I. Increased Transparency and Communication 

Institutions thrive when there is a transparent and trusting relationship with the stakeholders who support that institution. It is clear that there is a need for increased transparency around the development of the educational priorities of the San Ramon Valley School District (“SRVUSD”) and the way in which SRVUSD board (“Board”) decisions are being made on behalf of our children. To improve this relationship and build trust, I believe that the Board members must take the following steps:

• A. Actively engage with all stakeholders and provide complete access to pertinent information when making important decisions;
• B. Increase communication, community engagement, and collaboration with stakeholders;
• C. Establish a transparent superintendent selection process that includes public forums, public interviews, and public comment;
• D. Live stream all Board meetings; 
• E. Create programs to educate parents about the Board and increase awareness of Board decisions;
• F. Develop procedures to assess the effectiveness of leaders in the district office and our schools; and
• G. Establish a democratically elected student advisory council.

Money flows through school districts from a variety of sources, especially in a district like SRVUSD where parents contribute such a significant amount of financial support. In order to ensure that the money available to SRVUSD is being spent responsibly and appropriately, I believe that the following steps should be taken:

• A. Perform a full review of the budget with a focus on maximizing funding to the classroom and publish the review in a detailed easy-to-read format;
• B. Develop an independent system of evaluating administrative pay raises based on merit, not connected to teachers’ raises. No more “me too;”
• C. Develop procedures to assess the effectiveness of leaders in the district office and our schools;
• D. Create programs to educate parents about the Board and increase awareness of Board decisions;
• E. Provide a forum to ensure that the various funding sources, including federal, state and county grants are used appropriately; and
• F. Lobby at the State level for more funding for our district.

The primary responsibility of SRVUSD and our schools is to provide robust and engaging learning for all students. There are inequities and inconsistencies in the ways that our students are served, and it is important that we create clarity and consistency in those expectations across our school sites. The possibility of distance learning extending into January 2021 raises the level of urgency around developing clear plans as we move forward , and to achieve this, I believe the Board must:

• A. Develop a clear framework for giving each stakeholder the choice of distance learning/back in school;
• B. Develop an effective plan which provides options for distance learning/back in school;
• C. Provide professional development for teachers to learn effective strategies and teaching methods for successful distance learning;
• D. Analyze data from stakeholders to determine district needs as we move forward into uncertain times around COVID-19;
• E. Continuity of curriculum is needed for both distance and "in school" learning;
• F. Develop a centralized plan for curriculum, instruction, and assessment district-wide;
• G. Establish a set of assessment benchmarks to ensure that we know what each student is learning and where they need support; and
• H. Prioritize spending to include updated textbooks/online materials.

Every day we entrust our children to the care of other adults on our school campuses.  It is, therefore of critical importance that each school provides a learning environment that is both physically and emotionally safe for ALL children. This requires considerable work both inside and outside the SRVUSD classrooms. To accomplish this, I believe that the Board must:

• A. Ensure that schools are supporting students in reaching their long-term goals no matter what their plans are after high school;
• B. Support more programs that create a safe emotional/social environment and address student stress;
• C. Provide ongoing programs and curriculum that educate students about anti-racism and social justice;
• D. Add college and career education programs that encompass all possible options for students;
• E. Ensure that parents fully understand how SRVUSD provides support for students with Special Educational needs;
• F. Develop a district task force that focuses on equity and inclusion; and
• G. Perform an equity audit to determine the current climate for the purpose of identifying achievable goals and actionable steps to ensure all students’ needs are met.