Jessica Hearnes

Candidate Questionnaire Mesa County School District 51

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1. QUALIFICATIONS

  a. Why do you want to serve on School District 51 (SD51) Board of Education? Do you have children who were or are currently SD51 students?

I am a former teacher and mathematician with a deep passion for community and service. With a Master's in Educational Leadership, I firmly believe that public education is vital for a well- functioning society and an informed electorate.

 

Motivated by a strong desire to make a difference, I currently see a unique opportunity to do so as the incumbent is term-limited. I am committed to ensuring that every student has the best possible school experience, and I believe that a strong school board is crucial in achieving this goal.

 

One of my core values is defending academic freedom and providing teachers with the necessary autonomy to thrive. However, I understand the importance of accountability and will strive to strike the right balance. Recognizing that parental involvement plays a significant role in student success, I aim to enhance communication between all stakeholders in the district.

 

Excited about the district's new strategic plan, I am eager to contribute my expertise and help advance its objectives if elected. I understand that tackling student enrollment is a complex issue that affects the entire community and I am prepared to engage in difficult conversations. As a mathematician, I am extraordinarily committed to gathering comprehensive data, considering all perspectives, and working towards transparent solutions that benefit everyone involved.

 

Equipped with the right balance of listening skills and fearlessness in asking questions, I don’t feel any less prepared for this role just because I don’t have children.

 

  b.  What qualifications and experience do you have that can give voters confidence that you should be a SD51 Board member? Please be specific.

If elected, I would be the only board member with experience teaching STEM courses and the only member working with the nuances of federal government and taxpayer fund sources. In graduate school, I studied Educational Leadership; I already understand staffing models and administrative functions. These experiences uniquely situate me in understanding what student success looks like, the needs of teachers and staff to get them there, and the complexities of government funding sources in allocating these resources. I am fastidious with budgets and will work toward the most prudent use of taxpayer money that directly and positively impacts the classroom.

 

2.  RTB PRINCIPLES

  a. Do you endorse each of the seven principles Restore the Balance believes should guide political conduct in Western Colorado?

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These are excellent principles, but one of them gives me some pause (see below).

 

  b. If there are one or more principles you do not endorse, please identify them, and explain why.

 

The seven political principals to guide political conduct of the Restore the Balance framework are very well thought out and six of them have me head nodding or screaming “yes!” because they are truly exemplary and should be required in the creation and examination of policy in a democracy.

 

However, there is one that I am not certain I can fully endorse: “Extremists of all kinds attract supporters and money by appealing to fears and resentments, amplifying divisions instead of truly addressing problems.” While this is likely true for many extremists, I am hesitant to say “of all kinds” and speak in absolutes with social sciences. I am not an expert in radicalism or extremism, but I would imagine attraction could exist for reasons beyond fear and resentment.

 

3.  SUPPORT FOR PUBLIC EDUCATION:

  a.  How would you describe your vision of public education? What specific changes, if any, are needed for SD51 to implement your vision?

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To be the most impactful in any of the work, the Board needs to be working as a team to get there; I don’t think it is fruitful for an individual to have a specific vision. The District already has a vision to equip future graduates to leave school prepared for any challenge, including our future workforce. I fundamentally agree with this vision.

 

As a School Board Member, I would continually remember this vision and the strategic plan and use them to drive inquiries, decisions, and inform policy. The strategic plan also outlines an excellent goal for 90% of students to graduate with a post-secondary plan; the pathway to creating the personalized plan would include skilled talents to enter the workforce.

 

  b.  Do you favor expanded use of charter schools in SD51?

Charter schools are an often misunderstood educational option, particularly in the media and amongst the rumor mill. Charter schools are not an educational institution sought after or implemented by the Board. Charter schools are a way for a community to offer a publicly funded education by a different means than the traditional District schools and is allowed by State law. The Board would review the application and enter into the charter only if the SD51’s

 

accountability committee finds the application meets the statutory requirements of the Charter Schools Act [C.R.S. 22-30.5-107 (1.5)]. Any vote to enter a charter should not be seen as a Board “favoring” charter schools; rather it is a vote agreeing the requirements have been met.

Communities are legally able to apply for a charter school and those applications are not under the direction of the Board.

 

That said, I believe the ideal scenario would be for the existing District schools to be the first choice that parents and guardians make for their children’s learning. Luckily, the District’s most recent data compilation shows that gains versus losses of students from and to non-public schools is a wash; so while charter schools are taking students from District schools, they aren’t as much of a threat as has been perceived.

