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 MPS terminated their SEPAC (Special Education Parent Advisory Council) shortly after 2 years without offering another method for meaningful engagement with families of special needs students. Given the substantial percentage of students (19.6% of the total student population) receiving special education services, please share your ideas as a Board Member for the district to improve communication and engagement to fulfill the same promise of engaging this community that they offer to non-special needs families. 

I’m sorry to hear the Parent Advisory Council was terminated. In the past 8 months or so of running for the board in talking to several parents and teachers, the one complaint I’ve heard more than others has been about Special Ed in the district. I’m looking forward to finding out where and why we’re deficient, engaging with parents and families who are advocating for their students and helping to find better solutions. I think that hearing all voices is crucial to the board in making good decisions. I would ask the district to form small groups to work on specific problems in the special education world, as well as look for parents from the Special Education community to serve on every district committee—not just the ones dealing with Special Education. And I personally want to hear from families on how I can better support them. I am the uncle to 70 plus students—several with IEPs or 504 plans. I know in my own family how diverse their needs are and how solutions cannot be one size fits all. 

 We need common sense approaches. If something is working, why is it working and can we improve on it. If something is not working how do we fix it? I tried to get information on why the program was canceled and didn't find any answers. I would be open to the group, and finding ways to make it effective and efficient. I commend the parents who have formed their own community group. As a board member I would be willing to meet with parents groups to hear their feedback and help to represent the needs of everyone.

I would like to see the district work on a permanent marketing program to involve all parents in their children's learning. We need to inform parents of the way they can get involved and what they can do at home to help with learning. The district uses an email based communication program so there would not be any costs for mailing. Regardless, we need more communication from the district. 

One of the pillars of my campaign is to restore parental rights. This includes giving parents a prominent voice in the educational opportunities and programs offered to their children. I will advocate to re-establish the SEPAC or an equivalent group as well as agree to meet regularly with parental groups to ensure their voice is represented by governing board vote. As new programs are being considered I will advocate to give parents and parental groups the opportunity to weigh in on the evaluation and selection process. When appropriate, I will add agenda items to the meeting agendas. 

SEPAC, as I understand it, is somewhat an equivalent of the School Improvement Advisory Council (SIAC) at Title I schools, in certain aspects. Having firsthand experiences with SIACs, I will answer this question through that lens. The SIACs are used as nothing more than a focus group in order for the district to move the goal posts as they see fit, for their desired outcome in any situation, to avoid conflict with parents and the public and continue to do as they please/pre-planned. The messages coming from the SIACs are delivered to district level personnel by school administrators and translated as the administrators see fit, often not as the parents in the group intended. The SAICs are improvement committees, but not improvement for the children, improvement for the district to be better at moving the goal posts. For those reasons, I believe it’s critical for MPS Governing Board members to randomly visit SIACs and get the firsthand experience and word straight from the parents and build those relationships. Immediate steps need to be taken to bring back SEPAC and apply what I just said about the SIACs to the SEPACs. The SPED parents must be involved and have a voice, what an abhorrent action to take that voice away. 

My wife and I are parents of a child with special needs (non-verbal, autistic), I believe it is imperative to have an advisory council for parents and guardians. I believe that parents and guardians must have a seat at the decision-making authority table. If elected, I would inquire the reason for suspending SEPAC and then I would seek a way in which parents and guardians can have their voices heard by the district. 

As a whole we need to do more to take in the feedback of our community and make decisions with input from all of our stakeholders. This means hosting regular roundtable discussions, not lectures, with our families and listening to what their needs are. As a district we need to be diligent about who we serve, and that means ensuring we’re prepared to meet every child/family where they are and offering an education that is going to be best tailored to them. 

