Professional Documents
Culture Documents
DallasKidsFirst Voter Packet District 9 | South and Central Dallas | May 12, 2012 Elections Who is DKF? DallasKidsFirst (DKF) exists to increase citizen engagement by providing voters with actionable information about public school governance. DKF believes that district-wide transformation requires Trustees who will honestly assess Dallas ISDs challenges and aggressively move from status quo thinking to student-based decisions. Following years of low voter turnout and cancelled elections, DKF wants to engage every Dallas ISD stakeholder by shining an intense light on school board activity, clearly outlining candidates strengths/weaknesses and distilling complex issues into actionable scorecards. Whats a Candidate Scorecard? DKF has given each candidate a score from A (very strong) to F (very weak) based on (i) school board voting history, if available; (ii) written responses to DKFs Candidate Survey; (iii) in-person interviews with DKFs interview committee; and (iv) demonstrated problem solving success in governance. DKF scores were designed to give voters a recognizable candidate benchmark. Are DKF scores transparent? Hundreds of hours of research and documentation have gone into DKFs scores, and voters can easily understand scores by reviewing the candidate rubric, each candidates positions, and (for incumbents) self-contained voting history source documents posted on www.dallaskidsfirst.org.
Summary
Side-by-Side Scorecard
Candidate Positions
Candidate Surveys
Pol. Adv., Kids First PAC
District
9
Candidate
Name
Profession
Status
Survey
Completed?
Interview
Completed?
Key
Additional
Info
Experience
Awareness
Perspective
Urgency
Candidate
Score
District
in
crisis
Defining
Issues
Dallas
ISD
has
seen
meaningful
improvements
but
is
still
primarily
defined
by
challenges.
SAT/ACT
scores
still
lag
most
Texas
districts
(90%+
not
college
ready),
and
Dallas
parents
are
struggling
to
deal
with
underperforming
middle
and
high
schools.
Trustees
must
honestly
assess
these
challenges
and
aggressively
move
from
status
quo
thinking
to
student-based
decisions.
State
budget
challenges
have
made
managing
Dallas
ISDs
$1.5
billion
annual
operating
budget
extremely
difficult.
Trustees
must
work
together
instead
of
casting
blame,
and
focus
on
balanced,
student-based
budgeting.
Recent
departures
of
key
personnel
(e.g.,
superintendent,
head
of
instruction,
chief
of
HR)
provide
the
district
with
a
unique
opportunity
to
accelerate
progress,
which
highlights
the
importance
of
electing
the
best
possible
Trustees
in
this
critical
time
for
Dallas
ISDs
future.
Pol. Adv., Kids First PAC
Location South Dallas and parts of Downtown, Uptown, Pleasant Grove, Deep Ellum and East Dallas Bernadette Nutall Program Organizer Incumbent Yes Yes Voting record A A A A A Very Strong Damarcus Offord Unemployed Challenger No No None F - - - F Very Weak
What
valuable
traits
would
the
candidates
bring
to
the
DISD
Board
of
Trustees?
Trait
Experience
Awareness
Perspective
Urgency
Total
Bernadette
Nutall
Damarcus
Offord
Description
Score
Description
Score
A
F
Served
as
a
DISD
community
liaison
for
eight
Has
insight
from
being
a
recent
DISD
years,
providing
first-hand
experience
of
graduate
and
student
leader.
communitys
perspective.
Is
the
only
candidate
that
refused
to
Co-founded
a
summer
enrichment
program
respond
to
DKF
survey
(five
requests).
that
has
educated
hundreds
of
students.
Is
the
only
candidate
that
refused
to
Sponsored
and
passed
DISD
boards
policy
shift
interview
with
DKF
members
(five
to
performance
based
staffing
(2011).
requests).
Sponsored
and
passed
the
strongest
anti- Lacks
related
professional/career
bullying
policy
in
the
state
of
Texas.
experience.
A
F
Trustee
Nutalls
experience
as
a
DISD
parent,
community
liaison
and
educational
coordinator
anchor
her
awareness
about
the
gravity
of
DISDs
challenges.
Nutalls
ability
to
sponsor
and
pass
student- based
policy
confirms
that
she
understands
the
responsibilities
of
her
role.
A
F
Stood
against
intense
personal
criticism,
including
protesters
at
her
home,
when
she
supported
the
consolidation
of
campuses
in
response
to
underutilization
concerns
and
severe
budget
cuts.
