Lawrence “Larry” Gray, Candidate for
School Board President in the
November 7, 2000, General Election
Parents United for DC Public Schools questionnaire, October 2000

I. What Are Your Three Highest Priorities for the Board? What will you do about them ?

Briefly:

Special Needs Populations: Policy mandates the hiring of sufficient teachers and service providers to deliver the appropriate education services for all children determined to be in the special needs category. I would restore personnel cuts made in 1995 authorizing the hiring of 300 special needs employees. This would allow for the quick assessment, implementation of Individual Education Plans and the delivery of special services in neighborhood school settings. Proper training of affiliated school personnel and administration in the issues of correct service delivery, student handling, transportation, records keeping and reimbursement for Medicaid services is essential to contain costs, return students from expensive private placements (almost 30% of the DCPS regular budget) and to meet the unmet needs of our waiting undiagnosed population of learning disabled, alcohol and crack syndrome affected youth. Non-certified teaching personnel should not be assigned primary responsibility for dealing with special needs students in classroom settings. Appropriate class sizes and services for levels of disability must be established and maintained.

Management Systems: I will continue my commitment to implementation of "Rebuilding the Public Schools, Phase I" Report offered by Superintendents Ackerman and Dr. Paul Vance earlier this Summer. Compiled by John Koskinnen, now appointed as Deputy Mayor for City Administration, the report calls for a responsive procurement system for the public schools to assure resources in the classrooms and the ability to build and contract for the new facilities construction process which I have advocated for the past six years. Without the systems sought by Ms. Ackerman, and long promised by the Control Board, DCPS has not been able to meet a range of serious problems including in- house computer capability to assure payroll. Medicaid recovery, food warehouse inventory, student health records, student academic records and other vital functions depend on state-of-the-art management systems. School funding provision must be aligned with the school year to allow for resources to be in place at the beginning of the school year.

Local full-service food preparation, staffing and kitchens should be reestablished to ensure proper nutrition, sanitary and health standards. Adequate staffing of janitorial and engineering staff must be embraced to overcome student food poisoning, asthma attacks and Legionnaire’s disease outbreaks in our schools. Adequate staffing is essential to a healthful learning environment.

Curriculum and Program Content: Progress must be maintained in Early Childhood Development and implementation of Subject Content Standards across the spectrum pre-K through 12. Science and Math implementation is a hard to hire category and requires massive grant infusions to succeed. That process is in implementation and must be shepherded. Core curriculum and Foreign language textbook replacements must be augmented to completion. Additional reading resources must be emphasized at the fifth grade level and beyond. We are neglecting our libraries and health education for children. Positive self awareness, values education and violence prevention must be integrated in all aspects of curriculum presentation.

More resources through the Weighted Student Formula should be targeted to Middle and Senior High Schools where course offerings are limited and children written off. AP courses must be offered in all schools in all major subjects. One High Tech demonstration school, Vocational facility, or School of the Arts cannot take the place of integrated offerings of arts, the highest level of appropriate technology and work place skills in the broader curriculum K-12. Full physical education programs for boys and girls must be implemented from fifth grade. Title 9 Standards must be applied.

Federal funding must be more carefully identified. School to Work, Job training and Welfare to Work funds could be directed more effectively to support implementation of vocational and classroom support efforts. E-rate funding is still not effectively tapped for technology infusion. LSRT’s must more effectively target local school budgets to meet Federal requirements and support curriculum and content goals.

II. What is the Role of parents at both the individual school and city-wide. Should the Local School Restructuring Teams be continued and if so, how can they be made more effective?

The keynote of my campaign is that "We Must Learn to Live In Our Schools Again!" Education is Everybody’s Business. Schools must be a reflection of healthy reinvigorated neighborhoods. School doors must remain open after 3:30pm and schools must be a focal point of student, parent and community activity. Before-and-After-School programs, education and recreation programs, public health providers, ANC and community organizations must have access during the week and on weekends to help rebuild healthy neighborhoods. I believe in schools as "Community Hubs". We must open the doors of our schools and adequately finance their upkeep, security and maintenance. School kitchens must be available for community use, feeding programs, and regular school nutrition needs.

