LWV LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS

Smart Voter
Hamilton County, OH November 2, 1999 Election
Board Member; Sycamore Community City School District

Candidates Answer Questions on the Issues

See below for questions on charter schools, special needs students, proficiency tests

Click on a name for other candidate information.


1. What effect would the community (charter) schools have on the public schools in your district?

Answer from Charlie Wilfong:

I think charter schools are a very interesting tool to get parents more involved in schools. i am impressed by Cinti. Pub. Sch. use of charter. The success of any district will depend today on how engaged the parents become.

Answer from Renee Roth:

Community (charter) schools would have little effect in the Sycamore Community School District. We provide a quality program, both in school and after school, designed to meet the needs of all our students. We have excellent programs for gifted students and special needs students, a quality academic program, and are a member ofthe Great Oaks Vocational District. As the law is now written, community schools cannot be started in the Sycamore School di

Answer from Carolyn R. Keller:

As a suburban district, Sycamore has had no experience with Charter schools, and will not as the laws stand at this time. In the future, we could experience some financial loss if many students were to leave, but that would depend on the rules and regulations not yet develo


2. Evaluate the adequacy of support services, beyond state standards, presently provided for special-needs students in your district.

Answer from Charlie Wilfong:

Sycamore does an excellent job providing services for special needs and gifted children. Intervention teachers and professional assistants, educational assistants and evaluators are available at all levels. Gifted teachers are on staff in each school building.

Answer from Carolyn R. Keller:

Sycamore provides excellent support services to all students, including special needs

Answer from Renee Roth:

The support services in the Sycamore Community School district are excellent. We provide enrichment and intervention as needed. Many of our special needs students are included in regular classrooms throughout the day with support staff to help them. We provide physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, in school academic accommodations and job assistance and training. Sycamore is blessed with a strong tax base and a supportive community which allows us to meet the needs of ever


3. Has the use of proficiency tests in your school improved the education of students?

Answer from Renee Roth:

The students in the Sycamore Community School district have always had excellent education provided by a quality staff. Proficiency tests have helped us to focus our curriculum to meet state requirements and have provided a vehicle for measuring achievem

Answer from Carolyn R. Keller:

The use of proficiency tests in Sycamore has improved the consistency of measurable results in student achievement

Answer from Charlie Wilfong:

My concern with proficiency tests is that way we use the results. My understanding is that they were designed to evaluate the teaching in a school district. It seems we use the results to evaluate the learning by the children.


Responses to questions asked of each candidate are reproduced as submitted to the League, but formatted for Web display.

The order of the candidates is random and changes daily.


This Race || Home (Ballot Lookup) || About Smart Voter || Feedback
Created: November 18, 1999 14:52
Smart Voter '99 <http://www.smartvoter.org/>
Copyright © 1999 League of Women Voters of California Education Fund.
The League of Women Voters neither supports nor opposes candidates for public office or political parties.