League of Women Voters of California Education Fund
Santa Clara County, CA November 4, 2014 Election
	Joe Mitchner Answers Questions Candidate for Board Member; Mountain View-Los Altos Union High School District

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?

My professional career has been in Financial Management for employers that include Oracle Corporation, Hewlett-Packard, and Stanford University. I'm extremely comfortable analyzing budgets and financial reports, at both macro and micro levels. I'm also practiced at explaining and presenting financials. One of Oracle's early CFO's used to say, "If you can't explain it, then you don't really understand it." And I believe that's true.

As a Basic Aid District funded primarily through local property taxes, MVLA qualifies for very little federal and state funding (approximately 5% of the General Fund). Federal funding, broken out by category, is detailed in the annual budget, which is presented at least twice in public board meetings prior to adoption and is also posted on the District website. Each year, the annual audit report (a public document) includes an "Expenditures of Federal Awards" review, which details how Federal funds are spent.

The majority of General Fund state funding is for Common Core, Lottery (unrestricted / instructional materials), and Special Education. Each of these line items is also included in the annual budget. Common Core spending plans are separately reviewed and approved by the board over the course of two public meetings.

One area that would qualify for federal and state funding in a Revenue Limit District is the Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP). Although MVLA doesn't qualify for specific federal or state LCAP funding, the LCAP report was presented to the board, and details all of the goals, action plans, and planned expenditures for each area. Prior to reaching the Board, the LCAP was reviewed at 21 different input meetings with a wide range of stakeholders.

The General Fund annual budget is a comprehensive report of District spending plans. The supporting documentation for the budget provides detail by expenditure area.

The Board has 15 "Board Adopted Indicators", which measure District performance on metrics aligned with District Goals. Improvement in each of those metrics, which include academic achievement broken out by subgroups, is an indicator of proper funding allocation. Funding can and should be re-apportioned if progress is unsatisfactory on important metrics. The Board Adopted indicators are reviewed annually at board meetings, and are included in the published annual report for each school in the District.

2. Are the schools offering instruction appropriate to the diverse educational abilities of all the students?

The MVLA District has a wide range of learners...ranging from students who take multiple AP courses to students learning English, to students best served by alternative programs. The District has an obligation to serve EVERY student.

Currently, 23 AP courses are offered at each of the two comprehensive high schools. Classes are added based on student demand, and the number of AP "seats" increased by 15% in the past year. Much of that increase is driven by Latino participation in AP courses, which has grown by 83% in the past four years.

In the past five years, the District has recognized the importance of providing for students in the "middle" range, and has added many new courses in the college prep ("middle") band. New courses include: Introduction to Computer Science, Introduction to Statistics, Robotics, Introduction to Journalism, and BioTech. In addition, some of the recently added AP classes (e.g., AP Psychology, AP Environmental Science...) appeal to a broader range of students, including some who previously might not have been inclined to attempt an AP course.

District also offers a significant number of skills courses and support programs. These include classes in math, English, and social studies. There is a strong AVID program. Support programs include homework clubs, student assistance teams, and tutorial centers. Outreach through parent networking groups and bilingual counselors has also been helpful for students and families.

The District provides a program for English Language Learners, and serves its growing special education population.

For students interested in careers (or career exploration), there are many ROP/CTE courses. The more recent additions include Robotics, Broadcast Journalism, and Construction. Courses are also offered in Auto Mechanics, Culinary, and Health Science Careers.

The District also offers choice programs for students with different learning styles. At Freestyle Academy students blend their learning with multimedia technology; at Middle College, students who don't feel a fit on a traditional high school campus, spend their days taking classes at Foothill College.

District also oversees an Adult Education program, which provides GED/HSD, ESL, and CTE as state-funded programs.

With this diverse set of programs and support structures, the District's API scores have steadily increased in total and across all subgroups.

3. Where do you want the District to be five years from now? What steps should the District take to get there?

It is critical to build on the District's positive momentum in academic achievement, and in narrowing the achievement gap. That's the essence of my responsibility as a Trustee, and my highest priority. To do that, we need to provide a full range of classes for students at ALL ability levels, as well as a support structure to ensure student success. We need to continue our initiatives in working with under-represented students and families, while also seeking out new strategies.

MVLA must continue to add classes and programs that meet the evolving needs of our students. With the recent emphasis on STEM as a District Goal, MVLA has added courses (computer science, robotics, engineering, statistics), and reduced class sizes in math. Going forward, it is particularly important to continue adding courses at ALL academic levels (AP, College Prep, ROP, and Support).

In addition to core programs at the Comprehensive high schools, it's important to have choices because students are all different and have varying needs and learning styles.

• Freestyle Academy and Middle College, provide students with learning environments that fit their interests.
• At Alta Vista, students who've fallen behind in units, can get back on track for graduation.

I want the District to always provide choices, either in-house, or through partnerships.

District graduates are increasingly college-ready. More students are UC-Eligible, and more students are taking, and doing well on AP Tests. It is important to maintain our college and career centers, tutorial centers, and provide the lowest possible academic counseling ratios.

Freestyle Academy, which provides a media arts framework for delivery of English and social studies and prepares students for prestigious college programs in media arts, is an example of the rewards that can come from thinking outside the box. This year's pilot of "Cloud Computing" may be next. The next five years will see opportunities in new content delivery (online, blended learning), and our District should be at the forefront in pursuing those.

It's a lot. We're doing it now. And we need to look to the future with the same vigor, the same caring for students at all levels, and the same openness to new ideas.

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Responses to questions asked of each candidate are reproduced as submitted to the League.  Candidates' statements are presented as submitted. The answer to each question should be limited to 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 19, 2014 22:55
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