The greatest indicator of student success is parent involvement in the education of children. That means we should be doing everything we can to encourage the active involvement of parents in the school life of children. At local schools this means full availability of the parent centers which provide a place of communication and technology support for parents on site. Teacher parent communication must be improved through direct contact. Teachers must reach out to parents through phone calls and home visits if necessary. Informed parents can help guide students requiring early notification of deficiencies in learning, not just waiting until report card time to let parents know a child has failed to achieve.

Every school must have a Parent Newsletter for information regarding school schedules, events, personnel, programs, changing requirements, training opportunities and news of LSRT activity. LSRTs should be continued and aggressively strengthened. Parents must be recruited and actively trained for involvement in local school governance including budget decisions, teacher selection, principal recruitment and academic reform models and their implementation. Parents should not just be hand selected by principals but chosen by parents and they should be actively embraced and made a part of the consensus building process. Each school should set goals for parent involvement. Available Federal funds should be targeted at Parent Involvement Improvement Plans. These should be documented as they are implemented as a part of the school reform model plan.

Parents are the best advocates for school improvements and the budgets necessary to upgrade public schools. They should participate in hearings before the Board of Education, Council and Mayor. They should be actively included in the make-up of the elected school board as I seek to be included. Nominees for the Mayor’s appointed positions on the Board of Education should also be drawn from the parent community. Members of the Education and Libraries Committee of the Council should seek out qualified parent advocates for their staffs. Parents must continue to strengthen their city-wide organizations such as Parents United, DC Congress of Parents and Teachers Associations (for which I serve as Legislative Chairman), and various other special needs parent organizations. These groups should work in concert on priority education initiatives such as the annual budget, DCPS Superintendent selection, special education, academic standards, food, health and transportation issues.

III. What is your view of the facilities planning process now underway?

I strongly support the ongoing planning process and have been committed to its creation as an active participant for many years. I worked closely with the 21^st Century School Fund, oyster parents, city council and others to assure the beginnings of school renewal. I have lobbied actively on Capitol Hill for the Clinton/Gore school renovation funding which could bring an additional 88.9 to 103 million dollars to our reconstruction efforts in DC if passed.

I am an At-Large member of the "Committee of 21" established as an oversight committee to review group cluster recommendations on facilities priorities throughout the city. I have worked hard to ensure the process will be inclusive. It must reflect educational specifications that will result in state-of-the-art education environments for children and it must build a consensus necessary to bring adequate financing and the wholehearted support of the political, business and parent communities. I think we are well on our way to achieving that goal.

The process is not without flaws. While their may be as much as a $2.2 billion long term need to replace up to 49% of our school buildings and renovate major systems in 91% of our buildings, we have not yet identified more than $750-800 million in long-term financing available for the task. There are projects which are being contemplated for the school system which fall outside the planning process. These may be considered political and they must not jump or be seen to unfairly compromise the planning process. Independent resources must be found for these"exceptions" if they indeed are approved and implemented outside of the regular school process and budgets.

The current Army Corp of Engineers dominance of the implementation of rebuilding of schools is not accountable to local authority to the extent necessary. It must be integrated with the oversight, budgetary planning, and local contracting requirement process in order to gain confidence in the community for future school renovation of major systems, modernizations and new construction.

All citizens should expect that a minimum guarantee of bonding authority from the city will be dedicated to the rebuilding of the cities schools. That mean a minimum of 25-30% of available bonding authority must be dedicated on an ongoing basis. At the current time, private interests, non-profits, charter schools, and other city agencies are rapidly laying claim to long-term city obligations before commitments to schools are realized. This is of great concern.

IV. What has been your personal involvement with DC Public Schools? Have your children been enrolled and for how long? Why are you interested in this position?

I am a graduate of public schools, my wife is a Native Washingtonian and a graduate of Western High School. We have seen one boy, Quentin (18), through graduation at Duke Ellington School of the Arts. We have seen another boy, Ryan through graduation from the Rainbow Summer Program. A DC Court has honored us with guardianship but my wife and I have no children of our own.

