Alabama Board of Education-Place 3 Choose 1
Biographical Information
How have your training, professional experience, and interests prepared you to serve on the State Board of Education?
Candidate has not yet responded.
What will your top three priorities be for action if elected? Please explain what form this action might take.
Candidate has not yet responded.
In your opinion, what is the proper role of a school board and of school officials in restricting student access to information and resources in classrooms and school libraries?
Candidate has not yet responded.
What solutions would you propose to improve academically struggling schools?
Candidate has not yet responded.
What do you think Alabama schools should be doing to support improved learning for the increased number of students who will be retained in the 3rd grade due to the new Literacy Act?
Candidate has not yet responded.
Do you support school choice vouchers? And what is the role of the state board of education in supporting schools that experience a significant loss in funding due to the voucher programs?
Candidate has not yet responded.
Biographical Information
Campaign Mailing Address
345 N Lake Road
Hoover, AL 35242
Hoover, AL 35242
Website
http://CharlotteMeadows.org
Campaign Twitter Handle
@@cbmstudents1st
How have your training, professional experience, and interests prepared you to serve on the State Board of Education?
I began in 2003 as a member of the calendar, textbook and high school building committees with my local school board. I ran for an open seat and served 6 years, being elected as Chair the final 2 years. I also served the AL School Board Association as District Director for 3 years. After that I worked as an Ed Reform lobbyist at our state house, was policy director for Students First, a national non-profit and worked with a school choice organization as a consultant. I worked with others to start the first charter school in Montgomery and have been board chair since starting. We are in our 5th year and the school was recently recognized in the top 25 schools in the state for academic growth. The key to our success is high expectations.
What will your top three priorities be for action if elected? Please explain what form this action might take.
Educational Freedom - when parents can choose the school that works best for their student, they have stronger buy-in and connections to the teachers.
Parents Rights - I believe we must enable parents to see what is being taught to students by posting curriculum and reading material on a public website.
Teacher Recruiting/Retention - think outside the box - offer higher pay if teachers don't want or need health insurance or retirement benefits. Allow vesting at a much shorter time frame. Set up programs for teachers who want to teach part time or half days or a single semester. Continue to support new teachers with mentors and give struggling teachers access to a rock star teacher. Expect admins to work in the classroom
In your opinion, what is the proper role of a school board and of school officials in restricting student access to information and resources in classrooms and school libraries?
Board sets the policies that are designed to keep students safe and not allow exposure to information and resources that is not designed for children. Topics and subjects that are designed for adults over 18 should not be easily available or accessible to children. Medical professionals should be allowed to discuss topics of concern to a child in a private setting and with the permission and support of parents.
What solutions would you propose to improve academically struggling schools?
Make sure that academically struggling schools have access to the best teachers. Give stipends to the best teachers to teach in the lowest performing schools. Make sure that all teachers are able to teach reading and math if that is their subject. I believe the state should take over a system where at least 50% of students are not proficient. Unfortunately our state department does not appear to have the capacity to do so.
What do you think Alabama schools should be doing to support improved learning for the increased number of students who will be retained in the 3rd grade due to the new Literacy Act?
If a student is still not reading in 3rd grade after the Literacy Act is fully implemented, the student must be tested for developmental disabilities. Those students should be given extra time during the day, as well as offered after school programs and summer learning to catch up. We also need to teach LETRS training to 4th-12th grade teacher and have a school wide focus on reading in schools where there is a high percent of students below proficiency on reading. (Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading & Spelling). LETRS training is proven to work 95% of the time to teach students to read but it is not offered to 4th grade and above teachers; many of their students can't read. This should be a focus at the school or system level.
Do you support school choice vouchers? And what is the role of the state board of education in supporting schools that experience a significant loss in funding due to the voucher programs?
Yes. The parents know what type of school and environment will serve their students best. A child should not be trapped in a school that doesn't meet their needs solely based on their zip code. The State Board can support schools that lose students by leveling out funding for the first year or two as a school adjusts to a new enrollment.
Biographical Information
How have your training, professional experience, and interests prepared you to serve on the State Board of Education?
Candidate has not yet responded.
What will your top three priorities be for action if elected? Please explain what form this action might take.
Candidate has not yet responded.
In your opinion, what is the proper role of a school board and of school officials in restricting student access to information and resources in classrooms and school libraries?
Candidate has not yet responded.
What solutions would you propose to improve academically struggling schools?
Candidate has not yet responded.
What do you think Alabama schools should be doing to support improved learning for the increased number of students who will be retained in the 3rd grade due to the new Literacy Act?
Candidate has not yet responded.
Do you support school choice vouchers? And what is the role of the state board of education in supporting schools that experience a significant loss in funding due to the voucher programs?
Candidate has not yet responded.
Biographical Information
How have your training, professional experience, and interests prepared you to serve on the State Board of Education?
Candidate has not yet responded.
What will your top three priorities be for action if elected? Please explain what form this action might take.
Candidate has not yet responded.
In your opinion, what is the proper role of a school board and of school officials in restricting student access to information and resources in classrooms and school libraries?
Candidate has not yet responded.
What solutions would you propose to improve academically struggling schools?
Candidate has not yet responded.
What do you think Alabama schools should be doing to support improved learning for the increased number of students who will be retained in the 3rd grade due to the new Literacy Act?
Candidate has not yet responded.
Do you support school choice vouchers? And what is the role of the state board of education in supporting schools that experience a significant loss in funding due to the voucher programs?
Candidate has not yet responded.