League of Women Voters of California Education Fund
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Peter Darrah
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This is an archive of a past election. See http://www.smartvoter.org/ca/scl/ for current information. |
League of Women Voters of California Education Fund
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Peter Darrah
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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. How would you determine that the schools are using federal, state and local funds wisely and fairly and how would you report your findings to the community?
The Mountain View Whisman School District already uses a number of metrics to measure educational efficiency. The most basic ratio is to look at test scores versus dollars spent per student. We frequently compare budget items and overall spending strategies against other schools in the county. For example, MVWSD recently cut transportation expenses greatly by consolidating school schedules - a strategy used by other area schools.We need to do more as a District to publish the numbers on the Web and present them to parents. In tough times like these, programs will be cut. We need to keep parents and the community involved to ensure priorities are set clearly.
2. Are the schools offering instruction appropriate to the diverse educational abilities of all the students?
Mountain View Whisman School District has a particularly diverse population that reflects the local population of high tech professionals and low income working people. My primary objective is to teach every student in the District to their potential.Differentiated education takes many shapes. Language classes throughout the District are leveled teach English as a second language and push native speakers at the same time. We have reading intervention in primary grades to make sure all students can read by third grade. We have accelerated math in late elementary and middle school.
Developing technologies can also help us target education directly for the needs of individual students. Programs like ST Math and Khan Academy are used throughout the District to bring tailored math instruction to each student.
As a District we also need to support and encourage our teachers that go the extra mile to make a difference in our children's lives. So many times, a teacher changes a child's life by reaching out to them and bridging a gap in their achievement. We need to help teachers get through all the meetings and requirements and testing to care about and connect with students to make them successful.
3. Where do you want the District to be five years from now? What steps should the District take to get there?
I would like to see the District's scores continue to rise. Progress is the sum of continuous improvement at all levels. Simple things like providing laptops and projectors for all the classrooms enable new teaching styles. Graham Middle recently added math and language support classes to focus on particular students and their scores improved. Larger efforts like the District's EDI initiative use recent research into how people learn to develop teaching techniques. When every kid has to write their answer on a whiteboard, their engagement and learning improves. That spirit of continuous improvement in measure big and small helps us all improve.As a District, we also need to look at expanding the metrics we use to measure education. An education that only looks at math scores, reading scores, and dollars spent is poor indeed. We need to look at the whole child to make sure they develop as good people.
On practical note, we also need to make sure the Measure G funds are spent wisely on facilities that will last for generations. We are committed to spending $40K per student. That's a lot of money. We need community input to ensure our schools are safe, functional, and beautiful. Good facilities make a difference in kids' lives.
Responses to questions asked of each candidate are reproduced as submitted to the League. Candidates' statements are presented as submitted. Please answer each question in no more than 400 words. Direct 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 5, 2012 21:51
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