neighborhood news
O
ELECTI N COVERAGE
Candidates Vie for School Board Seats
T
he State Board of Education (SBOE) is responsible for advising the State Superintendent of Education on educational matters including: state standards; state policies, including those governing special, academic, vocational, charter and other schools; state objectives; and state regulations proposed by the Mayor or the Superintendent. The SBOE is also responsible for approving: academic standards and high school graduation requirements. The board establishes definitions for adequate yearly progress and academic proficiency for all educational agencies. It also sets standards for “highly qualified teachers” and supplemental education providers. Other responsibilities include policies for parental involvement, residency verification, attendance requirements and home schooling. The SBOE is composed of elected, nonpartisan representatives from all eight wards and one at-large member. It holds public meetings twice a month, and each member receives an annual stipend of $15,000. Members serve four-year terms, and elections are staggered so that no more than five members are elected in any particular cycle. This year, there are six candidates running for the one At-Large seat in the Nov. 3 General Election. There are four candidates for Ward 7 seat and three for the Ward 8 seat.
At-Large Candidates
Jacque Patterson is a former ANC Commissioner and was selected as Capital City Fellow under Mayor Anthony A. Williams. He previously served on the Chancellor’s Parent Cabinet, was appointed to the State Board of Education’s Every Student Succeeds Act Task Force, and currently sits on the Local School Advisory Team (LSAT) of his children’s school. Patterson has lived in the District for more than Jacque Patterson 25 years and is a long-time community activist. Patterson believes a student’s zip code should not determine the quality of the education students receive. He is focused on elevating community voices within the schools, increasing resource equity, improving teach24
E a s t o f t h e R i v er D C N e w s . c o m
by Sarah Payne
er retention and dismantling racism both in policy and in practice. Learn more at www.jacque4dc.com. Mysiki Valentine is a native Washingtonian, teacher and mentor. Valentine previously served as a volunteer teacher with Americorps but left the classroom to pursue change in education policy. ValenMysiki Valentine tine has worked for the DC Council as an Advocacy Manager for the Fair Budget Coalition to ensure that the DC budget achieves racial and economic equity. He also serves as board member for Many Languages One Voice (MLOV), supporting efforts to empower the vibrant immigrant community. Currently, Valentine serves as a mentor and raises awareness for LGBTQ and communities of color. Valentine believes that DC’s education system must afford residents learning opportunities, invest in the development of educators, make schools more transparent and accountable, address the chronic underfunding of schools in Wards 7 and 8 and put an end to the racist policies and practices responsible for the achievement gap. Valentine advocates the full funding of the Birth-to-Three Act and making the University of the District of Columbia System tuition-free for DC residents. Learn more at www.valentinefordc.com. Ravi Perry is the son of Ohio educators and has dedicated his life to serving in the field of education. Perry is an urban policy expert and Chair of the Department of Political Science at Howard University. A Ward 7 resident, Perry strongly supports greater investment in vocational and trade skills development. He believes that special attention should be paid to disabled students and Ravi Perry
English language learners. Perry believes that education is under attack and that the White House is “occupied by an ideology that is against education” which inspired him to run in this election cycle. Learn more about Perry and his platform at raviperry4dc.com. Chris Martin is an entrepreneur looking to bring a fresh perspective to the state school board. As the father of three young children, Martin believes in the need for parent voices on Chris Martin the board. Martin hopes to close the District’s achievement gap through use of his experience in business while giving parents peace of mind and supporting educators. Martin is also focused on listening to parental concerns about equity, school quality, curriculum and overcrowding. Learn more at chris4education.com. Le’Troy Murphy is a native Washingtonian and a graduate of the DC public schools. He is also a parent of a child currently enrolled in DCPS. Murphy plans to focus on early childhood education and Le’Troy Murphy teacher retention. He believes the teachers deserve to earn a livable wage. He hopes to give a voice to lower income citizens. Murphy has chosen not to accept outside donations for his campaign and does not have a website. Dorothy Douglas is a single mother of three, grandmother of seven and an outspoken voice for Wards 6, 7, and 8 for more than 30 years. Douglas is a former DC public school educator who has been involved with a variety of community education efforts including assisting in fundraising more than one million dol-
