League of Women Voters of California Education Fund
Los Angeles County, CA March 5, 2013 Election
	Maria Cano Answers Questions Candidate for Board Member; Los Angeles Unified School District; District 6

The questions were prepared by the League of Women Voters of Los Angeles and asked of all candidates for this office.
Read the answers from all candidates (who have responded).

Questions & Answers

1. What is the single most important issue facing LAUSD today? As a Board Member, what would you do to deal with it?

The single most important issue facing LAUSD is budget cuts. The result, a critically underfunded education program with impacts to graduation, shortage of classroom space, shortage of teachers, a shortage of jobs, and a growing level of poverty stricken families. As a Board Member I am committed and will work hard toward building the necessary consensus needed to focus attention back on the budget and on ways to increase funding. I don't believe that cutting jobs or taking away classroom funding is an option. We can't take out the engine of the car and them turn around and enter a race.

The answer towards a balance budget should have never been to cut programs like early, adult and arts programs. That is why, as a Board Member I will work to accomplish three emergency measures, 1) to reinstate school-sites staff, 2) reinstate educational programs, and 3) and to reinstate budget control to local school sites.

2. How would you prioritize your local constituency in overseeing LAUSD management, setting District policy, and day-to-day decision-making?

We are all stewards of public funds. The right and responsibility of oversight is in the hands of all constituents. However, the best place to start prioritizing local contingency in overseeing LAUSD management, setting District policy and day-to-day decision making, is through working with the Parent Centers. Parents are our co-workers too, and they need to feel valued, they need to be trained on District decision making, and more importantly they need to feel empowered with the right of oversight.

3. What experience in general management, fiscal management, and budgetary oversight would you bring to the job of Board Member?

I have 8 ˝ years of working with LAUSD Facilities as part of its 21 billion dollar building program. As a Regional Manager I oversaw the Community Outreach strategies of over 50 projects, at any one time, in the Valley Region and Special Projects areas. As part of my duties, I was responsible for the fiscal and budgetary oversight of each and every one of these project in our Department.

4. How should LAUSD deal with its rapidly increasing costs for retiree and employee health care?

The rapidly increasing retiree and employee health care costs have very little to do with education, and more to do with our economy. Cities and counties, like school districts, have been forced against budgetary walls and unfortunately decisions have been made that limit our workers' and patient rights. The District's size alone gives it a very strategic upper hand, and I would use this advantage to call my elected officials to the table and start discussions on responsible and fair legislation that aims to protect us from unfair practices and costs.

5. What part should standardized testing play in LAUSD’s educational programs?

Standardized testing can and should be used to evaluate the value added and progress of educational programs and individual student progress plans.

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Responses to questions asked of each candidate are reproduced as submitted to the League. 

Read the answers from all candidates (who have responded).

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Created from information supplied by the candidate: January 13, 2013 09:20
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