League of Women Voters of the Cincinnati Area Education Fund
Hamilton County, OH November 8, 2011 Election
	Anita E. Ruffin Answers Questions Candidate for Board Member; Finneytown Local School District; 4 Year Term

The questions were prepared by the League of Women Voters of the Cincinnati Area 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?

My qualifications are as follows:
- I have served two years on the school board
- I have demonstrated my dedication to learning through my own educational attainments and by pursuing professional development opportunities inside and outside the district including those sponsored by Ohio School Boards Association.
- I am a shareholder the District as a parent of two daughters who are 6th Graders in the District.

2. What would you do to advance the concept of "equity in education" in your district?

Equity refers to impartiality and justness. "Equity in education" infers that all children are being provided the opportunity to learn without barriers and bias based on race, gender, social standing or any other identifier. I would advance this concept by insuring that the vision, the policies and the decisions of the District are aligned to achieve educational equity and by being open to learning from the best practices of other districts as well as being open to opportunities for learning provided by different methods of delivery that is inclusive of various learning styles.

3. How would you use your students' state test results to improve education in your district?

Currently, the test results and the data surrounding the results are mined to determine the District's areas of strength and challenge. Strengths are shored up and enhanced. Areas of challenge are looked at to see what programs and/or services can be implemented to improve deficient areas. I will continue to work to understand state and federal requirements and to insure that the District is in compliance.

4. What will you do to build consensus in the community in support of public schools?

I will work to build consensus through listening, sharing and learning via whatever platform is available. I think that consensus is built through collaboration. True collaboration occurs when stakeholders contributes their part to the (on-going) conversation resulting in a course of action(s) that achieves the ultimate goal of educating the whole child.

5. What are your budget priorities?

The goal of a budget is to insure that spending does not exceed income and that excesses are stewarded in a way that provides a financial base for the future. A budget measures how well one actually did versus who well one expected to do. Accordingly, my priorities are:

▪ Refrain from spending what we do not have
▪ Extend the life of the levy by wisely stewarding

the District's resources and tangible and non-tangible property

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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 may apply. See individual questions for specific word limits. Direct references to opponents are not permitted. Please edit your work before submitting. We are unable to provide spell-check at this time.

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

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Created from information supplied by the candidate: October 20, 2011 15:56
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