DISTRICT
Ann Arbor
PHONE
734-657-9975
WEBSITE
www.votedibble.com
Number of years as resident
19
As the candidate with the most recent classroom experience, I am best situated to connect with and assist our current students. I attended AAPS for 12 years and understand the goals of our community. Because of my youth, I will be able to highlight blind spots that normally influence decision making. As opposed to complacently following what has been done for years, I will have to question decisions that I and other board members make, asking what benefit they bring to students.
With the recent lack of action toward clear communication and rebuilding trust within our district from our elected leaders, I see a need for new perspectives and motivation for change. Instead of standing by, I decided to be the change that I want to see.
I have three main policies to start off my term that I wish to implement. First I plan to work with other board members and admin on returning the 80-20 healthcare split to our educators to ensure they have access to healthcare.
Second, I wish to review the district's current technology policies. I believe that AAPS is using and spending too much on technology and that it harms students. I will work with students and teachers to evaluate technology contracts and uses that can be cut.
Third, I plan to restore communication from AAPS leadership. Recently, the communication from AAPS has been the bare-minimum. To work with our community they must be informed of upcoming decisions, current resources, and board/superintendent thinking.
Reducing student screen use will improve academic performance. We must ensure young students learn to read, write, and can maintain focus. Screen use has been shown to harm all three of these goals in education and by reducing our screen use across the board will improve student performance. If we promote interactive classroom experiences we will boost critical thinking, collaboration, and self-efficacy that are shown in research to be the key contributors to not only academic success but lifetime success.
We also need to maintain science of reading curriculum to see student growth and allow teacher curriculum mastery. We should invest in students who are struggling by giving the assistance they need early to keep them at grade level.
My first priority will always be to focus on students when deciding budget policies. This means prioritizing direct classroom investment and ensuring our teachers are skilled professionals. The only way to do this is to compensate our teachers fairly, including funding benefits, such as an 80-20 healthcare split. AAPS will have to cut costs to fund these needs. I plan to review all current AAPS technology expenditures to find cost reductions in technology.
My second budget priority will be the long term health of district finances. I was a student at Pioneer when the district “lost” $20 million and felt the direct impact of financial mismanagement. AAPS admin must plan for the long term to protect our students and community.
Community communication and trust: The community needs to be involved and informed during decision making. We need board meeting changes, standing community representatives, and real communication from district leaders as a start to regain trust.
Falling student enrollment: With fewer students AAPS receives less in funds. We need to keep our programs and change district policies to attract parents to the district.
Teacher compensation: The union contract is up for renegotiation next year. Ensuring adequate funds are available to meet teacher needs is an issue that should be taken up now.
Student achievement: Our students are routinely behind, especially in literacy. The board should focus on providing resources to keep students on track.
WRITE-IN?
No
DISTRICT
Ann Arbor
PHONE
734-436-1454
WEBSITE
kelley4kids.org
Number of years as resident
13
I bring more than a decade of experience in pediatric healthcare, including as a pediatric nurse practitioner working directly with children and families. The work requires attention to detail, critical thinking, using data & evidence, clear communication, speaking up when something is not working, and accountability for decisions and outcomes. I am also a parent of three young children in AAPS, not a career politician. I am running to bring a parent and student perspective to the board while ensuring teachers have the support and voice they need to succeed. I believe in transparent decision-making and leveraging community resources and people to help solve problems. I would bring an evidence-based, collaborative approach focused on strong.
My goals are to strengthen board governance, restore long-term fiscal stability, support and retain excellent educators, and improve outcomes for students. I would work to establish clear, measurable district goals; regularly evaluate progress using data; and ensure the board stays focused on oversight rather than day-to-day management. I would advocate for transparent budgeting, meaningful community and teacher input, and clear communication about decisions. I would also look for opportunities to leverage community partnerships and resources to address challenges and expand opportunities for students. Above all, I would bring a collaborative approach while asking hard questions and holding the district accountable for results.
