1. Why am I running for Superintendent of Public Instruction?
You know, I’ve spent most of my career flying under the radar; just trying to do the right things for kids every day, just like any other educator. I’ve served as teacher, coach, athletic director, assistant principal, high school principal, middle school principal, assistant superintendent and superintendent. I spent my last seven years in Apache Junction as an assistant superintendent in charge of the educational side of the district. We had some pretty decent success, were very aggressive utilizing technology, and the result was our kids achieved better as a district every year. I retired in 2005 and then went to Florence as Superintendent in March, 2007. The district was in difficult straits and in the last few years, with a cohesive school board and utilizing the vision, leadership traits, and foundational values presented on this website, we have stabilized the district and increased student achievement. Morale is up, teachers are positively excited and students are learning. Three months or so ago some old friends asked me to consider running and I honestly didn’t give them 20 seconds. They persisted and in late April about eight of us, some educators, some not, met and talked. On the evening of May 12, my wife, Debra, and I were talking and we decided to throw our hat in the ring. So, why am I running? Well, I know what the problems are in education; I live with them every day. After looking at the others who were considering running, I didn’t see anyone who was an experienced educational leader. Quite honestly, while the other candidates think they can make a difference, I believe I’ve proven I know how to do a better job for the kids of Arizona.
2. You talk about technology a lot, why are you so convinced that technology is part of the answer to our achievement issue?
It’s more that just about achievement. In the big picture we must come to the realization that it’s the kids’ school and
adults are just players in their drama, not vice-versa. We cannot be successful in schools with regard to achievement, drop-out rates, student satisfaction, etc., until we accept that we must communicate with kids where they are, not where the adults are. That doesn’t mean we can’t have mutual respect and great discipline. Heck, we all remember adolescence and we know that about 70% of us went thorough some pretty normal periods of rebellion. Some adults were cool and some were not. The cool adults were not just the ones that let us have our way, but the ones that held us to high standards, taught us, and most importantly, knew how to really communicate with us. Remember the CB radios, you could be driving right next to me on the highway but if you were on channel 16 and I was on 20, we couldn’t communicate, but if we were both on channel 18, we could communicate clearly. We have to communicate clearly with kids to be successful and if that is to happen, we must understand them and their motivations. They truly desire to understand the concepts of trust and respect, but it must be communicated to them so that it makes sense in their reality. Just think about how many rebels you knew who ended up in the service or law enforcement. With that as background, let’s move to the question. In the land of technology, children are the natives and adults are the immigrants. While technology allows us to know exactly how many kids know the answer to our question asked in class and exactly which ones do not; while technology allows us to ask questions that we are assured are accurate measures of student learning; and while technology allows us the opportunity to teach all children at a challenging level, we must understand that technology is now the language of children. Yes, technology helps kids to learn more and learn it faster; and, yes, partly because it is motivational, but that is because we are talking to children in what is now their native tongue, technology.
3. What will you do differently if you are elected as Superintendent of Public Instruction?
Almost everything; first, I’ll begin to earn trust by establishing our common vision, KIDS FIRST. I’ll bring along with me proven, respected educational leaders and together we will, in concert with teachers, administrators, and school boards, utilize an educational battle plan to attack our weaknesses to ensure we accomplish our goals. We will communicate effectively to all our publics. We will de-politicize ADE, by returning many employees from exempt positions to being covered by the Personnel Commission. This will reduce turnover, increase long-term effectiveness, and re-establish service orientation. We must work closely , and aggressively, with the governor, legislature, and the business community to earn their trust, for without it, (and we do not have it now) we will just tread water. Arizona must educate its way to a prosperous, stable economy by developing an exceptional public school system that produces well qualified graduates prepared for the work force, armed services, life, and vocational school or college without need for remediation The improvements needed won’t happen without first earning the trust of the governor, legislature, and business community.
4. What are your thoughts on schools, districts, or charters that continue to perform poorly?
I want to establish right now that I’m a local control guy. School boards are elected and they have the responsibility for the performance of their districts and schools. However, a Superintendent of Public Instruction is somewhat like a general, and if you’re a general and one of your battalions is continually getting devastated in battle after battle, an effective general would change the leadership of that battalion. I’ve often said that if a teacher is not good enough to teach my child, then they need to improve or move to New Mexico. Similarly, if a principal is not producing positive student growth in achievement after three years, I would expect that an effective superintendent would be moving them out. Continuing, if a superintendent has been in place for four years and there hasn’t been an upturn in student achievement, then a good school board should find a more effective superintendent. Following that same line of reasoning, while a Board is elected, if a district hasn’t been making progress in student achievement terms in five years, they need help. We will help and if they accept the assistance and follow through on recommendations, we will continue to work with them. Bottom line, this is about kids, we can’t spend so much time arguing among adults that the kids get lost.
5. What’s your position on school choice, charters, home-schooling, and school tuition organizations?
First, I’m all for competition, but certainly with a KIDS FIRST perspective. This is America, home of the free, so parents have a right to choose how they wish their child educated. So, I have no problem with public school choice as is, nor with home-schooling. I’m told there is a very, very small percentage of home-schooled children that are truly not schooled and I honestly don’t know what to do about that but, when elected, we’ll ask for advice from home-schooling parents for solutions to that one.
With regard to charters, I’m for anything that’s good for kids. Just like I love great regular public schools and know the poor ones must improve, the same is true with charters. Charters are attended by about 9% of public school children and the Arizona Charter Schools Association is pushing hard for quality. Charters are funded at a rate of 16.4-19% above regular public schools depending on whether they are elementary or high schools. However, over 90% of charters have 600 students or less and they are not eligible to compete for overrides as do regular public school districts. Two legislators that I have talked to about the 16-19% differential also noted that the difference is needed if charters are to thrive as for-profits. Quite honestly, I’m a lot better with the small school and lack of override arguments than I am with the for-profit argument, but the charter movement in Arizona is just over 20 years old, not long in the big picture and I’ll not take issue with the present differential. While many charters are excellent comprehensive schools, one problem that must be addressed is that many charters refuse to accept difficult special education students although acceptance is a condition of their charters. Highly challenged special education students typically cost more to educate than is received in compensation from the state, so if you are profit-oriented, it is to your advantage not to educate these children. When elected, this issue will be addressed and a solution arrived at with the charter school organization.
As Superintendent of Public Instruction, I must uphold the law and will do so. I’m opposed to current efforts to privatize education. I am an advocate for all children, most especially special education students. Special education students have the right to FAPE, a Free and Appropriate Education, however, much as we’d like it for all children, FAPE does not mean a Free and Perfect Education. I do not blame parents for wanting exceptional educational opportunities for their children. In my perfect world, our public education schools will be so good, no one will want to go to a private school. In my personal world, Rep. Yarbourgh’s sponsorship of School Tuition Organization bills is self-enriching and unethical; while public tax credits for private schooling is unconstitutional. However, in my professional world, if it is legal, I will be as supportive as if I proposed it myself.