League of Women Voters of California Education Fund
Alameda County, CA February 7, 2012 Election
	Jon F. Elliott Answers Questions Candidate for Board of Education Member; City of Piedmont

The questions were prepared by the League of Women Voters of Piedmont and asked of all candidates for this office.
Read the answers from all candidates (who have responded).

Questions & Answers

1. If the State makes mid-year cuts in school funding, as a school board member what would you do to balance the school budget without sacrificing the quality of Piedmont schools?

Since state funding was first cut in 2008, the District has moved incrementally each year in the direction of balanced budgets, while striving to maintain the quality of our schools. Each year has brought program cuts, higher parcel tax levies, and increases in voluntary donations by parents and the community. Beginning in 2011, teachers and other staff have also made important compensation concessions. Since budgets have not balanced in any of these years, the District has also drawn down its reserves. This year's District budget does more of the same, with enough remaining reserves to absorb mid-year state funding cuts without any immediate program cuts here in Piedmont.

As a parent advocate over the past several years, and as Chair of the Parcel Tax Citizens Advisory Committee for the past two years, I have supported the District's incremental approach in concept. However, I have pushed for larger cost cuts, believing that the state's budget problems would continue for longer than the School Board hoped. I have also challenged the Board to explore more cost-effective ways of providing excellent education.

Given our situation, I agree that the most reasonable strategy is to move toward balance, even if it takes several more years to get there. I would continue this approach as a member of the School Board, while pushing for additional efforts to:

• review how changing the curriculum, teaching approaches, and technology can improve educational quality within existing budgets, and/or reduce the damage to programs caused by cuts; and

• engage with parent groups, the Piedmont Education Foundation, and the broader community to elicit their opinions about educational goals and approaches. More community support and funding helps maintain quality programs, and also ensures that the District provides the programs the community values most.

2. Recent issues in the city have created tensions and polarized the community. What would you do to foster civic engagement and dialogue if you were on the Piedmont Board of Education?

The most contentious recent issues in Piedmont share one important aspect: by the time the public became generally aware of each, there was already a well-defined proposal backed by organized proponents. In these situations, the public could only react, either to support or protest the identified proposal. People who wanted more time to understand the issues had to make common cause with those who opposed the proposal. As a result, the process became contentious rather than collaborative. Fortunately, most situations were smoothed out after belated public hearings and a search for common ground. However, these situations left ongoing distrust and alienation, both among those who reacted against the process and among proponents whose proposals were criticized.

In contrast, some potentially-contentious issues proceeded much more smoothly because the Board provided for broad, open-ended public discussion early enough that members of the public had meaningful opportunities to ponder, ask questions, and suggest answers. Even when parents or other community members disagreed with the outcome, it was easier to accept the ultimate decision after having time to engage with the issues and to offer meaningful input about the alternatives considered.

I've used available District-provided opportunities as a long-time parent volunteer and advocate, helped improve them when possible, and pushed for more. If elected, I'll stay available to talk, and will continue to push several inter-related approaches to enhance input:

• make clear summaries of issues and information widely available through multiple methods, so busy Piedmonters know when issues they may care about are arising -- clear website descriptions, school and District newsletters, School Board agendas, and inputs to the local news media.

• highlight important issues, so they don't get buried -- provide well-formatted summaries and clear graphics, and place important updates before routine information.

• expand chances for early public input, while issues are still being explored and before staff recommendations are all-but-ready -- schedule and publicize meetings (site councils, parent information nights, and District meetings) to alert people when issues they may care about are in play, so they'll take the time to email and/or show up and offer their opinions and expertise.

• expand venues where community members can stay involved. Site councils, curriculum forum meetings, and oversight groups for the seismic bonds and parcel taxes are very important places for parents and taxpayers to work alongside teachers and other District staff, to develop more collegial relationships and approaches to problem solving.

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Responses to questions asked of each candidate are reproduced as submitted to the League.  Candidates' answers are presented as submitted.

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

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Created from information supplied by the candidate: January 25, 2012 00:09
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