Candidates running for Academy 20 School Board Andrea Van Nort Larry Borland Catherine Bullock Shannon Mendes

Linda Van Matre

Color Coded Answer Key Strongly Disagree Disagree Neutral Agree Strongly Agree

Questions 1 The districts reform efforts at present are not on pace to meet the needs of all of the students. 2 The district is moving in the right direction with the districts current leadership. 3 Too many students are not graduating with the skills they need to be successful. In determining teacher employment, student achievement (growth test scores, college and career prep) should play a significant factor (roughly 50%). In determining teacher pay, student achievement (growth test scores, college and career prep) should 5 play a significant factor (roughly 50%). 4 6 Teacher pay should be based primarily upon years of experience and educational attainment. 7 The district needs more focus on measuring effectiveness of programs and spreading best practices. The district results should be compared to results from districts around the world to assure our 8 students can compete in the global market. Turnaround interventions for struggling schools as well as the creation / establishment of charters and 9 other new schools are BOTH important strategies to improving student success. 10 Charter schools should receive bond and mill levy funding equal to other public schools (including funding for facilities).

Van Nort Agree Agree Strongly Agree Agree Disagree Agree Agree Strongly Agree Strongly Agree Strongly Agree

Borland Disagree Agree Disagree Agree Agree Disagree Agree Agree Agree Agree

Bullock Disagree Agree Neutral Disagree Disagree Neutral Neutral Disagree Neutral Neutral

Mendes Strongly Disagree Strongly Agree Agree Strongly Agree Agree Disagree Agree Agree Agree Agree

Van Matre Strongly Disagree Strongly Agree Disagree Agree Disagree Strongly Agree Agree Agree Agree Neutral

The district should welcome and assist high-quality charter schools which include allowing high - quality 11 charters to operate in one of the districts recently closed facilities, or to co-locate in one of its underutilized facilities even if it means nearby schools might lose enrollment. 12 The district should support high-quality public schools in every neighborhood, regardless of whether the school is managed by the district or is public charter school.

Strongly Agree

Agree

Agree

Agree

Strongly Agree

Strongly Agree

Neutral

Agree

Strongly Agree

Strongly Agree

13 The district must have more funding to improve academic achievement. 14 The district must find a way for funds to go directly to schools. 15 16 17 18 The district's finance system needs to be redesigned so that 70% or more of funding follows students to their public school or program of choice. Funding for schools should be weighted to particular needs such as poverty. Spending should be more transparent and have "return on investment" measures so that we all have a clearer understanding of where taxpayer money is spent and what brings the biggest return on public education investments. Negotiations with all associations (unions) should be held in the open.

Disagree Disagree No Answer Strongly Agree Agree Agree

Agree Disagree Agree Agree Agree Agree

Disagree Agree Agree Agree Agree Agree

Strongly Agree Agree Agree Agree Strongly Agree Neutral

Agree Agree Disagree Disagree Agree Neutral

Each candidate was asked to answer addition questions. See below.

School Board Candidate Name: Andrea Van Nort

Please rank what you believe are the most important areas of concentration for the district to raise student achievement. AFP is listing their top 3. 1. Quality Teachers 2. Quality curriculum which includes meeting high standard, effective literacy and math programs and effective ELL programs 3. Meeting high standards

Please rank what you believe are the most important priorities for K-12 education in this district. AFP is listing their top 3. 1. Reduce class size 2. Reform / revise pension system so that it is sustainable 3. Redesign teacher evaluation / pay to retain the most effective teachers, increase k-12 funding, provider better support for teachers, expand the number of new high performing district and charter schools, increase the level of accountability and intervention for low-performing schools, increase on-line education options and other learning technology, revise collective bargaining agreements so that principals have more authority to hire and hire, ensure that the high school degree is aligned with college readiness and reward/hold educators responsible for student results.

What do you believe is the most important role a school board member should play in ensuring all students in the district receive the education they need and deserve? A school board director should go about every decision-making task with key outcomes in mind as well as a clear image of the model student we want to graduate. We must assure that teachers are meeting students at their point of entry, and that they have the proper tools and support to make their courses meaningful for everyone.

If you have children who do or did attend schools in the district please list those schools. Please print or type your response. I have three children who all attended Academy International Elementary School and who are now enrolled at Mountain Ridge Middle School

Do you support the nearly one billion dollar tax increase on the ballot this year? Why or why not? If it actually would do what it says it will, then we can consider it money well spend. I have questions, however, regarding the funding and allocation of resources.

Were you endorsed by the union? Not to my knowledge.

School Board Candidate Name: Larry Borland

Please rank what you believe are the most important areas of concentration for the district to raise student achievement. AFP is listing their top 3. 1. Quality teachers 2. Quality curriculum 3. Quality principals

Please rank what you believe are the most important priorities for K-12 education in this district. AFP is listing their top 3. 1. Reward and hold educators responsible for student results 2. Redesign teacher evaluation and pay to retain the most effective teachers 3. Increase k-12 Funding

What do you believe is the most important role a school board member should play in ensuring all students in the district receive the education they need and deserve? School board members should listen to the needs and concerns of parents, students and patrons, develop broad policies to see those needs are met and hold administration accountable for implementing those policies.

If you have children who do or did attend schools in the district please list those schools. Please print or type your response.

Frontier Elementary, Timber view Middle and Liberty High

Do you support the nearly one billion dollar tax increase on the ballot this year? Why or why not?

