitted.
The order of the candidates is random and changes daily. Candidates who did not respond are not listed on this page.
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League of Women Voters of California Education Fund