A
F
Has
sponsored
and
passed
several
significant
policies
during
the
last
three
years.
Stated
clear
goals
for
continued
policy-progress
should
she
be
re-elected.
Trustee
Nutalls
community
focus
and
leadership
A
Mr.
Offord
lacks
governance
experience,
and
his
F
on
the
DISD
school
board
have
resulted
in
unwillingness
to
discuss
experience
and
undeniable
contributions
to
DISDs
progress.
opinions
raises
significant
concerns
about
his
ability
to
positively
affect
the
board.
Pol. Adv., Kids First PAC
Experience Awareness
Perspective
Urgency
Overview
of
Candidate
Position
Research
Two
of
DKFs
primary
goals
are
(1)
track
and
highlight
positions
of
Dallas
ISD
Trustees
and
candidates
and
(2)
distill
those
positions
into
actionable
information
for
parents
and
citizens.
DKF
expects
that
making
sense
out
of
a
jargon-filled,
emotional
and
often
divisive
subject
will
increase
awareness
and
engagement
and
positively
affect
Dallas
public
school
students.
Summary
of
Findings
from
Candidate
Observations
Score
A
B
C
D
F
Summary of Candidate Observations Scale Nutall Offord Very Strong 12 1 Strong Moderate Weak Very Weak 1 0 0 1 A 0 0 0 3 F
Total Score
Candidate Bernadette Nutall Position Description 1 Nutall has extensive experience coordinating DISD constituencies. 2 Nutall was a community liaison at Dallas ISD from 1995 to 2003. Her experience dealing with internal and external constituencies (including about 100 volunteers from many different organizations) around student achievement is valuable. Nutall has a long history of academic Nutall co-founded a comprehensive academic enrichment summer learning enrichment in the community. program for students in kindergarten through eighth grade in 1999, which provides summer educational programs for more than 250 students in math, science, art and reading. Nutall appreciates the challenges facing Survey response: Recognizing that education is not just received in the DISD students and strives to provide classroom, I have and will continue to advocate effective supplemental well-rounded development. programming that helps engage students in and out of the classroom. They face declining neighborhoods, frayed family structures and inadequate or insufficient role models to help instill a sense of purpose in their lives. I actively work with area non-profits and community groups to provide a platform of support to assist the development of children as citizens and as students as well. I am an advocate of not only community development within our city, but also is a supporter of life development for our youth. Nutall supports creative student- Nutall organized the National Take Our Daughters to Work: An Educational focused solutions. Mentoring Program for Minority Young Women in DISD. Nutall also developed innovative DISD programming such as Running for Success, E-Mentoring as well as various educational workshops. Nutall is focused on college-readiness. Nutall has helped high school seniors obtain scholarships from various sources and collaborated with counselors on the coordination of college recruiters, student recruitment and financial aid workshops for students and parents. Nutall is personally invested in DISD. Nutall is a DISD parent and often frames policy issues in terms of her perspective as a parent. DKF Score A A DKF Score A (Very Strong)
5 6
A A
Candidate
Bernadette
Nutall
Position
Description
Nutall
sponsored
an
amendment
to
policy
that
bases
staff
layoffs
on
performance
instead
of
seniority
(3/24/11).
Nutall
supported
non-renewing
teacher
contracts
on
the
basis
of
low
performance
(8/25/11).
Nutall
supported
including
performance
as
the
primary
criteria
for
moving
teachers
out
of
the
classroom
and
into
the
re-assignment
pool
(9/22/11).
Nutall
opposed
banning
forced
placement
(6/23/11)
of
staff
on
DISD
campuses.
DKF
supports
staffing
flexibility.
Survey
response:
The
failure
of
the
district
to
generate
an
adequate
and
ready
student
population
is
a
responsibility
of
DISD
and
the
board
of
trustees.
Survey
responses:
I
view
success
from
a
district
perspective
not
only
by
the
numbers
of
those
who
graduate,
but
by
the
quality
of
the
education
that
he/she
receives.
This
is
reflected
and
measured
by
their
job
readiness
and
post
secondary
preparedness.
Obviously,
what
we
have
in
place
now
is
not
working.
New
and
innovative
strategies
must
be
developed
and
implemented
to
address
this
issue.
The
finish
line
for
DISD
is
not
where
the
student
walks
across
the
stage
to
receive
their
diploma,
rather
it's
where
students
receive
validation
of
their
educational
accomplishments
through
gainful
employment
and
post
secondary
education
success
rates.