We see ourselves in Mesa as a big city that acts like a small town. But as the largest district in the state, MPS struggles to communicate with its many stakeholders. Despite many efforts taken by MPS, parents, students, employees, and community members feel they are not heard by their school district. This is because we are talking at each other or about each other and not with each other. MPS formed a Parent Advisory Council and a Student Advisory Group last year. Sincere efforts to talk with one another and collaboratively work toward solutions are taking place. A productive meeting took place Friday between members of the Mesa Special Education Alliance and Dr. Fourlis. Concerns and solid ideas were shared in a rich conversation. We can come to the table to listen, share and act together for the good of our schools. Friday was a good start. 

 Based on the Arizona Standardized Testing 2022, only 39% of Mesa Public Schools students are proficient readers, and, statistically, 1 in 5 students are dyslexic. In the last two years, MPS has adopted structured Literacy programs (Wilson, S.P.I.R.E., S.P.I.R.E. Sound Sensibles) as well as in-depth training (LETRS) to bridge grade-level gaps. Additionally, the district's new FastBridge screens for early detection of Dyslexia. What ideas do you have for ensuring MPS is effectively using these programs with fidelity when they have been so overwhelmed with other newer curriculums? 

 Those scores are not good enough for any of our schools. Once funding was available, I was really happy to see the Board press for curriculum that followed the science of reading and have heard that many teachers have been grateful for Foundations. I know that having new curriculums with ELA and Math has been overwhelming for many teachers, but we are playing a long game, in my opinion. I think having the instructional coaches on campuses to help teachers feel comfortable with these new materials has been really important, and I hope that continues to be a priority. We need more of them to support our teachers. Fidelity is important so that we can really evaluate if these tools are successful. I also think we need to expand some of these screeners and tools to the high school students. MPS has many older students who have been undiagnosed Dyslexics and need the added help to finally crack the code on literacy. 

The district uses classroom observation groups to ensure programs are getting used and used correctly. I do support classroom observation.

With the different curriculum programs, if scores go up which program is responsible, and why do different groups have different programs? Changing curriculum is one of the causes of teacher burnout. We have got to use quantifiable results driven data combined with teacher feedback and pick what works and has longevity for the district.

With regards to Fastbridge, my understanding is that dyslexia is very hard to diagnose. I spoke to a teacher with a Master's in Special Ed who said Fastbridge is geared around determining how students will perform on the statewide assessments which is why it can be used as a predictive indicator of dyslexia. Since it is not a diagnostic tool and is a predictive screener, we need to make sure that we maximize other resources and check what resources we may be lacking. Having the right tools will allow schools to root out roadblocks to learning for students who may struggle but not actually be dyslexic and make informed recommendations if testing for learning disabilities is needed or not needed. Data drive metrics will be important - it is how successful companies learn to operate well. It's also what is lacking when the district votes on the curriculum. 

There are so many variables when it comes to program evaluation. I believe that this is one of the areas that the district is deficient. As an engineer, evaluation of effectiveness is one of my strengths. One of the strategies I will employ is the transparency of the training that teachers have received so that parents can see what their childrens’ teachers’ competencies are. Additionally, I would like to implement classroom level metrics including comparison to overall program reading proficiency metrics which may give an indication of teacher fidelity to the program. I think the streamlining of the overall number of reading programs is also needed. I will also work with program vendors to seek customer testimonials of their programs from other school districts that have been using their programs to help in the evaluation of the programs currently being used or programs being considered for implementation. 

I take issue with accepting any type of screeners from FastBridge as I am diametrically opposed to Social, Academic, and Emotional Behavior Risk Screeners (SAEBERS) for several reasons. If FastBridge is useful for early detection of Dyslexia, then I would like to explore options that are equivalent or better than this company for early Dyslexia detection only and rid MPS of FastBridge altogether. To answer the question though; I want to do a full comprehensive audit. The reason an audit is needed is to cut the fat and eliminate useless overwhelming curriculum in the 1st place. We cannot overwhelm SPED teachers, or anyone for that matter, and expect them to be efficient and effective. 