Following the shooting deaths of several young men in my neighborhood, my wife and I determined to dedicate my full attention to overcoming the disconnect between youngsters and our community. I serve as community liaison for Miner ES and Spingarn SHS, Local School Restructuring Teams. My area has a 65% single parent and low income demographic. The need for open schools with Before-and-After school programs and improved recreation opportunities for children is apparent. We mentor children throughout our local school community and immediate neighborhood. City-wide, I serve as the Legislative Chairman for the DC Congress of Parents and Teachers associations. I have helped build PTA’s in schools across the city. Locally, I have also worked with students as a tutor at the local Boy’s and Girl’s Club. I have helped run a Safe Summer Day Camp for youngsters at Miner ES and Ludlow-Taylor ES. My wife and I have run a Youth Media Project for older children as a part of our local 501C3 Parents and Community Action Association. We both serve as members of that board.

My wife and I are committed to my involvement as a full-time education activist for the past 5 ½ years. In addition to my PTA work I serve on the Goals 2000 State Panel, am a member of the "Committee of 21" oversight panel for the Long Term Facilities Management effort. I fought school closings in 1993-94 and have fought to find community accepted alternative uses for abandoned schools. I have worked hard for the creation of the Long Term Facilities Planning Process to bring order to the renovation, modernization and rebuilding needs of our school communities. As a result of collaboration with parents across the city eight elementary schools and Kelly Miller JHS in Ward 7 are to be modernized, renovated or newly constructed beginning in 2001. Future plans include 8 schools a year for the next ten years. I have worked for 6 ½ years to hold the DCPS to its commitments to Miner ES students in the wake of two successive waves of school consolidations. Ground is to be broken on a new state-of-the-art Miner elementary school in our neighborhood come Spring!

I am an advocate for children who has functioned at all levels of governance of the school system. I have also served as executive assistant to a school board member, on principal evaluation panels, on curriculum review panels, and teacher hiring teams. In all of these roles I have honed skills of consensus building, cooperation and a deep knowledge of our schools, our children and their needs.

I have worked with the Mayor, Council, and the Congress on complex and vital legislation needed to support our schools. As an advocate for the Elementary Secondary Education Act (ESEA) and Clinton/Gore Administration Education programs I have worked closely with Title I, II, VI and IX, School to Work program, E-Rate reimbursement program for technology infusion, and the Safe and Drug Free Schools Act. I have 25 years working knowledge of the School Nutrition and Free Lunch program and standards and have written legislation at the Congressional level, negotiated and overseen implementation of policy. I have worked co-operatively with the Mayor as Chairman of his transition team’s School Governance and Management sub-committee, his "Tough Choices" Community Budget Meetings as CFO and in advocating successfully for full-funding of the DC public school’s FY2001 budget before the Mayor and DC Council.

In the June 27^th, 2000 School Referendum Campaign, I served as Co-Director and primary spokesperson for the "Just Vote No!" Committee. I favored a fully elected Board of Education. I advocated the PTA endorsed policy of retaining guaranteed voting rights for DC parents and the community in choosing School Board members. I am committed to making the narrowly approved "hybrid board"function smoothly for the benefit of children and to avoid an "all appointed board" option.

V. How can you avoid the acrimonious relationships between board members, and between the School Board, Superintendent, Mayor and Council that have prevented a concerted effort to bring to our children’s schools all of the resources needed to provide the high quality of public education our children need and the city needs for them?

Conduct of a Board President and board members: As primary advocates for children, whether appointed or elected, Board members should be involved and knowledgeable of DC schools and their needs. They should have regular contact with children and parents as well as the broader community. They must be ethical, efficient and approach decisions with fact based analyses. This means being prepared to listen, provide effective oversight, informed questioning, and thoughtful dialogue. A thorough grasp of meeting procedures, role functions and guiding Municipal regulations, Congressional mandates, and Court requirements is essential.

A professional ability to promote consensus by communicating options and defining goals is vital, particularly for the Board President who speaks for the Board once policy is fashioned. This requires the ability to organize one’s life to the focus of Board service. Children’s issues should always remain paramount in Board dealings rather than personal issues! A sense of humor, good nature and supportive attitude are helpful. I believe the President of the Board of Education should be willing to commit to a full-time working schedule.

