VOTE411 Voter Guide

Hire, support, and evaluate the superintendent based on clear, measurable goals; Set the vision for student success and align goals with community values; Approve general fund and bond budgets that reflect equity and student-centered priorities; Adopt policies for key areas including instruction and curriculum, student services and supports, equity and access, personnel and labor, facilities and operations, finance and budgets, governance and board operations; Engage families, students, and staff with transparency, consistency, and trust; Use data to identify disparities and apply an equity lens to every decision; Ensure all investments are aligned with long-term outcomes; Legal compliance with both state and federal laws

Modernize Unsafe Schools: Too many PPS buildings remain outdated, unsafe, and unfit for learning. I’ve helped deliver facility improvements since 2013 and I’ll keep pushing until every student learns in a building that’s healthy, secure, and built to last.

Tackle Absenteeism and Literacy Gaps: With nearly 37% of students chronically absent and reading scores lagging, we can’t afford shallow solutions. I’ll focus on root causes—like school climate, meaningful curriculum, and early intervention—to re-engage students and close learning gaps.

Ensure Responsible Spending: PPS manages an $853M annual budget and billions in bond funds. I’ve exposed misused dollars, thus I'll prioritize budget accountability to assure we spend effectively.

Unsafe, Outdated Schools: I’ve helped deliver $150M for health and safety upgrades at all schools including lead paint stabilization, asbestos removal and seismic upgrades; $10M for Harriet Tubman Middle School air quality upgrades; and $1.8M for improvements to the Grant Bowl. I’ll fast-track repairs, prioritize high-need schools, and hold leadership accountable for delays.

Literacy Gaps + Chronic Absenteeism: I'll champion early student screening and intervention, stronger school-family partnerships, and mental health supports to keep younger students in school. I’ve delivered—and will continue to prioritize—investments in high school extracurriculars like music and athletics because they're proven to boost attendance and engagement.

As a school board member, you have the ability to introduce/vote on policies, help oversee (hire, fire, evaluate) the superintendent, oversee and approve the district budget, approve curriculum, and set the big picture of matters such as the what. The bigger thing for me is actually serving as a liaison between the community and the school district. That means communicating with your constituents to keep them up to speed on what is going on.

My priorities as a school board member will be to make our schools more equitable and inclusive, strengthen community engagement, be more transparent, hold other board members accountable, focus on financial stability, and improve our academic scores. These priorities were community driven and what I intend to focus on as a representative to better our schools for our youth.

The first thing I would want to do is have an updated analysis done at each school to see what are their needs weather that be more space, more teachers, changes with infrastructure so that it gives us an idea of what is the most urgent. From there, look at funding and sending it based on what are the most urgent. We do know though that schools are underfunded and in this case, I want to work with our unions, parents, and students to work together as a community to go to Salem and figure out ways to actually fund our schools. There's schools in need and we don't have enough funds to support them and it's why I want to work with anyone if it puts students first.