League of Women Voters of Ohio Education Fund
Hamilton County, OH November 8, 2005 Election
	Melanie Bates Answers Questions Candidate for Board Member; Cincinnati City School District

Questions & Answers

1. What are your Qualifications for Office? (50 word limit)

Prior to my four year term on the Cincinnati School Board, I served as an elected member of the Ohio State Board of Education, 1995-2001. I have a track record of board work with the Cincinnati Youth Collaborative, Mayerson Academy, SAY East Youth Soccer, and Xavier University Board of Governors.

2. What plans do you have to address your top three priorities? (100 word limit)

To increase academic achievement administration and staff need to be held accountable by the board for the specific academic performance of CPS students. A sense of urgency must be established for making sure that students learn and reach high academic standards. To insure that our schools are the safest places our children can be, Community Learning Centers within our schools shall include space for Community Policing Offices. Also, teachers and auxiliary staff shall be trained to work with children who have significant behavioral problems. To address questions about the credibility of the district's finances, the board shall seriously consider the recommendations of the Mayor's Task Force. The task force is doing critically important work of examining the financial situation of CPS.

3. What will you do as a Board of Education member to increase parental involvement in your school system? (100 word limit)

We must make school about children again. CPS is designed around the needs of adults rather than the needs of children. The culture of our schools must shift to accommodate the academic needs of our students and their families. This culture shift must come from top leadership, and when children and families truly come first, parental involvement will become integral in the system rather than an accessory in the education process of our students. As a leader with the support of the community I will continue to pressure for this change in culture.