School Board Candidates Talk Budget, High School Start Times, and Propositions at Forum

From budget and funding to closing achievement gaps and propositions, the Albany Unified School District's Board of Education candidates talked over several topics recommended by the community during a forum Wednesday evening.

Around 20 people attended the school board candidate forum, held at St. Alban's Episcopal Church and moderated by former Albany Patch editor Emilie Raguso. Questions were asked from Patch readers along with attendents at the event.

KALB shot the entire forum and will post it on the city website in the coming days.

Serving the Community's Needs, Inter-District Transfers and Reviewing the Superintendent

When asked how they would represent the community's needs, Barrett, a working parent of two small children, shared his knowledge of how daycare has been an issue for his neighborhood, where both parents in most of the households work.

Low and Rosenbaum seemed to agree that the decisions made by the board are based on the learning and development of students.

"Student achievement is what we're here for," Rosenbaum said.

They added that the community is the board's employer, while the board is the superintendent's. Low said the board sets goals for the superintendent based on the strategic plan which the community weighed in on.

All three candidates stood for inter-district transfers. Barrett said despite the crowdedness among Albany schools, he supports the fact that people want to come for Albany for better education for their children.

Low felt that inter-district transfers help diversify the community and as long as its done correctly by following the rules, she is all for it.

Closing Achievement Gaps and Funding

According to Rosenbaum, Albany isn't the only school district struggling to close the achievement gap.

"This is not an Albany problem, this is a nationwide problem," he said.

The causes? He said he felt inherent racism built into society and certain barriers are what keep this gap from closing. Creating a curriculum where students challenge themselves is what is needed, according to Rosenbaum.

For Barrett, setting school meetings to accommodate working parents so they can be more involved is what he feels will help close the gap.

Low said she would look at specific interventions at all grade levels. She said test scores, and economic and social backgrounds are all indicators of who isn't learning at the levels they should.

The candidates were asked where their priorities would lie with dispersing monies if supplied by the state or local donations.

To some extent, the three agreed that keeping the wonderful teachers and staff in the district was a priority. Low and Rosenbaum added that funding visual and performing arts should be considered. Barrett suggested that by becoming a school board member, he'd try lobbying to government for more funding.

School Programs and Start Times

The candidates also discussed elementary schools and how families get first choice as to which school kids can go to.

Rosenbaum said he is open to giving the choice to parents and thinks school policy is currently set to do that. Barrett said he appreciates the choice factor because it allowed him to select Marin Elementary for his kids since it was close to home.

Low focused on the concept of neighborhood schools — which Albany has — versus the strategy to ensure equity. She said one way the district can make certain schools are more appealing to parents is by offering attractive after-school programs. This will make families pick schools based on students' needs as oppose to distance from their homes.

Candidates also discussed making the 7:50 a.m. start time at Albany High School later. Barrett said he felt school starts too late as is, and wants the start time as early as possible. Rosenbaum felt that teens are not getting enough sleep as is.

From participating in after-school activities and working at jobs to babysitting younger siblings and dealing with hours of homework each night, Rosenbaum said he is an advocate of not giving kids busy work at night to ensure they get better sleep.

Low addressed the fact that although the board cannot officially change the start time, it can look at creating policy and discussing the issue of an early start time. 

Propositions 30 and 38

The candidates touched on how Prop 30 would guarantee flat funding and would not necessarily lessen the district's dependence on donations if passed. The level of funding would still remain the same.

With Prop 38, less relief would be required the first year, but not long after. Barrett said he fully supports both props.

"We're still trying to back-fill the cuts we made in the last three years," Low said.

Despite not being as dependent on donations if given more funding, Rosenbaum felt that Albany is the type of community that would continue to participate in offering donations "because that's the kind of community Albany is."