Improving student achievement starts with clearly defining what achievement means for AAPS and setting measurable district goals. We need disaggregated data to identify gaps and determine whether curriculum, technology, and other programs are actually improving learning. Achievement should also reflect the world students will enter after graduation. As AI changes how we work and access information, students need more than memorization: critical thinking, teamwork, digital literacy, the ability to evaluate information, solve problems, manage time and money, and make informed decisions. We should regularly measure what is working and change course when it is not.
Budget priorities should be guided by the district’s strategic plan, measurable goals, and input from the community—not by individual board members. The board’s responsibility is to align resources with those shared priorities while restoring long-term financial stability. I support rebuilding the fund balance to at least 15%, improving forecasting, and evaluating whether spending on staffing, technology, programs, and services is producing meaningful value. A healthier fund balance provides stability during unexpected challenges and gives the district more flexibility to improve teacher compensation, retain staff, protect classroom instruction, and invest in programs that measurably improve student outcomes, with clear public reporting.
The most serious challenges facing AAPS are financial instability, declining enrollment, teacher morale, and rebuilding community trust. These issues are interconnected a addressing them starts with understanding their root causes. I would support exit surveys and feedback tools to understand why families and staff are leaving, then use that information to guide goals and solutions. We should leverage community partners, neighborhood networks, and current AAPS families to highlight our schools’ strengths and encourage families to choose and stay in AAPS. Supporting and retaining educators must be part of that work. Progress should be tracked publicly, with transparent communication and a willingness to adjust when needed.
DISTRICT
Ann Arbor
WEBSITE
beccaforboard.com
I am a mom of 3 AAPS students at a title one school. I'm involved in PTO and the PTO Council as a Board Member. I’ve been an education advocate since 2007 in my personal life and professional career. I hold an MPA from NYU where I studied education policy and public financial accounting. I’ve worked at OpenGov, a government financial transparency start-up where I furthered my practice in multi-fund accounting and how to make it more accessible to constituents. I earned a secondary mathematics teaching credential and taught high school math in East LA, and went on to coach teachers across Chicago. I believe that public education is a foundational pillar of our democracy and I advocate with the Michigan Education Justice Coalition.
1. Value our educators.
2. Practice principled, transparent spending.
3. Strengthen the community.
Valuing our educators involves both a fair contract for teachers, TAs, office professionals so they can live and thrive in our district- but also asking their opinions, treating them as the amazing professionals they are. They should be at the table all the time.
Next, we'll do a full audit of spend, particularly on outside vendors and contractors (like EdTech). We need to rein in that spend. All contracts should be outcomes-based, based on student success.
We'll strengthen the community by bringing students, educators and families into our advisory circles- creating new spaces and ways of being to interact, share ideas, resources, talents!
Students achieve best when taught by great educators- including teachers and paraprofessionals who are retained overtime. We need to ensure our buildings are fully staffed by educators and that we are providing resources for all students.
AAPS has moved to strong reading curriculum recently, which I believe will continue to show positive results in achievement.
Technology use, particularly EdTech games should be scrutinized for their ability to actually show true positive outcomes in our students achievement.
Finally, we need to address gaps in achievement along lines of race and income. I propose a working group of seasoned educators and community members working alongside district staff to address these persistent gaps.
AAPS should put all educators and student-facing staff as the foundation and center of our budget. Everything else should come secondary because our students all need great educators that we retain.
Everything else is secondary and should be evaluated based on what student outcomes that spending (and those contracts) have led to. If no positive student outcomes have been gained- those contracts should be cancelled. I’m particularly interested in a strict audit of all technology because our teachers are much more valuable than EdTech and should be compensated as such.
We will implement a citizen’s budgetary committee involving caregivers, students and community members to bring community talent and voice to this process.
The number one issue is that the community has fully lost trust in the Board of Ed and Central Administration. Much of this is due to broken promises and lack of transparency. Building back trust and transparency is crucial in order for the community and staff members to feel safe, cared for, and ultimately to continue to provide an excellent education for all.