I believe that the district must be data driven. We have analysts who can provide updates to the school board. As a school board member, I would request follow up information on all curriculums within the district and analyze the effectiveness of each program. Further, I would seek the advice and recommendations from the teachers who are teaching the programs. We must hear directly from those who are in the classroom. After all stakeholders have had the opportunity to provide their input on the programs, then the school board would be better able to implement changes or discard any curriculum that is not effective. 

This is why it is important that we continue to push these programs and not do away with SEL. Not only can we screen for dyslexia and other traits, but measure the overall wellness of our students. We need to ensure that staff and students are fully vested in the benefits of these programs and are utilizing them in the way that has been determined best. 

The Governing Board approved the adoption of new materials (first time since 2003).• Write from Beginning
• SPIRE • Sounds Sensible
• Thinking Maps
• Picture Perfect Science
• Stem Scopes
Assessments such as FastBridge and Running Record have helped teachers detect Dyslexia and assess what a student knows and understands about the reading process. Building principals under the direction of area superintendents have established expectations for the use of these materials with fidelity. Newly hired instructional coaches support teachers in how to use the materials with fidelity. Some schools are using a teaming model where grade-level educators and support staff collaborate on best practices in the use of these materials. Special education teachers and staff are included in deliberative collaboration. This teaming model gives teachers time to assess, analyze and then develop a plan that best meets students’ needs. An area that has been refined is the number of minutes of dedicated to instruction. Schedules have been altered to provide more time for instruction and meet the individual needs of students. I acknowledge and respect the hard work of our elementary teachers as they responsibly use the new materials to teach the standards and guide our students to proficiency. They cannot do this alone. The district is exploring training community volunteers with these classroom materials to further support our students as they strive for proficiency. And a new City of Mesa Community Literacy Initiative will connect the district with community partners who are experts in the field of early childhood literacy such as Read On Arizona and First Things First. The first meeting happened this week. The group is dedicated to promoting the importance and love of reading through accessible materials and programs. We can raise proficient readers as a community.

 In February 2022, The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported 63.7% of persons without a disability were employed in 2021, compared to 19.1% of persons with a disability. One of the district's strategic goals is to ensure all students achieve college, career and community readiness. How might the district expand internships and other programs offered to students without disabilities, to students with IEPs and 504s? 

Thank you for this question! As a small business owner in Mesa, work force development is one of the reasons I ran for the board, and it absolutely should extend to our students who are differently abled. I believe that all students are employable and can be trained in a variety of skills and levels. I love the program that MPS has with Amazon at Westwood—teaching workplace skills to many in the SPED community there. I would like to find other businesses to partner with MPS in this way. Westwood from the top down has a culture of believing in these programs and in the capabilities of all students there and the programs are thriving. I would love to find a program like this at all the high schools with local businesses. We need to grow those relationships to include opportunities for those students identified as needing Special Education services. 

EVIT is a great program to help with this. The advancement of computers and technology opens a career path to students with disabilities. The school board's challenge will be to identify programs applicable to the needs of their non traditional students. But computer related programs will be a key job area for those with disabilities.

Also EVIT works in partnership with districts to help them identify certificate and licensure programs that would be more conducive to a home campus setting instead of making the student come to an EVIT campus. There are some programs that don't need expensive labs and equipment. For example, Dobson high school just started a coding program on their own campus that will culminate in a certificate. Students will be in high demand upon graduation, and won't ever have to leave their home school campus.

I also had a chance to learn about the "Amazon" program at Westwood that allows students to simulate working at a fulfillment center. I support efforts like this to allow variety and flexibility since learning is not one size fits all.

The district should collaborate with the Mesa Chamber of Commerce to find ways to reach out to businesses to encourage them to provide opportunities for internships. 

 The first step should be to separate the spectrum of disabilities into groups with commonality educational and support needs. Identify and offer specific needs and support to each of those groups. I believe the increased use of the EVIT opportunities will greatly enhance this effort. Work with local companies to identify where their employment needs match the abilities of the students and encourage those companies to partner with schools to develop meaningful internships beyond just high tech and manufacturing. 

