Sandy Stephens Answers Questions

Candidate for
Board Member; Southwest Local School District

The questions were prepared by the League of Women Voters of Hamilton County and asked of all candidates for this office.

Read the answers from all candidates.

Questions & Answers

1. What effect would the community (charter) schools have on the public schools in your district?

At this point charter schools would simply deplete those dollars from a district which continues to improve. When a district like Southwest has had so many of its schools, nationally acknowledged, charter schools would likely not address d that are not being met by Southwest programs, or private/ parochial school where tuition is manageable.

2. Evaluate the adequacy of support services, beyond state standards, presently provided for special-needs students in your district.

It is a delicate subject, especially when these needs are so individualized. Carter Cordes has done well at a difficult job of balancing government mandates with local and state funding. Inclusion is taken seriously and county services are utilized whenever possible to augment existing programs and personnel.

3. Has the use of proficiency tests in your school improved the education of students?

Though proficiency tests seemed early on to be just "another mandate" for public schools, it has caused some needed change in public education. By establishing testing at both elementary and secondary levels, it has encouraged articulation in the curriculum. Teachers understand that they don't have to teach to a test, but that they must use everything at their disposal to assure each student meets expectations. Consequently, there's better communication among teachers, and with parents.

Additionally, intervention, in the way of tutoring, has involved business partners, college students, and other community members.

We know we have good schools whose personnel care deeply for our children, regardless of our test scores, but testing has helped us to recognize and address problems before they become "issues".