We will address this by instituting committees that include teachers, students and community members. Additionally, we will move all board meetings back into the school buildings. We will be visible in all school buildings and approachable public servants. When I say we- I mean our Together Forward Slate: Aaron Puno, Becca Hogan, Brandon Smith, Rima Mohammad and John Benson (2year)
DISTRICT
Ann Arbor
WEBSITE
www.rimaforaaps.com
Number of years as resident
13
My professional and lived experience, and service on the Ann Arbor Public Schools (AAPS) Board have prepared me for this position. As a Professor at the University of Michigan, I teach, mentor, conduct research, and care for patients, bringing an evidence-based, collaborative approach to my work. As a current AAPS trustee and former Board President, I have firsthand experience navigating budgets, leadership change, accountability, transparency, equity, academic achievement, student wellbeing, and community engagement with putting students, families and educators first. As a child refugee who experienced poverty and racism, and as a parent of four, I bring a deep personal commitment to ensuring every student has the opportunity to thrive.
My goals are to strengthen student achievement, support teachers and staff, expand mental health and special education supports, close opportunity and resource gaps, and ensure AAPS is financially sustainable and transparent. I will work to accomplish these goals through measurable outcomes, responsible budgeting, evidence-based policies and decisions, and meaningful engagement with students, families, educators, and our community. I will continue to ask tough questions, listen to diverse perspectives, center equity in all decisions, lead with courage, and prioritize the voices and needs of our students, families, and educators.
Improving student achievement requires strong instruction and addressing barriers that prevent students from learning. I've advocated for measurable academic goals, evidence-based literacy and math instruction, stronger interventions, and equitable access to opportunities. I'll continue to address chronic absenteeism, expand social and mental health supports, strengthen support for English learners, underserved students and students with disabilities, and address disparities in discipline. We must also invest in and support our educators with the resources they need to help every student. When students are struggling, learning suffers. We must understand root causes, remove barriers, and ensure every student has the support to succeed.
My budget priorities are to protect classrooms, support our educators, and ensure every dollar is aligned with student needs. I've consistently advocated for a transparent, data-driven approach, not across-the-board cuts or decisions made in isolation. We must center equity and consider the impact on vulnerable students in every decision. I'll prioritize core instruction, competitive compensation, special education and English learner supports, mental health, and addressing chronic absenteeism, and opportunity and achievement gaps. We should review every line item, identify efficiencies, evaluate contracts, and bring services in-house when fiscally responsible. Decisions must be grounded in data, transparency, equity, and community input.
The most serious challenges are the district’s financial challenges, accountability and transparency, achievement and opportunity gaps, and ensuring students and educators have the support they need. We need a Board willing to make tough decisions grounded in data, evidence and equity. I'll continue pushing for transparent budgeting, accountability, and centering marginalized and vulnerable students. We must address chronic absenteeism, discipline disparities, mental health and special education needs, and supporting our educators. With the Board likely to have at least four new members, experience and institutional knowledge will be critical. I bring that history and experience to help provide stability while moving the district forward.
WRITE-IN?
No
DISTRICT
Ann Arbor
PHONE
734-249-9952
WEBSITE
www.oldhamforaaps.com
Campaign Phone
734-249-9952
Number of years as resident
19
The board is seven people and only has power when functioning as a group for good reason. The board needs knowledge and skills with more breadth than any one person could have. I talk to people, everyone who cares, aligned or not. I listen, I ask questions, I learn, and when things happen, I seek out affected individuals to gather their perspectives. In being a funnel for our community, my humility is my superpower. I believe facts and details matter, that understanding systems matters and that rhetoric doesn’t solve problems. My academic background is an undergrad degree in the history of science from Caltech and a Master's of Social Work from UM. For the past 12 years, I've been a full-time mom to three kids who are all AAPS students.
My goals: Treat teachers well, Teachers over technology, and Talk with Ann Arbor.
AAPS teachers feel undervalued not only because their pay is insufficient to have financial stability and security in Ann Arbor. I will advocate with law makers to adequately fund MI schools.
Human students learn best from human teachers. Mounting evidence shows that digital learning is inferior and student performance has dropped internationally. "Excellence in education,” requires choosing analog approaches and protecting students from distractions and addictive software.