Governance style, adoption of Board Rules, Committee make-up and structure, definition of personnel policy, adaptation of existing Municipal Regulations and the like are all hefty undertakings. The Board President enjoys great latitude in defining the operations of the Board and its rules and structure. Unless limited by the referendum, many traditional Board regulations, rules and practices will remain constant. To effectively utilize the talents of available Board members is one of the responsibilities of the President and will impact committee structure. Since the election and appointment process is delayed due to implementation factors of the referendum this aspect cannot currently be determined.

Board staffing and office budgets must be directed to primary needs; community outreach, hearings and policy formulation. A fully functioning Board staff capable of implementing the whole of the Board’s responsibilities has not been in place for some time. It’s Budget may not be up to the level required . This could be a critical fault.

Committee participation by the Board President may be wide ranging as a voting member of all committees or may be limited depending on productivity and time factors. Powers may be assigned to standing or subordinate committees. The Committee of the Whole may assume broad powers to facilitate quick action. All alternatives must be considered to eliminate bottlenecks and to hasten consensus on pressing matters before the Board. Members must be working members of the Board to assume Standing Committee Responsibilities.

I, like the Mayor, will assess the make-up of the Board following the election to determine consensus options and governance style. As the only remaining At-Large member of the Board I must be fair in apportionment of responsibilities among colleagues and take into account the appointments to be made by the Mayor. Equitable distribution of resources, as mandated by law, must be a priority consideration in policy formulation. Parochial alliances cannot be allowed to infringe on the smooth functioning of essential policymaking necessary for the Superintendent’s actions and the children’s needs.

Board - Superintendent Relationship: Defining expectations, creating a vision or mission statement, recruitment, and evaluations are the proper role of the Board. Cooperation, mutual respect and support are essential elements to success. Enactment of policies is required to establish goals. Guidelines and benchmarks must be publically shared and achievable. Failure of the relationship means non-renewal of contract or termination of the Superintendent for cause. Continuity for the sake of the children and their education is a presumptive factor. Now more than ever our schools require freedom from instability in leadership. The Superintendent and Board of Education should be a working team!

We are currently favored with the incumbency of Dr. Paul Vance. Though not chosen by the new school Board his nomination drew broad support from current Board members, parent organizations and the greater community. The decision was restricted, however, to a limited appointment by the Control Board by mutual agreement with Dr. Vance. Despite his high qualifications and vigor, we are not guaranteed his presence after the SY2001. He will be available only to prepare budget and operations plans through SY2002.

This means the job of recruiting a new Superintendent must begin in earnest soon after the new Board takes direction over the schools. Hiring and desirability criteria must be determined. Long-term system needs must be assessed, planning operations continued and Superintendent’s required qualifications determined before synchronized action may be taken. A national effort will be required. A DC Personnel inventory will also be required. Best practices for selection must be reviewed, funding availability identified, vision statements and goals outlined in specific before recruitment can take place. Desired contract parameters can be lengthy and costly. The Board which chooses the Superintendent should be the Board which supports the Superintendent through his/her inauguration. This brings into serious question the issue of the Council’s staggered term implementation which will mean half the elected Board and the Board President will be chosen just as a new Superintendent has been chosen and is about to embark on new responsibilities. This could produce an unstable Board/ Superintendent dynamic if major changes occur in 2002 elections.

Board/ Mayor/Council Relations: Non-availability of shared information as the basis of discussion has been the greatest barrier to concerted consensus building in the past. All parties must be singing from the same music. They must be in harmony regarding budget information, academic programs and federal relations. This can be improved by the proper implementation of the State Education Authority functions and the provision of standard information by the Superintendent to all parties concerned annually.

As in the Facilities Planning Process there should be a regular meeting process established which allows for direct communication between the Superintendent, Council, Mayor’s representatives, parent community, teachers, business community and the Board of Education members regarding education issues and program implementation in the schools. This can avoid conflict and result in less confrontation if every one knows goals, timetables and expectations regarding a range of ongoing positive DCPS initiatives.

We must all be united in the understanding that improvement of the schools is vital to our children’s futures and the health and future potential of our neighborhoods and city. We must reestablish our city as a desirable place for healthy families and communities. School improvement is the major factor in not only attracting new citizens but strengthening our neighborhoods and building new business while overcoming social evils of crime, intolerance and financial disparity.