MARK POWELL FOR SCHOOL BOARD POSITION PAPER

By Mark Powell

Mark Powell, November run-off election candidate for school board, lays out his platform for a healthier San Diego Unified School District.

I Will Repair the Budget. I will repair the budget by responsibly negotiating all district contracts, including labor contracts with classified and certificated employees, and vendors. I will open up "the books" and audit the district's expenditures and reserves to establish the actual amount in reserves and evaluate the true amounts needed for specified contingencies. Any excesses not needed in reserve will serve to close deficits. I will establish a community-based advisory board whose objectives would be to review all substantive fiscal and policy matters and make appropriate recommendations to the school board prior to adoptions of such matters. All measures to remain solvent must be considereD.

I Will restore parent, teacher and community confidence. I will organize and spearhead a statewide campaign along with other school districts, legislators, parent groups, teachers, business leaders and other education advocates to put and keep pressure on the state Legislature and the governor to fund education and stop playing politics with our children's education. Teachers deserve decent salaries, but the decision to give pay raises without having the money to pay for them was irresponsible. We have to maintain a manageable student-to-teacher ratio so teachers can teach and students can learn. Smaller class sizes will increase student achievement and reduce the achievement gap. A lower student-to-teacher ratio enables teachers to dedicate more time to each child, so students, in turn, pay more attention to class work, participate more in academics, and have a better chance at success. And that is really what parents, teachers and the community want as a bottom line.

I Will Promote Teacher Effectiveness. I will work with the teachers and their union to implement a uniform teacher evaluation system that is fair and equitable. Currently, teacher evaluations are predominantly based on student achievement (essentially test scores), forcing teachers to "teach to the test." This robs the students of a quality education, because teachers are in fear that if test scores are low, they will be considered ineffective. The evaluation system should be on a weighted scale given to various criteria, including, above all, value added assessment. Many excellent teacher evaluation models are available; there is no need to reinvent the wheel. There is a place for seniority combined with quality of service provided, and this matter should be collectively determined by all stakeholders. It is important to develop an arena of trust, so that district administration and teachers can take on this and other important tasks. I will provide the leadership and make every effort to bring back trust between the teachers and the administration.