AAPS has a history of using committees to bring local expertise to bear on district challenges. Unfortunately, committee work was largely lost to Covid. It is time to reconnect.
We become what we pay attention to. School is serious and should be treated as such. We must protect and grow the focus and attention of students. The PISA test is one of the most well regarded international tests in education, they have found that scores drop the more time students spend on computers at school and also with cell phone use. Smart phones should be put away from the start to finish of the school day. Unless we block the internet, computer use comes with real temptations and risks. Protecting student attention during school from software designed to steal it, is the most important thing we can do to increase student achievement.
Teachers are my budget priority. No one is more important to our students and opening doors for their futures than their teachers. We must figure out how to move money to teachers and how to increase the money available. Every contract should be reevaluated, purchased services have grown at an outsized rate in the AAPS budget.
As a “hold harmless” district that funded its school generously before Proposition A, AAPS endured decades of declining funding. There are only two currently legal ways to increase the money available to pay teachers: we can all lobby our state lawmakers to invest in our children and future prosperity AND we can work toward a Washtenaw county-wide enhancement millage.
Communication, teacher compensation, and the use of ed tech.
The Board is the voice of the community in the leadership of our schools. Board members must serve as spokespeople for community values and concerns. I will hold office hours in libraries and work to be available to listen and discuss with parents, teachers, staff, students and community members.
I will advocate with lawmakers to adequately fund Michigan schools and for a county-wide enhancement millage in Washtenaw county that could be used to pay teachers.
I will discuss the findings around education technology and vote to minimize the use of software designed to be addictive and vote for analog learning including writing by hand and reading from paper books.
WRITE-IN?
NO
DISTRICT
Ann Arbor
PHONE
7349720294
WEBSITE
www.votepuno.com
Campaign Phone
7349720294
Number of years as resident
20
I spent thirteen years as a student in the AAPS and that is my inherent qualification for the job. I've been personally affected by the poor decisions of previous school boards – that means I know the gravity of the responsibilities I’d hold if elected. I've been involved in the community for most of my life, from singing at Bryant-Pattengill International Night to serving as editor-in-chief of the Pioneer Optimist newspaper to my advocacy to this very board dating back to July of 2021. I've spent a whole life doing and caring for this district. I know what happens when we keep asking teachers and kids to do more with less. My run for school board is the culmination of a years-long mission to shrink the gap between classroom and boardroom.
My goal will be to help stabilize this district from years of instability. I will fight to give our staff members a better contract come March, I will fight for our students’ civil rights against all comers, I will work to better disability services, and I will work to ensure that the people of this community can expect basic transparency, clarity, consistency, and care from the AAPS district. We must move out of the crisis to crisis cycle, and clarify where we are going and what constituents can fairly expect the district to deliver. I’d work with anyone to achieve these goals, but I particularly look forward to working with my fellow members of the Together Forward AAPS slate to implement a broad vision for the district we deserve.
In recent years, we’ve seen a marked decrease in student achievement, especially between racial groups. The first step is simply to establish or re-establish why: why do we have gaps in achievement based on race, based on individual schools, etc. Why do we face this problem?
A concurrent step to any improvement will be to ensure that our teachers and staff members are paid a living wage; no student achievement improvements will be possible without the right number of people in place. I would then put more focus on building up our force of teaching assistants and paraprofessionals – these individuals give a priceless level of individual support for students who struggle, especially those in minority communities or with disabilities.
My budget priorities are to refocus our money towards the front-facing aspects of the district – higher pay for staff, facilities maintenance, etc. – and away from administration, administration initiatives, and bloated contracts. I’d investigate renegotiating if not cancelling bloated contracts and replacing them with in-house services – this would save the taxpayer money as we would no longer have to cover the overhead for private contractors. I’d look into the recent overreliance on new technologies that have questionable value to education as a possible point for cuts. If cuts to staff are needed then I would institute a policy of cutting administrative staff before frontline employees like teachers and janitors.