 To properly answer this question, I would need to combine both of my previous answers. It would be critical to 1st hear from SPED parents and teachers in order to determine what programs/internships would fit, that cannot be done without a full comprehensive audit. 

 The district must outreach and collaborate with local companies, colleges, and trade schools to secure their support in recruiting students with IEPs and 504s. There must be a collaborative effort between the district and local companies to help train those students with special needs. Internships can begin at high school and then upon graduation, there can be an easy transition to the workforce by those with special needs. In addition to college counselors, there should be career/work counselors. Many students want to go right into the workforce after graduation; therefore, career readiness counseling should be afforded and provided to students who have the desire to enter the workforce right after high school. 

 Some schools are already making these connections and I would definitely be a champion of how do we expand this to all of our high schools. Westwood High School is a great example with their community pantry that’s staffed and managed by students with special needs. They work with large companies like Amazon to determine shipments and then work amongst themselves to solve storing and distribution for various goods. Not every program needs to look the same though, we need to build partnerships with local businesses and examine how we can integrate programs like Westwood’s in schools across the district that will serve as a pipeline for our students to come out of high school prepared for whatever their next venture may be. 

 Our Mesa Public Schools Promise, Portrait of a Graduate and Strategic Goals clearly establish our mission of graduating students ready for college, career, and community. Because of this focus, MPS is constantly seeking opportunities for all our students. Our Graduation + Model https://www.mpsaz.org/graduationpllus/ will provide our students the opportunity to graduate with industry certifications, work-based learning, and college credits. Our district just partnered with ElevateEd AZ. This partnership will provide many internship opportunities for our students. It is our goal to bring diverse meaningful employment opportunities to our students. MPS is advancing our Transition to Work model. Recently, the district held a job fare at Superstition where students explored a variety of careers and engaged in mock interviews. Many local businesses were in attendance such as Empire, Autozone and Home Depot. Bringing local businesses with opportunities to our students will further advance their ability to seek meaningful careers after high school. We are advancing equal opportunity to arts education at our elementary schools. Many more special education students are engaged in “specials.” Mr. Scott Burgener, Music Department Specialist, has made it his mission to bring music to every child, “All music. All students.” The arts are crucial to every child’s learning experience in school. Mesa Youth Creative Agency (MYCA) will empower teens through employment opportunities in the creative arts and design projects. MYCA will be housed at Historic Irving School in downtown Mesa beginning in the spring of 2023. The arts are where all students can thrive. 

 With continued improvement in mind, what role do you see yourself serving to ensure Mesa Public Schools better supports our special education teachers, related service providers and support staff? 

  I don’t consider myself an expert in Special Education, and know there will be a pretty steep learning curve for me as a new board member. I bring and open mind and a willingness to learn. I see serving on the board as an opportunity to be a liaison for families and staff about what they need from the district, and then working with the superintendent to align our resources toward those outcomes. My goal would be that within 5 years we are winning awards for the things that happen within the Special Education department in MPS. We have the dedicated staff, resources and families to do just that. 

 We need to reduce Administrative spending and create efficiencies in administration to reduce costs then funnel more money to the classroom. I hear story after story of teachers buying their own teaching supplies. Teachers must have the tools to do their jobs. We also need to leverage parent volunteers. I signed up to volunteer at my daughter's school and was never asked to help. I have heard similar stories from other parents. 

 Another one of my strengths is budget and finance operations. I believe there are opportunities to redirect funds to better support and train SPED teachers, implement effective programs, service providers and staff. I will work with all stakeholders to identify district goals and resources needed to achieve, then hold the district staff accountable. There also needs to be a tighter evaluation metrics of programs so that deficiencies can be identified and corrected quickly. 

 I see myself as being an accountable leader that will bring the parents and teachers/staff back into the conversation to ultimately do what is best for all children in SPED. 

