Candidate for
Board Member; West Contra Costa Unified School District

Madeline's already done a lot ...

Over the last eight years on the School Board, despite historic state budget cuts to education funding from 2006 through 2012, I've led efforts to increase student achievement, rebuild or remodel nearly every school in the district, expand our arts and must programs, raise test scores, and improve high school graduation and college acceptance rates districtwide. I am proud of our accomplishments:

- Improved academic performance
- Increased college acceptance rates
- Increased high school graduation rates
- Increased full service community schools program
- Instituted transitional kindergarten (for 3 and 4 year old students)
- Remodeled or Rebuilt nearly every school in the district + with expanded wireless service to all schools
- Expanded the Ivy League Connection to include more schools and increase summer attendance
- Re-established music program
- Expanded arts program + adding a Visual and Performing Arts Director
- Expanded volunteer "Writing Coach" program
- Created the "Fab Lab" program + a science and technology partnership with MIT
- Created the Richmond Promise Scholarship Fund -- a $30 million fund for college and technical School scholarships to Richmond students who graduate from WCCUSD schools

... but there is still much more to do!

Increase Student Achievement

WCCUSD will see an increase in state funding under changes in state education policy, allowing the District to implement more targeted programs to close the achievement gap and invest more money directly into the classroom and school site.

I will push to ensure this new revenue will go toward hiring more counselors, librarians, and support staff and expanding our music, art, and other enrichment programs. We need to put added resources into the classroom and continue improving student achievement.

Closing the Achievement Gap

We need to focus on the whole child - nutrition, health, school safety, before and after school programs, academics, and enrichment programs to truly close the achievement gap.

I want to invest in programs that develop the community school model where students are supported by wrap-around support services available on the school site.

We were able to forge a partnership with local dentists to open a Dental Clinic at Peres Elementary and will be opening a second soon. We also have been able to site health clinics in our six high schools. I want to expand this program to include health clinics in our middle schools as well.

We also need to expand our after-school programs so that students don't return home to empty houses, but stay at school longer and receive more instruction and enrichment opportunities.

Safe, Secure Schools

In 2013 we were able to partner with local police departments to put police officers on all our high school campuses. This allowed us to continue reducing our truancy and absentee rates, while offering more safe and secure school campuses. Through our extensive school bond program, we have been able to rebuild or remodel nearly every school site within the district. These new schools have state of the art facilities with new technology, computers and the internet, and allow our students to have access to more resources and technology at their fingertips.