League of Women Voters of California Education Fund
Santa Clara, Santa Cruz County, CA November 2, 2010 Election
	George K. Tyson Answers Questions Candidate for Member; Santa Clara County Board of Education; Trustee Area 2

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. What experience and training would you bring to this office?

Having recently served on the CUSD board,I know how schools run and how to make them better. This is backed up by my previous experience at the elementary (Site Council Chair), middle school (PTA president), and high school level (volunteer on bond campaign). I have gained further insight by serving as a community volunteer for many years (Rotary, Scouting, AYSO soccer, most recently as president of West Valley Community Services), through my academic training (degrees in engineering and finance), and my work at a senior executive level in pharmaceuticals, where I've had people, budget, and project responsibility in bringing new products to market.

2. What changes if any would you recommend in the county's special education program?

The county's program is an essential part of its function, and I think our dedicated employees are doing a fine job with it. My recommendations would be to look for site consolidation, where feasible, to provide better service at lower cost, and to aggressively recruit teachers and aides with the highest level of training to make sure that our special education students succeed.

3. What should be the role of the County Board of Education in regard to charter schools?

The County Board must support its existing charter schools, including monitoring their progress and finances, both to provide adequate oversight as well as to help share their successful innovations more broadly. This helps all students, charter and non-charter alike.

With new applications, the County Board serves as a point of appeals for applications denied at the local level. I feel that the County should work more closely with all parties (chartering agencies as well as local school boards) to encourage resolution at the local level, and minimize the direct chartering of schools by the County. This should help reduce operational difficulties (such as space allocation) while encouraging that sharing of best educational practices.

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Responses to questions asked of each candidate are reproduced as submitted to the League.  Candidates' responses are not edited or corrected by the League. Answers must not refer directly or indirectly to another candidate.

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

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Created from information supplied by the candidate: October 21, 2010 15:51
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