Early identification of students needing extra help will allow for early intervention and assistance. As a former high school English teacher and volunteer coordinator at Eckstein Middle School, I know what a valuable tool these objective standards will be for teachers to improve individual student performance. As a co-founder of Kapka, a private primary school, and Coho, a public alternative elementary school, I know what an important resource they will be for parents. And as a parent of two teenagers in Seattle schools, I know what an opportunity they will be for our children to focus their own learning. Our success depends on teachers and parents fully understanding these new expectations and encouraging their kids to succeed.
Higher expectations lead to higher results.
We must work with our partners in schools of education to make sure they are preparing their student teachers to teach in our new standards-based system. I will continue to be a staunch supporter of education reform and to advocate for higher academic achievement for all students, regardless of socioeconomic status or special circumstance. I will continue to make being a School Board member my full-time job, and devote time weekly to being in a school, as I have for the past 10 years. The second biggest challenge facing the district is finding sufficient funds to implement these standards and other important programs. The state's share continues to decline year after year.