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Education
I take the education of our children very seriously because today's students are tomorrow's community and business leaders. Sooner than we realize, they will be making the decisions that will affect our lives! We owe it to ourselves and to our community to provide our children with the best education we possibly can. We owe it to our children to prepare them as completely as possible for the changing world they will inherit.
The single best thing we could do to improve the educational climate in Knox County is to improve how we compensate our teachers.
We have one of the largest school systems in the state, yet we rank 29th in pay for classroom teachers. In Knox County a teacher pays over $100.00 per month for personal insurance, and $400.00 for family coverage, even if it is only the teacher plus one other family member. A direct result of low pay and expensive benefits is the exodus of qualified, highly trained teachers from Knox County.
As commissioner, I will push for a competitive pay and benefits package that would allow us to keep these teachers, which would have a positive impact on the entire system.
My greatest concern is with our county's dropout rate; 7 of Knox County's 12 high schools failed to achieve the state's 90% graduation rate for the second year in a row (link)
Knox County's new Parental Notification System alerts parents immediately if their child is absent from school, with an automatically dialed, pre-recorded message. But this system does not work for families who do not have telephones, whose phones have been disconnected, or who haven't provided their phone numbers. Letters are not sent out until a student accrues 10 unexcused absences over the course of the year.
I advocate a proactive policy in which parents are contacted in writing after only 3 unexcused absences, followed by a home visit after 5 unexcused absences.
Many of our students who do graduate are unprepared for college, even those who graduate with a good GPA.
The latest research shows that rigor of coursework, not GPA, is the best predictor of whether or not a student will do well in college. Also, colleges are increasingly looking beyond GPA and test scores when it comes to admission; students who have the edge are those who can show participation in extracurricular activities and service to their communities. Yet the focus on testing, a result of the requirements of No Child Left Behind, deprives many of our kids of opportunities to develop their interests and become well-rounded students. Lack of funding for the arts in our schools also shortchanges these students.
As commissioner, I will work to find ways to improve funding for arts and extra-curricular activities in the school.
Even if they are provided with adequate information, some parents don't always know how to advocate for their kids, or how to help them excel in the classroom - especially if they did not do well in school themselves.
Education is a team effort. According to Ed Hedgepeth, Director of High Schools for Knox County, "Some of the most critical decisions probably rest more on the shoulders of students and parents than on those of educational professionals and theorists. The most powerful forces behind the success of American schools are the students who take advantage of the opportunities offered by local schools and the parents who support those efforts."
I want to explore creating a group of volunteer Parent Mentors to provide support for parents whose children are just entering school to get off to a good start, and to provide encouragement for parents whose children are struggling.
Second District Schools
60% of Knox County's budget is spent on education. What kind of return are we getting on our investment? In the Second District, it would seem to be a mixed bag - in some areas we are doing well, in others we are falling behind.
- Fulton High School remains a High Priority School due to its dropout rate, but I am encouraged by the innovation, creativity and excellence of the faculty and staff there.
- Belle Morris and Spring Hill failed to make Yearly Adequate Progress last year, according to benchmarks set by No Child Left Behind. However, enrollment is up in the Magnet program at Beaumont, and Christenberry, Inskip, and Spring Hill have all finally received accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.
- Schools are providing more nutritious food choices for our kids, but there could be improvement in how much physical activity our children get during the school day. Ninety minutes per week is simply not enough.
- Richard Yoakley School needs greater support. Because it has a transient student population, it does not have a PTA, nor does it receive much in activity fee funds.
- I am impressed with the dedication of our area's School Board Representative, Indya Kincannon, and I am confident that additional money from our state's Basic Education Program will help in some areas where our schools are lacking.
As the parent of children in the public school system, I am optimistic about what I see when I am volunteering in the schools in our district.
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