League of Women Voters of California Education Fund
Butte County, CA November 6, 2012 Election
	Amy Christianson Answers Questions Candidate for Board Member; Butte County Board of Education; Trustee Area 1

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

Questions & Answers

1. In light of existing and anticipated budget cuts in every governmental service and shrinking tax bases, what are your ideas to keep education in our district the creative and productive experience our children deserve?

From a county board perspective it is important that we support the fiscal needs of our districts in the short-term. It is important that we keep our schools solvent.

As a County Board Member listening to the districts challenges and needs in order to influence policy and legislation at the state level for long-term solutions is a priority.

2. What are the key benefits and drawbacks to parents selecting schools for their children, including the relatively new phenomenon of charter schools?

The key benefit is that parents have a choice in their child's education. Education is multi-faceted being a music or arts area of concentration, technology, sports or another area important to the family and child. It's a choice

The challenge is not a parent challenge, it really highlights the strong need for proper governance of charter or traditional education. Leadership is essential.

3. Charter schools are public schools supported by taxpayer dollars. How should they be held accountable to the public? Should their governing boards be required to adhere to the Brown Act?

Charter Schools need to be held accountable to their outlined objectives and goals. They should equally be accountable to how the fiscally spend public dollars. Governing boards should adhere to the Brown Act as part of the accountability process in being transparent to their successes and challenges.

4. There is widespread agreement –- and adopted learning standards –-affirming the role of the arts in a complete education. And yet, among schools and districts across the state, access to the arts is inconsistent or nonexistent. How should the state ensure that the arts have their rightful role in every K-12 curriculum?

While I believe learning standards are important to pace students, it should be a local board decision as to the curriculum and focus on how the standards are met. Art should be ubiquitous in standards based instruction. Arts is a wonderful example of expression that can be used to gage student understanding of a standard.

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Responses to questions asked of each candidate are reproduced as submitted to the League.  Candidates' statements are presented as submitted. 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 6, 2012 12:57
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