PLATFORM

No one knows all about how to educate our children.  Education is a partnership with parents, teachers, communities, elected officials, nonprofits and the private sector.  Our children win when everyone works together and communicates openly and honestly with our needs and intentions.  Sound decisions are not made behind closed doors or rubber-stamped.  When everyone has a voice at the table, all viewpoints are considered .

Approximately 48% of District 100's revenue comes from its property tax levy.  Do you know how your tax dollars are being spent?  No budget will be approved that does not explain how your money is being spent.  Wasteful spending takes money out of your pocket, puts less food on your table and reduces your available resources to provide educational opportunities for your children outside of the four walls of a school.

For many decades, government at all levels has taken a one-size-fits-all approach to how to educate our children.  No one knows your children better than you!  If the COVID-19 pandemic has taught us anything, we have learned that not all children learn alike.  We must adapt our approach to education to give all of our children the best chances to succeed.  Parents must be empowered to decide if their children learn best either in-person or remote.

District 100 needs to be a partner with the local governments here in Boone County.  As their communities grow, we will grow with them.  We need to remove barriers to growth by limiting impact fees and focusing on the additional annual funding District 100 receives as a benefactor of the growth of our neighboring communities.

All students of District 100 should have the same opportunity regardless of what school your child goes to.  All programs must be made available district-wide.  Dual-language, STEM and IEP programs must be made available district-wide.  Centralizing those programs in specific schools restricts educational opportunity to our children.  Our children deserve to be prepared for all post-high school opportunities.

Do you understand your student's report card?  Do you feel constrained or less motivated to teach other important topics in class that are not a "goal" of the grading system?  Even more progressive states like Maine have rolled back proficiency (standards)-based grading.  Students lack the motivation to get an assignment done right the first time.  Life is not full of "do-overs;" education should not be either.

A school district is one of the biggest factors that a family considers when determining which community and/or subdivision to move into.  Changes to individual school boundaries must be made with the utmost caution.  Families deserve to know that if they move into a particular school, their children will be taught at that school.