Nutall
voted
for
a
controversial
school
closing
program,
and
explained
her
position
to
the
Dallas
Morning
News:
Idling
a
school
is
never
the
preferred
course
of
action.
However,
I
believe
a
basic
tenet
of
the
civil
rights
struggle
was
access
to
a
quality
education
for
African-American
children
and
not
a
particular
facility.
Nutall
acknowledged
that
her
vote
would
be
controversial
and
would
likely
result
in
personal
attacks.
Nutalls
vote
led
to
personal
verbal
attacks
and
six
people
protesting
her
home.
Pol. Adv., Kids First PAC
8 Nutall supported forced placement of campus staff. 9 Nutall believes that DISDs leaders are accountable for student performance (or lack of). 10 Nutall is focused on genuine student achievement.
F A A
Candidate Bernadette Nutall Position Description Nutall responded to three DISD student suicides by sponsoring the most rigorous anti-bullying policy in the State of Texas that was unanimously approved by the Board (11/18/11). 13 Nutall supports student-based Nutalls policy agenda, if re-elected, includes a goal of prioritizing all DISD budgeting. expenditures around their direct affects on students. 14 Nutall supports a thoughtful integration Nutalls policy agenda, if re-elected, includes a goal of revamping DISDs of curriculum and technology. technology problems by ensuring that technology complements (rather than drives) curriculum. 12 Nutall is focused on providing a safe environment for students. DKF Score A A B DKF Score A (Very Strong)
Candidate Damarcus Offord Position Description Offords recent experience as a DISD student provides unique perspective. DKF contacted Offord numerous times requesting responses to survey questions and/or an interview. He agreed to return the survey, but in spite of five contacts from DKF, never followed up on his commitment to promote an open dialogue about his ability (or inability) to contribute to DISDs progress. Regardless of individual perspectives, DKF believes all Dallas parents and citizens deserve to know what candidates stand for. DKF believes that Offords refusal to openly discuss his candidacy is alarming and gives all voters reasons for concern. The Dallas Morning News recently reported that Offord is 20 years old, was attending Navarro College and was intending to transfer to Mountain View College. Offords lack of experience is alarming given DISDs size and complexity ($1.5B budget, 20k+ staff members, 150k students). Offord has received attention for threatening Trustees at the January 2012 Board meeting, but given that his comments were not explicitly threatening, DKF is more concerned with Offords willingness (or lack of) to advocate for district wide progress. In his public response (Observer 3/22/12), Offord explains his position on school consolidations by challenging the incumbent with, Who votes to close down 5 schools in their own district? Yet he has not publicly provided an alternative solution to the problematic reality of a state-driven budget shortfall. Several press reports indicated that schools had to be closed (cite 1, cite 2)), and DKF sees Offords comments as promoting polarizing criticism without a promoting solutions. 1 Offord is a recent DISD graduate. 2 Offord refuses to discuss his candidacy, policy positions, etc. DKF Score A F DKF Score F (Very Weak)
3 Offord lacks career and/or professional experience. 4 Offord lacks perspective about the role of Trustee responsibilities.
Candidate Survey May 12, 2012 Election ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Please complete, scan and return the following survey to info@dallaskidsfirst.org. On behalf of Dallas citizens, the members of Dallas Kids First thank you in advance for your thoughtful responses and for your interest in serving as DISD Trustee. Your response will be posted at www.dallaskidsfirst.org. Candidate Name Bernadette Nutall Candidate Signature District Represented District 9
Section 1: Brief Personal Profile (please keep responses to no more than two sentences) What personal experience most prepares you for the service as a DISD Trustee? I previously worked eight years as a Community Liaison with DISD as well as 13 years as Executive Director of Circle of Support, Inc. In these capacities I have developed innovative curriculum, facilitated community and business involvement in schools, worked with budgets and financial forecasting, kept abreast of trends in public education throughout the country and worked on practical solutions to a myriad of problems associated with public education. Why do you want to be elected as a DISD Trustee? The future of our children is my focus, passion and personal ministry and I am committed to the community as such. I am running to continue the efforts to provide our children with the best education possible in order to prepare them to be successful and responsible citizens of Dallas. Im vested in our district. Education has always been an important part of my life. I know we still have a lot of work to do, and I want to continue on to finish that work.
