League of Women Voters of California Education Fund
Alameda County, CA November 4, 2014 Election
	Ross Stapleton-Gray Answers Questions Candidate for Board Member; Albany Unified School District

The questions were prepared by the LWV Berkeley/Albany/Emeryville and asked of all candidates for this office.
Read the answers from all candidates (who have responded).

Questions & Answers

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?

AUSD has, in the Local Control Accountability Plan (LCAP), a structure for allocating resources across the schools; the current Board is even now convening sessions to allow for all of the stakeholders to develop the process to best reflect needs. As a candidate to the Board, I feel qualified to be a participant in that process, but wouldn't presume to anticipate what these sessions will conclude. I think the District has done well, despite a very challenging economy.

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?

Like most District parents, I'm relatively new to the Common Core standards. Some AUSD teachers I trust are enthusiastic about them; presentations by AUSD staff have also been reassuring that (1) the District has a plan for their introduction; and (2) that communicating with the stakeholders (including parents) is important.

3. Is early childhood education being well implemented in the District? What would you recommend in this area?

Our daughters both attended a non-AUSD preschool, so I am largely unfamiliar with pre-K in Albany, but welcome learning more.

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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.

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

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Created from information supplied by the candidate: September 23, 2014 21:35
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