 Mesa Public Schools must elevate the support to special education teachers, related service providers and support staff throughout the district. As a school board member, I would help to champion the district's focus on special education. I taught English Language Arts at the middle school level at Mesa Public Schools. I know firsthand the importance of the district taking a higher priority in refocusing its efforts to meet the needs of the special education department. I would request follow up and have special education teachers orientate the school board regarding the current needs from the special education department. The school board must be willing to listen and then take the necessary action to ensure that the special education department is included the decision-making process. 

 Continued improvement always needs to be at the forefront of our minds. This means constantly taking feedback and criticism from our staff working directly with students to ensure they have all of the resources and support that they need. We don’t get anywhere making detached decisions based solely on data, but rather hearing how decisions will impact our people and acknowledging how important that input is. My thinking for our entire district is: “If you’re not helping the students, you better be helping the people who are” 

 Retention and recruitment of quality special education educators (certified and classified) has been difficult for every district. MPS knows caring high-quality educators working in partnership with families are essential to a child’s success. Therefore, the Governing Board has used financial incentives as well as professional supports to retain and attract qualified staff for our special education students. Financial Incentives

• Instituted a district stipend for certified special education teachers.

• Raised hourly wages ($3-4/hr.) and provided more hours for Instructional Assistants (IAs), (particularly those in self-contained classrooms. More IAs now qualify for benefits.

• 50 Paths2Teach (MPS/ASU project) candidates are in the special education pathway. These college graduates are being trained by MPS and ASU educators with the intention of earning teacher certification. Meanwhile they teach and assist our children while they are getting their training. This training is at no cost to each candidate.

• While we still have vacancies, MPS is better able to attract and retain qualified educators to serve our children. Teacher/Instructional Assistants Support

• All special education teachers have an instructional coach. Coaches are critical to successful implementation of new ELA and math materials and resources.

• Classified staff are now supported by three new trainers focusing on how IAs can support learning in the classroom, crisis intervention and other critical tasks.

• The Governing Board recently contracted with COPA to provide mental and behavioral health services to our students.

• The district has hired 12 school psychologists. These professionals have been trained on MPS MTSS systems. Consistency across the board is essential.

• The district has hired social workers to support the families of our students and help them navigate systems that will support student learning. 

Do you believe that Mesa Public Schools is currently fulfilling their promise to all students? Why or why not? 

 I believe that Mesa Public Schools is trying their very best to do this. As I’ve toured various schools, I’ve been amazed at the great things happening all around our district. We have a lot of work to do and to improve. I love the MPS Promise vision about serving each student according to their strength. I grew up in the district and always felt our school was inclusive to everyone and had programs that met all of the students needs. It’s a foundational value of Mesa Public Schools and I want to make sure that tradition continues. I recognize however that our challenges today are different. Kids needs are different and so are the skills needed for successful outcomes in the future. We have to get better in literacy. One of the ways we are not serving our SPED population well is by over identifying who is needing what interventions. By giving our English Language Learners what they need, by meeting students with behavior and emotions hurdles where they are, and by giving better tier 2 interventions, I think we can better focus the resources for Special Education on those students who will progress best through those services. I am hoping you give me the chance to be part of this change and growth. I am excited to be part of this work. 

 No I do not feel that we are fulfilling this today. The district has been flagged as over qualifying students for SPED according to the government. This was talked about in a board meeting last month. 20% of students receiving special education services triggers a federal and state audit. Mesa has about 8% more students in SPED than the state average and 7% more than the national average. We also have 28% Spanish speaking students on IEPs which is higher than other districts. When there is a gap in learning it is not necessarily an IEP that should be written.

I believe we are inhibiting learning by not using effective curriculum like Spalding. This program is used in all the Dept. Of Education blue ribbon recipient schools, our top performing Charter schools, and is used internationally to teach English. It has decades of proven success. This year, the Maricopa, Casa Grande, and Laveen school districts are only using Spalding. These districts have a high number of Spanish speaking students. If elected I will reach out to these districts to learn from their implementation and how it can be done. 