What are the three biggest challenges facing DISD? The reduced budget environment. In this current environment it important that we ensure each dollar is impactful towards student achievement. Finding an effective superintendent. Key qualities we need to focus on are excellent communication skills and an appreciation for collaboration. We need someone who will take the time to meet with principals and teachers, who genuinely listens to people and who is not fearful of the problems that lie before us. Thats perhaps the single most critical qualitythe ability to recognize and acknowledge a problem. We need a hands-on problem solver. Personnel-Every classroom, every school, needs effective teachers and principals. Our students deserve nothing but the best. And when you look at it from a financial viewpoint, you have to keep in mind that 85 percent of our budget is dedicated to personnelwe owe it to our taxpayers to recruit and retain high quality people at every level of the organization. What specifically will you do to improve the educational experiences of DISD students? Success is when students are academically prepared to compete in this global economy. That means writing, doing arithmetic and thinking critically. If we can prepare them early on with those crucial skills, our students will be prepared to successfully enter, graduate from college and enter into the workforce. Success should not be defined by whether our students simply graduate. Success should be defined by our students graduating with skills necessary to succeed at the next stage of their life, whether it is post secondary education or the workforce. We should aspire to turn out a quality productnot just a particularly quantity of product. Having recognized the significant damage to students by a phenomenon called 'summer learning loss', I started a non-profit, Circle of Support, Inc., in 1999, that provides a full-day eight week, academic enrichment program that utilizes certified master teachers that work with students in the areas of science, math and reading as well as provides enrichment activities. The program is free to those students that reside in the South Dallas community. Last year, approximately 302 students attended daily. I fundraise approximately $350k yearly for the program, which came exclusive from private funding sources.
Section 3: Topical Questions The average SAT test taker from DISD scores in the bottom 25% of all U.S. test takers. Is this failure to generate college and/or careerready graduates the responsibility of DISD and the Board of Trustees? Please explain. The failure of the district to generate an adequate and ready student population is a responsibility of DISD and the board of trustees. I view success from a district perspective not only by the numbers of those who graduate, but by the quality of the education that he/she receives. This is reflected and measured by their job readiness and post secondary preparedness. Obviously, what we have in place now is not working. New and innovative strategies must be developed and implemented to address this issue. The community will also need to be involved to better support the efforts of the district and those teachers in the classroom. DISD must move from being just a provider of education, but an active advocate of education. The finish line for DISD is not where the student walks across the stage to receive their diploma, rather it's where students receive validation of their educational accomplishments through gainful employment and post secondary education success rates. A DISD teacher recently told a Trustee (via email): We get dumped on by administration each day, cursed out by students, yelled at by parents, receive very little respect from the community, work long hours, and receive meager pay. If elected what will you do to support teachers, boost morale within the district and incorporate staff feedback into policy decisions? Teachers, like any other person, require not only words of encouragement, but practical support as well. As DISD Trustee District 9, it has always been my mission to provide the teachers in the classroom with the necessary resources to accomplish their difficult jobs. Recognizing that education is not just received in the classroom, I have and will continue to advocate effective supplemental programming that helps engage students in and out of the classroom. Unfortunately, one of the major difficulties of being an urban school district is that our children are subjected to the ills and difficulties that are associated with urban America today. They face declining neighborhoods, frayed family structures and inadequate or insufficient role models to help instill a sense of purpose in their lives. I actively work with area non profits and community groups to provide a platform of support to assist the development of children as citizens and as students as well. I am an advocate of not only community development within our city, but also is a supporter of life development for our youth. It is my hope that by helping students overcome the difficulties that they face outside of the classroom, they can be more engaged within the classroom. An engaged student is what every teacher wants. By non-traditional support as I have mentioned above, I hope to raise not only the morale of teachers, but their hope for having fulfilling careers as well.
If you were outvoted on a contentious school board issue and were asked by a reporter to comment on the vote, how would you respond? If the reporter pointed out that a fellow Trustee called you how would you respond? I will share with them why I voted the way I did, and that I understand how to agree and respect my colleagues even when we disagree. As to the second point, I dont respond to personal attacks but will be happy to debate, deliberate and discuss and decisions that would help the lives of children. T he children in our community are watching and I will continue to stay focused on addressing their needs through thoughtful discussion. They are our constituents and our future."
Pol. Adv., Kids First PAC
Note: Offord was contacted by Dallas Kids First five times via email, phone and text message. He indicated that he would return DKFs survey, but failed to do so. Offord is the only 2012 candidate to refuse a DKF survey, which is especially concerning given his lack of experience and unknown policy positions.