League of Women Voters of the Cincinnati Area Education Fund
Hamilton County, OH November 5, 2013 Election
	Ericka Copeland-Dansby Answers Questions Candidate for Member of Board of Education; Cincinnati City School District

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? (50 word limit)

I am a native of Cincinnati and have had a life-long commitment to improving educational opportunities for students. My family and I live and work in the Cincinnati Public School District. I am a proud parent of a Cincinnati Public Schools' Sophomore, and a graduate of Cincinnati Public Schools.

I have been actively involved with children and families in the Cincinnati and Hamilton County community for more than 25 years. I have served children and families through numerous successful programs and initiatives including: Teaching Preschool, Leading Youth Development Initiatives in Collaboration with Cincinnti Public Schools, Implementing Social Services Programs, Investigating Child Abuse and Neglect, Developing and Implementing Community Infrastructure and Health Programming, and Championing a large, multi-faceted, non-profit organization for a decade at Mercy Health St. John in Over the Rhine. I currently serve as the Director of Resource Development with the Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Cincinnati.

2. What can be done to improve Cincinnati Public Schools' results at current funding levels? (100 word limit)

I bring a new, innovative, and collaborative approach to problem solving. The following are areas to focus on to improve our School District at its current funding levels:
- Intentional focus on Best Practices in Early Childhood Education
- Implement policy that is centered around accountability and measurable results
- Strengthen/build relationships and partnerships that support students and families
- Support Bottom-Up Solutions that include the voice of parents and community
- Improved recruitment, hiring, and evaluation
- Robust Professional Development for Teachers and Principals
- Access to Teachers and School Administration
- Increase/Welcome Parental Involvement
- Educate and empower parents and community to involve themselves with local schools and decision making bodies
- Increase Community Partnerships and Support Networks for families, i.e. Community Learning Centers
- Innovative and Aggressive Leadership and Accountability/Financial transparency
- School Board leadership that sets strategy and demands and ensures accountability

3. What will you do to build consensus in the community in support of Cincinnati Public Schools? (100 word limit)

To build consensus for support of any initiative, I firmly believe that you must consistently work to build and maintain relationships with the key stakeholders of that initiative. This must include open communication, transparency, and utilization of effective tools and opportunities (such as regularly scheduled forums between the school board/education community and Cincinnati families) that will serve as the sounding board for collaboration to take our school system to the next level. My professional and personal experience in this community has prepared me to do just that. Furthermore, being a parent of a present CPS student while being a School Board Member will allow me to relate to my fellow Cincinnati parents.

Communities and schools are intrinsically linked. Schools serve as centers of neighborhood life. Cincinnati Public Schools must also remain in close partnership with the non-profit community in order ensure children and families are supported.

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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: September 12, 2013 06:48
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