King County Local Voters Pamphlet

  My platform is based on the following principles: . Students are individuals with different abilities, cultures, and learning styles. Let us acknowledge and embrace these differences and support each child as appropriate. We want neither cookie-cutter schools nor cookie-cutter children. . Monitoring students' progress means having accurate, appropriate, and ethical metrics. Simply using tests will not do. . An open and accountable budgetary process. Education dollars must be directed to best serve the children. . A shared vision of education in which parents and teachers are fully vested and involved. Decision-making must be inclusive. . Challenging our kids is necessary, but must be appropriate to a child's ability, providing support as needed. . Identify and reduce barriers to success thus maximizing the number of children graduating. . Staff turnover and dissatisfaction is too high. They have suffered from fear and intimidation. This has no place in an education system.

  During the six years I have served on the school board, we have made Bellevue one of the top performing districts in the state. We have challenged students to perform at their highest level, aligned our district curriculum for all grades, and have cut our dropout rate in half (18% to 9%). We work hard to keep our budget balanced and no Washington school district has a higher credit rating. Our tax rate is one of the lowest.

  Going forward, we will continue to focus efforts on raising performance levels of all our students including our neediest. We also will continue to try to find ways to better support our teachers and non-teaching staff.

  I thank voters for supporting the levies that keep Bellevue schools strong.

  My three children attend Bellevue Schools and I serve on the Washington State School Directors Association Legislative Committee. Please support me on November 4^th.