 Absolutely not. Graduating students are far from “college and career ready” when they leave MPS. With only 35% of students proficient in Math and ELA at grade level it’s not a stretch to conclude that a 78% graduation rate is placing vast numbers of unprepared people into the community workforce. The Portrait of a Graduate and MPS Promise are empty words. The biggest issue plaguing the district is weak leadership and lack of accountability. I’m reminded of this every time I hear the superintendent or board president regurgitate the MPS Promise.

I would like to thank you for this opportunity to respond to your questions. I am committed to giving parents a loud and clear voice on the board. The partnership between the district and parents will be fully restored. It is my belief that there is no greater advocate for student success than engaged parents. Your concerns will be heard and addressed, student outcomes (all students) will be the highest priority of my actions on the board. I will work to increase transparency to all stakeholders. As an engineer and former business owner I have a unique and valuable perspective and skill set to bring to the board, however I humbly admit that there are areas that I will need to work with those who are more knowledgeable than I. One of those areas is SPED. I am very encouraged that you are so engaged and informed of the needs and resources available in this area. I look forward to working closely with you when I am on the board. Please feel free to reach out to me for any clarification or concerns.

 Absolutely not. It is completely unfeasible to know each student’s name, needs, and strengths. Those are merely false promises and political talking points. You cannot make children college, career, and community ready when you fill their heads with woke curriculum and ideologies while consistently testing less than 50% in literacy and math. 

  Again, I believe in data. The school board decisions must be data driven and follow common-sense governance. At this time, I do not have sufficient information to formulate an opinion on whether Mesa Public Schools is currently fulfilling their promise to all students. Nonetheless, as a school board member, I would be proactive in requesting the date of the effectiveness of programs throughout the district. I would ensure that all stakeholders have a voice in the decision-making process. 

 I don’t believe we currently fulfill our promise to our students in its entirety. This isn’t a knock on the district, but rather how we can always be improving to ensure we’re BEST serving our students and helping them graduate college, career, or community ready. This starts by listening. The number one thing we can do take in feedback from students, teachers, and parents to figure out where we are coming up short and working our solutions together that will best serve our students. That is the only way that will ever fulfill the promising of serving all our students by strength and need. 

 MPS seeks to know every student by name, serve them by strength and need and ready them to graduate ready for college, career, and community. This promise guides the work of everyone who serves our students every day. Are we successful with every child, every day in every class? Sadly, not. But I sincerely believe our people try to keep our Promise whether they feed, transport, teach or assist our children. Challenges are met and kids succeed. We do not have the staff to serve the needs of our students. In this competitive job market, it is very difficult to retain and recruit the educators (both certified and classified) our students deserve. As I said in response to Question 4, MPS knows caring high-quality educators working in partnership with families are essential to a child’s success. The Governing Board has used financial incentives as well as professional supports to retain and attract qualified staff for our special education students. We are literally, growing our own teachers in our CTE Ed Professions cohort and our Path2Teach program. I’ve met many new teachers (many who are special education teachers) who were our student teachers in our Next Education Workforce program with ASU. We are hopeful MCC’s ability to offer a bachelor’s degree in early childhood education will provide highly qualified educators for our schools. The Mesa Public Schools Foundation offers Innovation Grants to MPS teachers. As a board member, I have reviewed many applications that come from special education teachers asking for materials, resources, even furniture to better meet the needs of their students. The Foundation is a way our community supports our educators. Our community passed a budget increase in 2019 to reduce class size and pay our teachers a competitive wage. MPS is using ESSER funds to hire instructional coaches, replenish our libraries, purchase musical instruments, repair our HVAC systems. We are trying to support our teachers who serve our students strengths and needs in a variety of innovative ways. We are trying. We must.