School Board Candidates Address Schools of Choice, Cyberlearning at Forum

The three candidates for the Birmingham Board of Education faced off Tuesday night in a forum hosted by the Oakland County League of Women Voters.

, and answered questions from league members and forum moderator Judy Bateman. Connelly is challenging incumbents Lawrence and Conti, who are running for their third and second terms, respectively. (Make sure you check out each candidate’s profiles first on Patch.)

So what did the candidates have to say on issues ranging from Schools of Choice to school safety? Patch was there to report on what’s important for those looking to lead in the years to come.

State mandates

What do you think of the state’s common core initiative?

The Michigan State Board of Education adopted a set of state-led education standards in June 2010, establishing standards in language arts and mathematics for students in grades K-12.

All three candidates noted that the initiative is a good start, with Conti noting the initiatives allow school districts to compare themselves to others across the country. However, Connelly said these standards should serve as a minimum, and Lawrence said Birmingham already “goes far beyond the common core.”

What’s your opinion on Schools of Choice and proposed legislation that could make it mandatory for all districts?

In early September, legislation was introduced to the Michigan Senate to mandate that districts statewide participate in the Schools of Choice program, which allows students to attend schools in other districts.

Birmingham doesn’t participate in the Schools of Choice system, allowing out-of-district students to attend on a tuition basis instead.

All three candidates acknowledged that Schools of Choice has its high points, but they were adamant that it has the potential to dilute the education provided to Birmingham students.

“It can dilute our community, the number of chairs available and instructor time,” Conti said.

What’s your opinion on unfunded mandates from state legislators?

Many of the examples of unfunded mandates provided by the candidates revolve around legacy and retirement costs. Birmingham has done a good job of dealing with these costs, Connelly noted, though it should look to other districts to see how to further confront escalating retirement costs.

Another sector in which the federal government has made several unfunded mandates is in the field of special education, Conti and Lawrence said. Birmingham does a great job with special education, Lawrence said, “but the federal government hasn’t stepped up to the plate. It’s a travesty that’s ignored year after year.”

What do you think of legislation that could privatize teaching jobs?

Conti said privatization of and contracting out certain jobs works — like the district has already done with bus drivers and custodial workers — but teaching isn’t one of them.

“Teaching is the core of what we do,” Lawrence said. “How can we contract out our teachers?” Connelly added that teachers are the ones who form bonds with students, and contracting out those jobs would be “extremely damaging” to the district.

Changing face of curriculum

What’s your opinion on cyberschools; can students learn without a teacher?

As for cyber, or online, learning, all three candidates were in agreement that it can work for certain students and for certain subjects — but nothing replaces what a teacher provides in a classroom.

Online classes have the potential to provide an additional revenue stream for the district, Connelly said, but the “devil is in the details. What’s important is how the program is implemented.”

Implementation was also important to Conti and Lawrence. Lawrence said online classes can work if they are supplemented by interaction with teachers and other students. “Nothing replaces what happens in the classroom.”

Conti also said online learning is appropriate only for certain age groups and that each decision should be made on an individual basis.

Budget challenges

What are some of your ideas for generating revenue or cost savings?

Candidates had a variety of ideas for generating revenue for the district, including Connelly’s plan to think outside the box when it comes to program-sharing and Conti’s plan to contract out the district’s expertise and best practices to struggling districts.

Lawrence said he’s a firm supporter of selling the district’s excess facilities, including the current administration building, as well as bringing conferences to Birmingham and helping the athletic fund become more self-sustaining.

For more

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