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The questions were prepared by the LWV Berkeley/Albany/Emeryville and asked of all candidates for this office.
See below for questions on
Local Control Funding,
Common Core Standards,
Early Childhood Education
Click on a name for candidate information. See also more information about this contest.
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1. The new Local Control Funding Formula moved many decisions about allocating funding from the state to the local school boards; how well has the District followed the spirit of the Formula in identifying what our children need? Would you change anything in the process of developing the Local Control (LCAP) budget for next year?
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Answer from Karen (Johnson) Hemphill:
Given the short period of time that the State gave to School Districts to develop the first LCAP, I believe we did a phenomenal job that in fact has been called a state model. Our LCAP (28 drafts!) used multiple community meetings, focus groups, on-line/paper surveys, as well as several Board meetings to really obtain parent and community input - not just meet LCAP "participation" requirements. The end result was a LCAP that really was a collaboration of the professional knowledge of our teachers and staff and the practical experience and wisdom of our parents and community.
In going forward, I believe we need to focus mainly on two issues: 1) starting the LCAP earlier than the first year State-mandated timelines to better coordinate how our school parcel tax, discretionary school site and other funds support/extend student learning/needs and 2)spend more time on critically evaluating what is working and what may not be working so we maximize our resources and ensure that we are using the best teaching and student support/intervention practices to meet our students' needs.
Answer from Josh Daniels:
Berkeley USD's Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP) is considered one of the best in the state. It has received accolades from local organizations (e.g., Parents of Children of African Descent) and from statewide organizations (e.g., ACLU). I led the School Board's LCAP effort and, with other board members, ensured that there was significant community outreach and involvement in developing our LCAP and that it was properly focused on supporting our most at-risk students. The success of this LCAP provides us with a strong framework to build on for next year's annual LCAP update.
Answer from Julie Sinai:
BUSD engaged a wide variety of District and community stakeholders in the development of the LCAP. As required by the State, we used District data to analyze the needs of our low-income, English Language Learners and Foster Care students, as well as our African American and Latino students who have a history of underachievement in our District. The Board worked with the new Superintendent to ensure the Parent Advisory Committee was representative of the diversity of our student community. In addition to the state mandated processes, the District held focus group discussions with the faith-based community, African American families, native Spanish speaking parents, foster care providers, and homeless families in shelters. Working with UC Berkeley, our Green Academy students implemented a student survey and engagement strategy that was presented to the Board. Using the wealth of information from the community, with the expertise and insights in the District, we developed a robust LCAP that reflects the priorities of supporting all students, students who need added support, teachers and families. For this year, I hope to strengthen the community and student engagement in evaluating our implementation and making needed adjustments as we forge ahead.
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2. How well has the District done in introducing the Common Core standards and methods in classes K-12? What improvements would you recommend or do you anticipate for the coming year?
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Answer from Julie Sinai:
BUSD has a strong K-5 literacy program - Teachers College Reading and Writing Project (TCRWP) that aligns with the CCSS. We piloted a new math curriculum - Stories of Units and Stories of Ratios,in elementary and middle schools, respectively. The roll out was challenging, as it was new for everyone. Teachers reported that students responded well to the new curriculum, as it reaches numerous learning styles. This year should be smoother, as teachers have a year of experience with the curriculum. We are still in the pilot stage so we will be looking carefully at how the teachers feel the students are comprehending the curriculum. We also need to get the curriculum in Spanish. This year, we will also be piloting the new month in high school. Lastly, we noticed that the time it took to roll out the new math had a detrimental impact on language arts instruction. We anticipate, and will work to ensure, that balances out this year.
Answer from Josh Daniels:
Berkeley USD has done Common Core right. We started with our educators and asked them to bring forward a Common Core plan, which they did. We then engaged in meaningful community outreach and approved the plan. While other districts around the country are struggling with Common Core, Berkeley has been able to focus on supporting our teachers and families as we all adjust to the new curricula and approach.
Answer from Karen (Johnson) Hemphill:
Our District immediately began establishing professional learning communities of teachers, administrators, and staff to identify curriculum, best practices, and needed professional development to establish Common Core in our schools. This has resulted in changes in our math program with students being better prepared in the foundations of higher mathematics as well as changes in our literacy/writing program to emphasize critical thinking, analytical writing,and the integral way that literacy supports math/science achievement. The biggest challenge is that the available Common Core curriculum is not fully ready for real classrooms and are really still just "lab-tested", so our teachers are having to make adjustments as they are teaching, including having to self-translate course materials into Spanish for our dual immersion/bilingual classes. In addition, since Common Core is different than "traditional" classwork - in the next year, focus needs to continue on professional development for our teachers but also for other staff such as after-school, instructional assistants, and tutors as well as providing on-line as well as in person family workshops so parents are prepared to help their students learn.
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3. Is early childhood education being well implemented in the District? What would you recommend in this area?
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Answer from Julie Sinai:
BUSD has 3 early childhood education programs and a strong partnership with YMCA Headstart. Our preschools work with children on developmentally appropriate curriculum, helping them to be ready for kindergarten. The Response to Intervention and Instruction (RTI2) program is now implemented in our preschool programs, with a concerted effort to provide support for children and their families in the early years. We work together with the City of Berkeley Public Health department to support families. I would like to see the district draw down more state dollars to serve more preschool students. I would also like to ensure our preschool teachers are collaborating with our kindergarten teachers for smooth transitions. Also, I'd like to bridge our preschool parent committees with our Family Engagement office so that parents and guardians are well prepared for the transition to elementary school, and stay actively engaged.
Answer from Karen (Johnson) Hemphill:
I have successfully advocated for supplementing State-provided funding for pre-school with School District funds in order to provide early childhood education to low income families. In addition, our District is fully implementing Transitional Kindergarten for students who turn 5 in September-early December to give additional time to mature and be ready academically for kindergarten success. Much research shows that pre-school is a major factor in later academic success and I firmly support State funding of Universal Pre-School taught by credentialed teachers.
Answer from Josh Daniels:
Berkeley USD had been able to maintain a core early childhood education program despite years of state cutbacks. I successfully led the Board's effort to save three full-day preschool classes from budget cuts. With new money coming from the state (although still not enough), we need to strategically rebuild our program to ensure that all students have access to quality preschool.
Responses to questions asked of each candidate
are reproduced as submitted to the League.
Candidates' statements are presented as
submitted. References to opponents are not permitted.
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
