This is an archive of a past election. See http://www.smartvoter.org/ca/scl/ for current information. |
The questions were prepared by the Leagues of Women Voters of Santa Clara County and asked of all candidates for this office.
See below for questions on
Use of Funds,
Appropriate Instruction,
District Goals
Click on a name for candidate information. See also more information about this contest.
Answer from Michele Ryan:
Answer from Michele Ryan:
First, the fact that many parents in our district choose to send their children to charter and private schools indicates that a significant proportion of our parent population does not believe the district offers the type of academic programs they believe would best meet their children's needs. Parents who have options vote with their feet, and many of these parents who value education are looking outside the district for their children's education. Currently, the district sends over $1,000,000 per year to charter schools to contribute to the cost of educating district students at charter schools, and that figure is projected to increase every year. If we want those students and their active, involved parents to remain in district schools, we have to do a better job of providing the academic programs they want for their children.
Second, the fact that our high school math proficiency scores on the state tests are, with very few exceptions, so much lower than all of the districts that surround us clearly indicates that we need to improve our instruction in math.
For example, take Algebra 1 proficiency for 9th graders in 2012:
Campbell HSD+ 23%
Fremont Union [Sunnyvale, Cupertino]+ 24%
San Jose Unified + 25%
Santa Clara Unified + 11%
The fact that our proficiency level is HALF that of neighboring districts is a clear sign that we need to be doing more.
Clearly, for both our high achieving and our lower achieving students, the district is not offering enough instruction that is appropriate for their abilities
Answer from Michele Ryan:
I expect our district to offer a wider variety of educational options, particularly for our middle and high school students. Such options might include a STEM [Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math] academy for middle school students, and expanded access to the middle school Basics+ program.
I also expect to see expanded access for our elementary school educational options, the Basics+ and the parent participation programs. We can expand these options without additional cost and while preserving neighborhood schools.
To achieve these goals, the School Board and the district administration need to have a clear focus on preparing students to succeed in a global marketplace that rewards strong academic achievement.
The order of the candidates is random and changes daily. Candidates who did not respond are not listed on this page. |