Q: Currently, nearly half of the dollars spent at a school building are allocated centrally and not accounted for at the building level, making it difficult to know whether resources are being distributed equitably to meet student needs. How will you make Pittsburgh Public Schools budgeting process more transparent?
A: The dollars centrally allocated cover expenses that are not on a per-student basis. One example is the salaries of the principal and other building administrators, social workers, guidance counselors, librarians, custodians, cafeteria workers, school security and police, and other people who do not work directly in the classrooms. Other expenses covered by centrally allocated dollars include but are not limited to building and grounds maintenance -- both planned and unplanned, technology upgrades, utilities, insurance, and transportation. All building level expenses cannot be directly spent on the student. If one student moves to another school, the cost of running a building stays the same. If a grade in a school loses six students, more than likely the school will have the same number of teachers in that grade level. The per-student expense for teachers in that grade cost more than before that grade lost those six students. In other words, the salary expenses stay the same even when the grade has fewer students as long as the same number of classrooms are maintained. The salary expenses for non-teaching professionals stay the same. The non-salary expenses remain the same. As an example, the cost to install an accessible restroom does not decrease just because the school student population decreases.

Q: Under what circumstances would you support increasing or decreasing property taxes in the district? What research or evidence would you use to help you make that decision?
A: I will only support increasing property taxes if there is no other way to balance the budget and cover our district’s expenses.

Q: Over the last several years Pittsburgh Public Schools has seen a decline in student enrollment. How will you reverse this trend to keep families in the district?
A: We need to make it easier for students and families to learn more about the breadth of opportunities in our school district. The district’s website should be revamped so people have an easier time finding information, regardless of the platform they are using to view the website. Our district has many good options but they are not well advertised. One area I would add is a list of places our students go after they graduate -- colleges, trades, military, volunteer commitments, and employment. Not every student knows there are options other than college that provide great opportunities. I believe the district needs to provide additional education options that appeal to students and their families. One example is an early-years International Baccalaureate (IB) Program. The Advanced Placement (AP) class offerings must be increased in schools with few AP classes so that students are not limited by where they live or attend grades nine through twelve. If a student is interested in an AP class offered at a different school than where he or she attends, I believe the school district can use technology to provide the class to the student remotely. The enrollment decline is due to multiple factors, not all of which the school district can control.

Q: How will you, as a board member, improve the district’s transportation system?
A: The biggest limitation to the district’s transportation is the lack of school bus drivers. It is a statewide problem. I have let people in the community know about this issue, and have encouraged people looking for employment to explore bus driving opportunities. The school district installed GPS systems on the school busses used by our contracted transportation companies to transport our students. Plans exist to provide families information in the future so they are able to track their children’s busses via the GPS.

Q: Do you support the universal screening of all students for Gifted and Talented education supports?
A: Yes.

Q: Do you agree with the board’s decision to create another tier of disciplinary infractions? Would you be in favor of creating more tiers to better address behavior problems?
A: Yes and Yes.

Q: Suspensions and expulsions are rarely an effective means for improving school climate. What alternatives will you support (eg. Restorative Justice, Positive Behavioral Intervention Systems, others) through policy to reduce school pushout and improve school climate? (Please cite the research or evidence you will use to back up your policy position).
A: I wish to expand Restorative Justice beyond the pilot schools once the grant period concludes. I support making appropriate changes to the Student Code of Conduct to provide additional information on how Restorative Justice works, and examples of how it can be used.

Q: If elected, your main job will be to serve over 26,000 students in Pittsburgh’s district and charter schools. How will you ensure student voice is taken into account by the school board?
A: I believe the board should always listen to students, regardless of their age or grade. The current board highly values student input. We let our superintendent know the board’s desire to have a district-wide student committee. While this committee may not be fully functioning this school year, it is in our superintendent’s plans.

Q: Pittsburgh Public Schools hiring process often does not conclude until August for many new teachers, later than most surrounding districts. What policies will you enact to improve the hiring timeline for new teachers and to attract a more diverse pool of candidates?
A: The district starts its hiring process earlier than in the past. A large limitation to filling positions earlier in the cycle is late notification by teachers of their intent to retire or resign. Their positions cannot be advertised and filled until they file their required paperwork. The district has been taking steps to increase the diversity of our staff. Efforts to recruit more teachers and other professionals of color is a priority. Targeted outreach is occurring.

Q: PPS is currently in the planning stages of creating community schools. What research or evidence will you use to monitor the successful implementation of a community schools model?
A: The answer will be dependent on the services offered in each community school. Each district community school will not be the same.

Q: Reading at grade level by third grade has been shown to be a strong predictor of future academic success, and in 2016 only 47% of Pittsburgh’s third graders met that bar. What will you do as a Board member to ensure that students benefit from systematic, comprehensive and evidence-based reading interventions so that more of our students are reading at grade level by third grade?
A: I support the replacement of the district’s current elementary literacy curriculum to one better able to assist our students in learning to read and being able to read at grade-level.

Q: How will you as a board member identify gaps in opportunities for students and work to address them so as to close gaps in student achievement?
A: Opportunity gaps and achievement gaps are not identical but I believe they are related. I advocate providing more options to students attending schools with fewer options than their grade-level peers at other schools have available. I advocate providing more information on post-secondary paths at all of our schools. I advocate making sure our students are able to meet prerequisites for their chosen post-secondary path. We need to provide our students reasons to want to succeed and therefore apply themselves to learning. I believe that providing options and opportunities will help to reduce the achievement gap.

Q: How will you ensure that students receive a well-balanced and healthy lunch that students will want to eat?
A: I will advocate providing nutritious meals that meet federal guidelines and are desirable to our students.

Q: How will you make sure students have up to date materials especially in history and literature classes?
A: I will advocate for our curriculum department to regularly review the materials used along with other options that may support our district curriculum.

Q: What is your vision for the expansion of Pre-K in Pittsburgh? What do you see as the role of Pre-K in a child's learning progression through the PPS system?
A: Ideally funding will be made available by various sources so that all district families can send their children to our district Pre-K at no cost. However, that funding is not currently available so we need to lobby other government entities and foundations to help the district provide this opportunity. I believe all students need to attend a quality Pre-K program so they are better able to adjust to Kindergarten and later grades, and have the foundation for the instruction that occurs in the primary grades.

Q: How will you work constructively with the eight other board members to ensure all Pittsburgh students receive a quality education?
A: I will continue to advocate for our students, and lobby board members to support issues I believe are important.

Q: How will you effectively advocate for Pittsburgh’s students with other elected officials, both local and state?
A: I will continue to talk to them about areas that I feel they can influence, along with providing supporting information.

Q: How will you communicate the board’s work with your constituents, parents and non-parents alike?
A: I will continue to attend community meetings as my schedule permits and respond to inquiries.

Q: How will you support best practices in early education (Pre-K- Grade 4), including play based learning and a focus on social and emotional skills?
A: I will continue to advocate for age-appropriate learning and activities.