The gravest problem that our current school board faces is a combination of a lack of trust from the community and a disinterest by a majority of this board in regaining that trust. The current board majority treats teachers like a line item expense instead of the core component of our children's education. They openly laugh and scoff at public commenters and they have no willingness to listen to the community whatsoever. That changes if I win and if the Together Forward AAPS slate wins. Our inherent duty will be to rebuild public trust in this institution and to make it where people feel valued here. We will answer questions honestly, we will govern in the public and for the public, and most importantly we will listen.
WRITE-IN?
No
DISTRICT
Ann Arbor
PHONE
734-223-1486
WEBSITE
votecarolynsiebers.com
Campaign Phone
7344891570
Number of years as resident
45
I’m running for the Ann Arbor School Board to bring clear, strong teacher and public participation into our district’s academic, fiscal, and labor decisions. As a math teacher, solving problems is what I do. I have extensive experience, institutional memory, and practical insight into how our schools work, having been a Community High teacher, principal at Pioneer and South Redford's Thurston HS, and Wayne County K-12 professional development leader. I hold a B.A. and M.A. from U-M and a Ph.D. in School Leadership and Policy Studies from Wayne State. As a retired educator, I have the time and energy to devote to the difficult AAPS school bioard work ahead. My goal is simple: bring open, collaborative problem-solving to AAPS from day one.
Focus on Student Learning-Every child arrives at school with unique backgrounds, strengths, and needs. There is no one-size-fits-all approach to education.I will champion research-backed strategies that prioritize human connection over excessive screen time, ensuring AAPS students stay deeply engaged, motivated, and supported.
Support Teachers-We must retain high-quality experienced teachers; a great teacher is the best predictor of student learning.To truly deliver for our students, teachers need fair contracts, autonomy, and professional respect. Curriculum and text decisions should be made by those working with students.
Develop Budget Priorities-Re-establish a community-selected Budget Steering Committee(see response to budget question)
First, identify academic concerns.
Grade 11 Math SAT college readiness percentages down 23%
Grade 11 Reading SAT College Readiness down 7%
Grades 3-8 drops in both math and reading of .7 grade levels
Next, ID possible change factors.
Using print vs digital texts, writing math solutions on paper to computer answers
Fewer discussions, individual work on computers
Chronic absenteeism up from 7% to 36%
Screen/cell phone distractions in class
Fewer whole books read
Increased social media use
Address possible solutions:
Reduce one-to-one computers to class carts
Reduce EdTech footprint & Big Tech curriculum influence
Buy print texts
Teachers write curriculum, choose texts
Bell-to-bell cell phone bans
Visits to homes of chronically absent
First, our budget should directly reflect our commitment to student learning. Over the past decade, we’ve seen concerning drops in math and reading proficiency; it’s time to stop, figure out why, and change course. For example, the district has invested heavily in digital instruction, while research shows kids need print materials to truly master complex ideas. Second, we have to fix school culture. Top-down management has hurt staff morale and led to a contract crisis. We must remember that great teachers make great schools. By supporting our educators, restoring true collaboration with administrators and families, and working together through tight funding constraints, we can build a stronger future for every student in our district.
Traditional structures for including families, teachers, staff, students, and community members in district decisions have largely disappeared.Whether due to administrative shifts, budget pressures, or pandemic impacts, the result is the same: a breakdown of community trust.The district must restore transparency with a community-selected Budget Steering Committee tasked with prioritizing district needs and developing a new budget development process. Citizen DEI and Tech bodies are essential to analyze disaggregated student data, address challenges like cell phone policies, and improve academic outcomes. Re-establishing these collaborative, cross-functional groups is the only way to tackle the district’s interconnected challenges together.
DISTRICT
Ann Arbor
WEBSITE
votebrandonforboard.com
Number of years as resident
10
When running for the AAPS BoE, my core qualification is my perspective as a parent, public school teacher, and policy advocate.
First, as a parent to a future AAPS student, I have a personal stake in ensuring our district is the best it can be.
Second, as a high school teacher and union leader who has negotiated contracts, I understand classroom realities, school finance, and labor relations firsthand. Issues like educator retention and literacy instruction are my daily life, not theoretical debates.
