League of Women Voters of California Education Fund
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Steven E. Nelson
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This is an archive of a past election. See http://www.smartvoter.org/ca/scl/ for current information. |
League of Women Voters of California Education Fund
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Steven E. Nelson
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The questions were prepared by the Leagues of Women Voters of Santa Clara County and asked of all candidates for this office.
Read the answers from all candidates (who have responded).Questions & Answers
1. How would you determine that the schools are using federal, state and local funds wisely and fairly and how would you report your findings to the community?
It's important to thoroughly read reports from District staff. I've read excellent reports on Special Education, Federal and categorical funds. I read the entire Facilities Plan several years ago.I always dig down and also read the regulations and statutes. I would usually 1) bring problem matters to another Trustee (stays within Brown Act), 2) bring issue to the Superintendent (and my 'kitchen cabinet') 3) wait. If it `doesn't get fixed,' 4) get it on the Agenda and 5) use the Board meeting to discuss with Board and the Press. The MV Voice can be a useful community discussion starter.
Are we going to use Bond funds wisely? Our local County Civil Grand Jury thinks schools should retrofit Automatic Fire Safety Sprinklers. I've placed this on the Board Agenda, Nov. 14, through a citizen's request. Let's discuss!
I (we) already compare our student outcomes with comparable schools and "benchmark" schools. I like using numbers and graphs to explain things. As a Trustee, I pledge I would visit neighborhoods and meet people at ALL schools on a rotating basis. I already do that as a concerned citizen running for office! I recently visited with the Special Needs PTA and last spring at a School Site Council meeting (Monta Loma) I found out the wonderful work Cathy Baur did with Continuous Improvement, letting the K-1 teachers form their own professional improvement work group.
2. Are the schools offering instruction appropriate to the diverse educational abilities of all the students?
We could do better. But we HAVE some fine successes! PACT at Stevenson provides creative, project-learning environments for some families. Maja P. from Castro proclaims how the non-disadvantaged kids in the DI (dual language) program `standard test' at a perfect 1000. Theuerkauf helps it's Economically Disadvantaged kids (70%) get closer to our District average in standard testing than ANY OTHER school in our District. GATE and MVEF (community funded) programs help many creative instructional types to thrive.I've substitute taught almost 150 days in all District schools. I assure you, the teachers are offering appropriate instruction on average. The middle schools do have more problems, particularly in math. Outcomes show where "learning problems" are located and instruction needs to be changed.
Direct Instruction (in the EDI form) I consider inappropriate for summer school math remedial programs. This is really hiking up the "EDI" CONSULTANT $$$ and is not focused on the individual students. "Teaching Lab" is the title, not student learning. The previous remedial math summer program, with individualized packets, lots of high school & Jr. college individual tutors, and Foothill College expertise, was shown as successful and much less $$$ Well liked by remedial students and parents! EDI is the old classroom style (with new efficiencies) that many of these remedial students failed to connect with during the regular school year! [I highly support EDI during the regular year for perhaps 1/5-1/3 of instruction time.]
3. Where do you want the District to be five years from now? What steps should the District take to get there?
I'd like our parent Survey to show `more happiness' with our schools. Families are "our customers".We should help all our 8th graders to high school success. At MVHS unfortunately we have 20% lower HS Exit Exam success than we do at LAHS (for Economically Disadvantaged).
We (MVWSD) have sunk from a 7/10 comparison for California Districts (API) to a 5/10 comparison ranking (2009 to 2011). I'd like to see our individual schools routinely in the 10/10 and 9/10 comparisons. A Bonus System for teachers would be partially tied to comparison metrics. Superintendent and Principal raises would be tied into metrics, not just verbiage. We really have to work on the middle school math!
Economists have pretty conclusively shown that student success depends mainly on quality teaching. I want to follow "Reach To The Top," quality measures for our administrators, teachers and Trustees! Performance improvement by selective, differentiated, teacher re-training. "One Size" does not fit all teachers. For new teachers, offer the most promising 10% immediate tracking toward tenure. This year's 100% "temporary" teacher new hires is an insane hiring policy! (50 = 1/5th of the teachers in the entire MVWSD are temporary)
Educated families do fine in this District. My eldest son just graduated from Stanford, job in hand My second just made the National Merit list at MVHS. We can, we must help the kids of all our neighborhoods. We are a diverse American Community that can do this. We need the heart for this, and we need the head for this.
Responses to questions asked of each candidate are reproduced as submitted to the League. Candidates' statements are presented as submitted. Please answer each question in no more than 400 words. 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: October 13, 2012 12:57
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