Increasing school funding
Virginia is one of the wealthiest states in the country, yet it ranks 41st in school funding. (Source) Although some school districts still thrive, the woefully insufficient funding from the state is felt hard by students in many localities, including Richmond.
Celebrating and honoring the wisdom of parents, students, and teachers
As in many systems, policy in school systems is often made from the top down rather than the ground up. Nobody understands the needs of our students and schools better than parents, teachers, and students.
Building better systems for transparency and accountability
Connecting the voices of the community to decision-makers in RPS is critical. That is why we must build better structures for sharing information and holding the district accountable.
Recentering school safety policies on student and teacher support
When it comes to school safety, many schools adopt an enforcement-based approach that focuses heavily on monitoring and enforcement. I believe that our community is better served when resources are focused on the root cause of the problem
Increasing School Funding
Virginia is one of the wealthiest states in the country, yet it ranks 41st in school funding. (Source) Although some school districts still thrive, the woefully insufficient funding from the state is felt hard by students in many localities, including Richmond. Richmond City teachers and staff, including the Richmond Education Association, have worked hard for many years to try to fight for increased funding. One of my key ambitions would be to use my position on the board to support and bolster this work as much as possible.
Advocate for increased state funding by championing the restoration of educational funding to pre-2008 levels
Push for increased local funding for public education to ensure adequate resources for quality education.
Explore alternative funding sources, such as grants and partnerships with local businesses and organizations.
Celebrating and honoring the wisdom of parents, students, and teachers.
As in many systems, policy in school systems is often made from the top down rather than the ground up. Nobody understands the needs of our students and schools better than parents, teachers, and students. As a board member, I would look to realign our policies with the voices of these groups through the following:
Fostering a collaborative environment where parents and teachers are valued as partners in students' educational journey.
Respecting teachers' expertise and experience by involving them in policy decisions, and professional development opportunities.
Exploring opportunities for teachers to collaborate throughout the district to increase consistency, creativity, and motivation.
Recognizing teacher burnout as a systemic, institutional, or policy-based issue and exploring ways to decrease unnecessary demands on teachers’ time.
Recentering school safety policies on student and teacher support.
When it comes to school safety, many schools adopt an enforcement-based approach that focuses heavily on monitoring and enforcement. I believe that our community is better served when resources are focused on the root cause of the problem. Although some funding is directed to initiatives such as restorative justice, an incomplete commitment financially and philosophically to these strategies has prevented their full efficacy. On the board, I would champion some of the following strategies:
Prioritizing mental health resources and counseling services for students to address issues such as bullying, anxiety, trauma, and depression.
Revisiting RPS anti-violence and anti-discrimination policies to ensure a safe and inclusive environment for all students and staff.
Ensuring ongoing, high-quality training is provided for teachers and staff on recognizing signs of distress, trauma, and potential violence.
Creating clear guidance for teachers on where to report concerns and ensuring that the resources are available for the system to reliably address concerns in a timely manner.
Building Better Systems for Transparency and Accountability.
I believe that connecting the voices of the community to decision-makers in RPS is critical. That is why we must build better structures for sharing information and holding the district accountable. I would do so by focusing on the following:
Ensuring transparency and accountability in budget allocation, expenditures, procurement, and policy making.
Communicating current educational issues, decisions, and opportunities to the community through monthly newsletters.
Safeguard effective avenues for addressing concerns or grievances for students, parents, teachers, and staff.