Finally, as an appointee to Governor Whitmer’s Educator Advisory Council, I help shape state-level policy. On the board, I will fight for fiscal transparency, open communication, and a school environment where ALL students can learn.
My ultimate goal is to rebuild trust among our community, staff, and district leadership. Rebuilding trust comes from consistent action, not simply one changed policy. This starts with a budget that directly supports our students and educators so AAPS becomes a district where educators want to stay and thrive.
At the table, board members must work collaboratively rather than against one another to make informed, deliberate choices. Before taking action on any policy, we must thoroughly evaluate and incorporate input from all stakeholders. Above all, every school in our district must be a safe, welcoming environment where all students can learn. AAPS is a great district, and we have an extraordinary opportunity to rebuild it even stronger.
When looking to improve student achievement, the first step must be to look at what groups have the highest room for improvement. One size does not fit all in many aspects of society, and education is definitely one of those spaces. For AAPS, scores (while state testing scores are not a perfect measure of success, we will use M-STEP scores for the sake of statistics) are significantly lower for economically disadvantaged and/or English Learners when compared to their peer counterparts. While this is not an exhaustive list, and other demographics experience this as well, it showcases how data can drive decisions. For example, this can mean putting more targeted intervention into Title 1 schools and supporting the learners who need help most.
First, we must get the district back on sound financial footing and build our fund balance to a sustainable level where we no longer fear state intervention. For too long the district has spent as though they have an unlimited budget. While we all must advocate at the state level for proper funding, we must also be realistic about the money that is coming in.
We also have to be sure that we are putting the money in the places that will best reach students. This means evaluating each vendor contract, each newly created position, each purchase, and ask ourselves the question “how does this help kids.” Retaining top educators and programs for our schools which are home to our most vulnerable populations, must be paramount.
While the AAPS Board of Education faces many pressing issues, most center on one core need: transparency and collaboration. For too long, the board has been marred by infighting and a reluctance to seek outside expertise. This approach is unacceptable and has only exacerbated our district's challenges.
Whether addressing financial decisions, bond proposals, or policy such as tech guidelines, the board must listen to stakeholders and leverage our community's extensive expertise. Ann Arbor prides itself on being one of the most educated cities in the country. We must view the public as an opportunity rather than an obstacle. These challenges are too vast for seven people to solve alone. Success requires uniting as a true community.
WRITE-IN?
No
DISTRICT
Ann Arbor
PHONE
4153170127
WEBSITE
www.spencer-aaps.com
Campaign Phone
415-317-0127
Number of years as resident
10
On this topic, my message is that my background and experience will bring skills and perspective to the board that it will otherwise lack. My experience being raised in a family of public educators, as a public school kid, and as a public school parent of two AAPS students, provides me current context for everything AAPS. Since my oldest son graduated, I've been a parent of students at AAPS from K-12, which is an important perspective on any school board. I have also been hired/and or asked to serve by some of the top scientists and investors in the world to lead efforts aimed at reducing suffering from disease and progressing scientific research. I'd like to bring my abilities to the Board of Education to help all of AAPS thrive.
My goals for the Board are simple but not easy: Get AAPS back on sound financial footing, make AAPS a destination district for teachers and families, and provide each student with the best possible education and outcomes we can give them.
As a board, our job is to ensure we have leaders and teachers who are committed to student achievement as the district's top educational priority. Importantly, are experienced in driving/improving student achievement across the entire school district with equity in mind.
AAPS has been off-balance and back on its heels from a budget standpoint for several years. By far my highest budget priority it to get the district back on sound financial footing. Without that, everything we want to do for students and teachers is more difficult. Budgets reflect our values, and lets value people first including students and teachers.
My commitment is to work as colleagues with the other board members in service to AAPS. My approach will NOT be to work as an individual. I have no specific political reason for running. My only agenda is to provide excellent oversight to AAPS for the benefit of families, students, teachers, and the community. The biggest problem is that the board has been providing poor oversight, especially financially, for multiple years in a row. This has put the district back on its heels and off balance financially, adding difficulty to everything it aims to do in service of its mission.