Colorado generally ranks in the lower half of the states in education funding and in the upper half for student achievement. I think we could do better with more funding, properly applied. Under SB 213, additional funds generated by Amendment 66 would go to full day kindergarten, improve at risk funding, provide state equalization for charter schools and provide for more professional development for teachers, among other things. District 20 would see increased funding of about $20 million under the amendment. I believe personal income tax to be a proper source of funds for public education. While I am troubled by the timing of the amendment relative to the economic recovery of the state, I will vote for Amendment 66. I trust the voters of Colorado to determine if the timing is right or wrong.

Were you endorsed by the union? No.

School Board Candidate Name: Catherine Bullock

Please rank what you believe are the most important areas of concentration for the district to raise student achievement. AFP is listing their top 3. 1. Quality principals 2. Quality teachers 3. Community involvement

Please rank what you believe are the most important priorities for K-12 education in this district. AFP is listing their top 3. 1. Provide support for teachers 2. Increase accountability and intervention for low performing schools 3. Reduce class size

What do you believe is the most important role a school board member should play in ensuring all students in the district receive the education they need and deserve? The key to a quality education is a high quality teacher. As a school board member, my greatest role is to make sure we have the best principals in place, who will then attract the best teachers and make sure they feel valued so they will stay.

If you have children who do or did attend schools in the district please list those schools. Please print or type your response. I have 5 children and they have attended or are currently attending all of the following district 20 schools: Pine Creek High School, Discovery Canyon High School, Challenger Middle School, Discovery Canyon Middle School, Antelope Trails Elementary, the da Vinci Academy and School in the Woods.

Do you support the nearly one billion dollar tax increase on the ballot this year? Why or why not? I am not in favor of Amendment 66, as I believe the long term impact will be to decrease revenue to schools by discouraging people and businesses from relocating to Colorado. Increasing taxes does not always translate into increased revenue. States that continue to raise taxes, have seen revenues decrease due to residents relocating to more tax friendly states. I also believe that this amendment will cost District 20 residents far more than we will receive back in increased funding and when the increased funding comes back to us, it will come back with strings.

Were you endorsed by the union? I do not know.

School Board Candidate Name: Shannon Mendes

Please rank what you believe are the most important areas of concentration for the district to raise student achievement. AFP is listing their top 3. 1. Quality principals 2. Quality teachers 3. Quality curriculum

Please rank what you believe are the most important priorities for K-12 education in this district. AFP is listing their top 3. 1. Ensure that the high school degree is aligned with college readiness 2. Increase the level of accountability and intervention for low performing schools 3. Expand the number of new high performing district and charter schools

What do you believe is the most important role a school board member should play in ensuring all students in the district receive the education they need and deserve?

I believe the most important role as a school board member is to ensure that the districts actions and decisions are beneficial to our students. That the overall result provides our children with the high quality education and opportunities they deserve.

If you have children who do or did attend schools in the district please list those schools. Please print or type your response. I have two sons. One who attends Prairie Hills Elementary and one who attends Timberview Middle School.

Do you support the nearly one billion dollar tax increase on the ballot this year? Why or why not?

In a case where no one wishes for increased taxes, I support the nearly 1 billion dollar tax increase on the ballot this year. Where our district has maintained its high performance with the needs of our children, it has been a struggle being one of the lowest funded districts. With our projected growth, I am confident that the increase in funding will be measured entirely to continue our development in maintaining our high standards and performance in the community.

Were you endorsed by the union? I was not endorsed by the Union

School Board Candidate Name: Linda Van Matre

Please rank what you believe are the most important areas of concentration for the district to raise student achievement. AFP is listing their top 3. 1. Quality teachers 2. Quality curriculum 3. Effective literacy and math programs

Please rank what you believe are the most important priorities for K-12 education in this district. AFP is listing their top 3. 1. Redesign teacher evaluation and pay to retain the most effective teachers 2. Reduce class size 3. Reward and hold educators responsible for student results

What do you believe is the most important role a school board member should play in ensuring all students in the district receive the education they need and deserve? The role of the school board member is to work collaboratively with the full board to develop policies which set high standards for student achievement and character development, and to hold the superintendent accountable for the resulting student outcomes through proper, consistent monitoring.

If you have children who do or did attend schools in the district please list those schools. Please print or type your response. My husband and I have three children who have all attended Academy International Elementary, Mountain Ridge Middle School, and Rampart High School. Our two oldest are recent Rampart graduates who are both attending universities, while our youngest is a junior at Rampart.

Do you support the nearly one billion dollar tax increase on the ballot this year? Why or why not?

As much as I would like to give my unqualified support to an initiative which would quickly restore the $24 million Academy District 20 has lost since 2009 and provide much-needed funding to advance student achievement, I simply cannot. As a matter of principle, I find amending the constitution to be a poor method of making tax policy and determining program funding levels. In addition, there is no guarantee that the legislature will not amend SB 213 in the near future and change the funding formula so that disproportionate levels of funding leave the Academy 20 community without returning to benefit our students. While I applaud the effort to overhaul the school finance act, passage of this amendment will do nothing to address the constitutional conflicts between Tabor, Gallagher, and the requirement for a balanced budget, which I believe are the root of our current funding problems. However, the voters must decide if the benefits outweigh the potential pitfalls. If voters were to approve this amendment, I would willingly work with the Board and the administration to set priorities and ensure the best possible stewardship of the estimated $21 million per year which would flow into Academy 20 as a result. My priorities for these funds would include enhancements in technology, such as a 1:1 computing initiative for every middle and high school student and infrastructure improvements which could truly make the 21st Century learning environment a reality for our students.

Were you endorsed by the union? No, I have not been endorsed by any union.