 

4. BOARD RELATIONS:

  a.  How do you plan on working with the existing board?

The Board has to work together as a team- to share perspectives and expertise, to elevate the discussion through constructive dialogue, and to be honest about their misgivings and their misunderstandings. If elected, I would do the necessary research for meetings and worksessions, I would show up with an open-mind, and I would listen and engage with the other Board members.

 

It will also be important to know the existing board as individuals and build a rapport. This is challenging given the rules around public meeting notices and the perception of trying to skirt those rules if two members meet or several attend a coffee meetup, but it will be vitally important to better understand each other’s values so we can have honest discourse in the work be it a committee, a worksession, or a meeting for resolution.

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  b.  How will you ensure that transparency and public/stakeholder input is maintained in decision making, and that all ideas and opinions are considered?

I think transparency is the most important aspect of any work the Board does/will do. The Board has an awful lot of responsibility and power, but the Board is also bound by laws, regulation, code, and policy. It is crucial that the Board members inform the public about the restrictions on a particular funding source or the confines of a policy and the requirements of state and local laws.

 

The public and our stakeholders have incredibly valuable information and ideas and I would encourage them to share those ideas to help build or reform policy. In my current work, however, I often find that the ideas the public have are beyond the power of that work or position and it’s very important to be honest and transparent if you are unable to utilize their input in a decision. The Board currently faces this conundrum with our community- there is a good idea on the table, but a law makes it impossible to implement. It would be my duty as a Board member to help those stakeholders know the best place to take that idea.

 

All that being said, the meetings have minutes and are recorded and these are amazing tools to reevaluate in the face of tough decisions. I would vow to use this to ensure the public/stakeholder input is considered. I’m also a studious notetaker during meetings and find it helps me remember what I was thinking when I rewatch a meeting or review minutes.

 

5.  STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT:

  a.  SD51 data, as captured on the Colorado State Education Department website, continues to show mediocre academic results, particularly by poor, minority, and disabled students. What specific ideas do you have to help boost overall student achievement in the district, particularly for those in the margins?

Colorado has consistently underperformed in public education for decades. Colorado has also been passing legislation to hinder a District’s ability to increase revenue or cut their budgets altogether. It is a known fact in the teaching industry that teaching the students in the margins costs approximately double the cost of students without learning differences. SD51 is the lowest per student funded among comparable districts in the State. Unfortunately, when you put poor student performance and exhausted budgets together, the correlation is undeniably tragic.

 

SD51’s budget is on the brink of collapse, where declining enrollment will only worsen it, and the budget needs to be reined in very quickly if we are going to have any chance at increasing any academic results, not only the poor, minority, or disabled students.

 

  b. There has been a lot of controversy about inappropriate subject matter and material being taught in the classroom. Do you feel this is occurring at SD51?

I have heard chatter in the community that inappropriate subject matter and materials are in our schools and I have seen several community members comment to such in Board meetings.

However, I am not yet intimately involved enough in the District operations to know if these allegations have been found to be true.

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  c.  If so, specify the materials and subject matter involved and where it occurs.

I am unable to specify (see above).

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  d.  How will you ensure that curriculum decisions will be fact-based, data-based, and supported by current educational research?

I want our kids to have an education that covers the arts and sciences and also one that imparts honesty, integrity, and courage. These curricula ideas require balanced and thoughtful approaches to pedagogy are supported by educational research. SD51 has an existing policy that outlines the need for curriculum decisions to be focused on standards and competencies and to be based on research and critical analysis. This policy also outlines the need for input from educators, parents, students, business persons, and other members of the community.

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I believe in academic freedom. What a good teacher knows is we can't just avoid our way through challenges and controversial issues. We must allow teachers the space to find age-appropriate ways to tell hard truths about our country's past and present in order to prepare our kids for a better future.

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I believe in parental freedom (as does our state law). Parents should be involved in our schools, to the extent they are able, and- should they so choose- they are protected by law to opt their children out of any controversial curricula. Our current board recently reviewed and updated a policy that affirms parental freedoms to opt-out.

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I believe that these freedoms are already well established in existing SD51 policy and they should continue to co-exist in our school district. If elected, I will champion for each of these freedoms, especially in the context of curriculum decision making.

