Why are you running for the State Board of Education? What is your vision of success for this role?

My reason for running for this position is my great passion for all types of education and, more certainly, the need to elevate the literacy rate of our students in the State of Nevada. There are 11 members on the State Board. I would consider this role a success if I could increase the Board’s desire to look for innovative ways to engage and support our students in achieving student success.

How do you define student success? What experience do you have and what role do you intend to play in advocating for student success?

I believe that student success is somewhat of a nebulous term. Something considered successful for one student may not be successful for another student. Nevertheless, I perceive student success as having them understand the merits of education in their lives now and in the future. It would encompass a sense of self, academic achievement, and emotional and social development to lead to productive adult lives that benefit themselves and their community.

I have been teaching in higher education for the past 52 years. I have taught at TMCC, UNLV, UNR, and Sierra Nevada College in the State of Nevada. I have had great success in dealing with student issues and working to solve them so they may succeed in their academic pursuits.

On the 2022 National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP), fourth-grade students, in Nevada, scored 6 points lower in math and 7 points lower in reading when compared to 2019. If elected, how can you use your position to ensure Nevada stops following this national trend and starts leading the way for student outcomes?

I am a huge advocate for looking and engaging in innovative technologies to push the needle for the State of Nevada to improve from being the 43rd most educated state in the nation. A new generation of students growing up with advancing technologies may lead to rethinking what student outcomes need to be in the 21st century.

What, if any, barriers currently exist to educational excellence and equity for every student? If elected to the State Board of Education, how will you help eliminate these barriers?

Numerous barriers exist today to educational excellence and equity for every student.

There is no level playing field for students growing up. The home environment varies from family to family. The more wealthy families have a considerable advantage over those with less wealth, as do parents’ educational background, discrimination, and where they reside. These have mammoth influences that may lead to barriers to academic success.

If elected, I would like the Board to deal with these issues continuously.

What do you believe are the top three most persistent challenges facing the State Board of Education? What is an example of a bold approach you would propose to address one of those challenges?

There is a lack of respect for educators. Social media influences students in anti-social behavior in negative ways, and indeed the increase of bullying and the anti-intellectual respect toward the educational process.

I would suggest bringing dynamic academic speakers and well-known entertainers to discuss the value of education and how it has changed their lives. The students need to relate in some way to the value and importance of education in their current and future lives.

Research suggests that more than 50% of a board meeting should be focused on student outcomes. How would you ensure the board allocates this amount of time to student outcomes?

To believe that a single member of an 11-member Board would have such influence and power seems a bit far-fetched. I certainly would share the importance of this request through current academic studies.

If elected to the Board, how would you approach challenging conversations and/or criticisms that might arise from fellow Board members, stakeholders, and the broader community?

I have spent 52 years in higher education. I have received three international Fulbrights in Egypt, Israel, and India. My fields are international terrorism and American Politics. I have spent time in many countries, including the State Department. I am quite familiar with criticism and challenging conversations. It can be a form of healthy discourse in dealing with issues as long as we respect each other. Unfortunately, it is challenging under the current political and disrespectful climate. I would propose a code of conduct that would be enforced on the board, stakeholders, and especially the broader community. All opinions are welcome, but if conducted respectfully.

In 2020, the Board of Education’s Statewide Plan for the Improvement of Pupils set a mission to improve student achievement and educator effectiveness “by ensuring opportunities, facilitating learning, and promoting excellence.” What key indicators would you use to assess the Board’s progress towards accomplishing this mission?

I would suggest a statewide survey of all teachers and have them give their assessment of, almost after 4 years, whether it has been successful or not and what needs to change and/or improve the matrix toward accomplishing this mission.

In a recent survey, 77% of Nevada residents agreed that parents should be able to send their children to the public school they feel is best for their child, even if it is outside of their neighborhood. Do you agree? Please explain your reasoning.

I somewhat agree with this. I believe in a myriad of educational opportunities. The problem is that of income inequality. Some parents don’t have the cost to provide educational travel outside their areas. The proposal must be studied in-depth to see if the inequalities could be mitigated.

The following question was submitted by a current public high school student: How will you ensure students are put at the forefront of the decision making process as a member of the State Board of Education, and what accountability measures would you put in place to make sure this happens?

What a fascinating question. Student representation and input should be at the State Board of Education meetings. This would need to be studied carefully to see how this proposal could be successful.