Patricia Van Pelt Watkins Answers: As Mayor of Chicago, How Will You Fix Education?

Chicago - We asked each mayoral candidate how they would fix education in the City of Chicago if elected. Each candidate was given the same 13 questions. We've posted each candidate's response, in his or her words, in their entirety, un-edited.

Candidate: Patricia Van Pelt Watkins
Website: www.patriciaforchicago.com
Email address: info@patriciaforchicago.com
Campaign address: 2312 W. Harrison | Chicago, IL | 60612
Campaign phone: 312.291.9727

1. What criteria will you use in selecting the next CEO of the Chicago Public Schools?

I believe the next CEO of the Chicago Public Schools should have extensive experience as a teacher or a school administrator, in addition to skills related to running a large system and improving urban schools. In order to properly face the challenges of our schools, the CEO would need to have tremendous leadership and interpersonal skills and strong values. They must be a strong collaborator and problem-solver. Their vitae must represent a history of integrity, excellence in collaboration and measurable successes.

2. What will you do to keep the students who are in Chicago Public Schools safe?

I know all too well the tragic impact that generations of crime, violence and gunfire has had on Chicago, its communities and its children. As a young girl, I dropped out of Fenger High School and got my GED because of fears for my safety in school. And, as a mother, I recall the terror I felt the day my son came home from Lincoln Park High School with blood on his shirt and told me that there was a shooting at school and that he had been standing dangerously close to one of the victims. Safe schools and safe communities will be a priority in a Watkins Administration. I will support and expand programs like Safe Passage and the Walking School Bus. I will also invest in supporting effective peer-to-peer mentoring programs that are developed with and supported by youth.

3. What significant activities/steps/policies/transformation will you implement in the Chicago Public Schools to improve teacher quality and preparation for both pre-service and experienced teachers to meet the needs of every student in their classroom? Where do you stand on recently drafted legislation that challenges districts to keep their best teachers in the classroom by using data like actual student growth and other measures, rather than solely basing those decisions on seniority?

I will focus funding on evidence-based strategies. I will support coaching for principals, mentoring for teachers and providing community-based professional development for parents to ensure a streamlined in-school and out-of-school supportive learning environment for students. I support efforts to utilize teacher evaluation that includes student improvement and performance, not just seniority.

4. How will you evaluate and study the outcomes of your proposed activities/policies/steps/transformation on student achievement and the learning environment? What role will student test scores play?

I believe our evaluation systems must be comprehensive and focused on student learning. I will utilize school climate surveys to ensure students have a supportive learning environment, community and school engagement measures to ensure schools are meeting the needs and expectations of parents and communities, as well as test scores and other outcome measures.

5. How will you create an effective partnership between students, parents, teachers, administrators, CPS staff, community organizations, the Chicago Teachers Union and the Board of Education to create an excellent learning environment in our schools for all students? Specifically, what do you think of the proposal to severely restrict the ability of teachers unions to strike? And how would you rewrite rules for teacher tenure?

As mayor, I will create structures to encourage and facilitate effective partnerships between students, parents, teachers, administrators, CPS staff, community, organizations, the Chicago Teachers Union and the Board of education to improve our schools and promote student success. I will establish community councils to help make decisions regarding individual schools, as well the network of schools that serve the local community. Professional development for parents will be provided to equip them with the training, information and supports to be effective. I do not support restricting the ability of teachers unions to strike. I believe that teacher tenure rules should be focused on student learning. They should be based on teachers’ ability to show improvement in student achievement, classroom management and parent-teacher relationships.

6. Would your administration support the expansion of quality charter schools in the district and how would you address the concerns some have about transparency and parental oversight? What role do vouchers have in improving the education opportunities for Chicago students?

As mayor, I will prioritize improving the entire public school system to ensure all children receive a quality education. I will expand effective teaching, parental engagement and student learning models and programs across our public schools, including charters. I do not support expanding charter schools and I do not support vouchers. And I believe that any successful efforts to improve our public schools must be transparent and have the support of parents and communities. I believer the community councils that I will establish and support will help drive this process and ensure that parents have key role in deciding how school decisions are made in their neighborhoods.

7. How would your administration target chronically low-performing schools beyond increased funding supports? And how would you address the rightful concerns regarding increasing the community's engagement in how to address their neighborhood's lowest performing schools?

I will utilize evidence-based models, including the strategic learning initiatives model of focused instruction. This comprehensive approach includes a combination of supports including principal coaching, mentoring for teachers and professional development for parents to create a seamless learning environment for students inside-and-outside of school. This will be paired with my proposed community council structure that will provide additional training, information and supports to parents and community members to engage in decision making and moving their schools forward.

8. As mayor, would you support extending the school day and school year? How will you make it a priority for change in the 2012 Chicago Teachers Union contract and in communications with state policymakers? And how would you pay for it?

I believe that increasing the amount of focused learning time for students is crucial to improving student learning. I commit to extending the learning time per subject. This can be done by assigning specific days to subjects to provide more in-depth and dedicated learning time for students to learn. In addition, I will extend learning time for students by providing more after school programs and supporting community schools.

9. What innovative ideas are you planning to lead to improve learning experiences for our city's youngest citizens?

I will be a champion for early childhood education. Studies have continually emphasized the importance of quality early childhood education in students’ learning development and future success. As mayor, I will help raise awareness in communities about the importance of early childhood education. I will help remove barriers families experience in accessing existing early childhood education programs and services. And I will work with the state and federal government to increase investment in these programs and advance full funding and implementation for the state’s Preschool for All program.

10. If you had a child with special needs, what would your expectations be at the school he or she attends?

I strongly believe that is the responsibility of the city and the Chicago Public Schools to ensure every child receives a quality education and the supports needed to develop their full human potential. As a parent, and as mayor, I would expect that the school system to provide the educational, social and emotional supports to every child that needs. Because every child is different, I believe that effective individualized education plans and providing the proper personalized supports are crucial.

11. What role will programs for gifted, high-performing students play in schools under your administration? How will the programs be enhanced or cutback?

I support programs that help children succeed and develop their full human potential. I believe that programs like STEM3 (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math, Music and Medicine) provide a challenging and stimulating education for high-performing students. I would like to enhance these programs by using current money more efficiently and leveraging effective model programs like these to attract more federal, state and private support.

12. With intensifying external pressures to "achieve", schools can be tempted to focus exclusively on subjects that are explicitly tested on state and national tests, resulting in significant scaling back on arts programming. In addition, the current fiscal climate makes funding arts teachers -- and the materials associated with the arts -- an "extra". Should schools be forced to scale back on this programming, due to their testing focus or budget challenges?

I believe that when it comes to our children’s education, we must use every tool available to support their learning and help them succeed. I understand the pressures that standardized tests impose on students and teachers. But I believe that we cannot be short-sighted and provide an inadequate or imbalanced education to our students. I believe that programs like the arts, help students develop their creativity, critical thinking and develop their personality in invaluable ways that make them stronger learners. I do not believe schools should be forced to scale back these program.

13. Should the mayor send his or her children to public school? Why?

I believe that it is important for the mayor to support and be engaged in the Chicago Public School system by sending his or her children to public schools. I believe it is the responsibility of the mayor to ensure every child, including theirs, can receive a quality public school education. However, I do not believe this should be required or legislated. While I sent my children through the Chicago Public Schools, I understand that there may be valid reasons (religious, privacy, safety, etc.) why the mayor may chose not to send their kids to public school.