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6.  SCHOOL SAFETY:

  a.  Safety is at the forefront of topics that need focused attention in our schools across the nation. What ideas would you put forth (beyond current board policies) to keep students and staff safe in SD51 schools?

This is an excellent question! Safety is a huge word that includes workplace safety, safe school busing, safe physical activities for students, etc., but it also includes tougher items like physical safety and psychological safety. Securing our buildings and crafting a safe culture with a sense of belonging are topics that need attention and, luckily, are nestled into the SD51 Strategic Plan. If elected, I would likely want to direct a committee to explore options and give recommendations to the Board for any policy changes that help create a safer culture. The District has talented resource officers and psychologists that can better answer what ideas to put forth than I can and encouraging them to share those ideas is the work of a great Board member.

 

  b.  Bullying is a serious problem in our schools. What steps, if any, should SD51 take to minimize bullying?

Bullying is a serious problem in our schools, as is general meanness. Behavioral experts delineate between kids being mean and repeated bullying instances; both of which are a serious problem in our schools. SD51, including Board members, are currently exploring this extremely complex issue and looking to take action to minimize bullying. I am not an expert in this area, but I know that we have resource officers, school psychologists, and amazingly talented members of the community that can form a committee and give recommendations to the Board which, if elected, I would consider very seriously and hope to implement.

 

7.  SCHOOL BUDGETING:

  a. After reviewing SD51’s adopted 23-24 budget, what stands out to you as important and what areas, if any, do you feel need attention?

​I’m pleased to see an increase in Instructional Programs overall and the vast number of grants that SD51 has been able to procure and sustain.

 

The first thing that sticks out to me is the Insurance costs, specifically for Worker’s Compensation. It’s a needed and required benefit to employees, but it does make me wonder if there is room for improvement in both this budget line item and the culture of the schools. If we can work more proactively to create a safer work culture, then we’d also likely be able to negotiate better insurance coverage and increase safety for those in our schools. I’m also a little concerned about the drastic increase in the Capital Projects, but the budget plan already flagged this as something to monitor and reevaluate.

 

  b.  The SD51 23-24 adopted General Fund budget per-pupil revenues (PPR) are projected to be $10,034.

    1.)  If you feel the current revenues are adequate, would you identify areas where current funds can be re-directed to improve the quality of education?

Not applicable.

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    2.) If you feel the current per-pupil revenues are not adequate, what specific areas need more funds and how would you obtain greater funding?

By the shear existence of the Budget Stabilization Factor, even the State knows that these per-pupil revenues are not adequate. Luckily, Senate Bill 23-287 eliminates this cut to the education budget starting next fiscal year. SD51 is below the national average for percentage spent on Instructional Programs and it shows in our student proficiency scores. We are also low on School Administration Support Services which is concerning because overworking your leadership team is a recipe for disaster and failure in retention rates. Unfortunately, TABOR has shown to hinder a School District’s ability to generate additional funds, but it will be critical to communicate the needs to the public and explore another mill levy override to fill in those gaps. Recently, one Board member highlighted the need for a dedicated grant writer in hopes to generate more revenue while also paying for their own salary which is an idea that should be further explored.

 

    3.) Recently when student enrollment dropped in SD51, district administration and the board decided school closures were necessary to maintain budget stability.  Do you support school closings as a way to obtain budget stability over the next few years?

I support exploring every option within the Board’s power to bring the budget to a stable place. Closing or consolidating schools is the fastest way to ease the most strain on the budget. School Boards have a host of expenditures that many members of the public

 

may not be considering: heating the buildings, custodians to clean the buildings, secretarial and support staff, and then all the coaches, teachers, librarians, and others that are more directly involved with instruction. When schools are not at capacity, this overhead is huge. When schools are consolidated (with keeping classroom size within the state mandated range), the district is able to consolidate those costs and come out ahead in per-pupil funding that can be added directly to the classroom and, most important to me, start bridging the gap for learning different students and those in the margins to get the help they need to succeed.

 

  c. What specific alternatives, if any, would you propose to the board to maintain budget stability?

I wholeheartedly agree with the recommendations recently made to the Board by the Elementary Declining Enrollment Committee. The committee worked tirelessly to learn the ins and outs of budgets, the impacts of declining enrollment on student achievement and staff retention, and the host of options to reduce the strain. Their recommendation to close or consolidate additional schools is not surprising and this recommendation should be taken very seriously by the Board. Their recommendation to attempt another Mill Levy Override is also unsurprising and an excellent supplement to school closures and consolidations. My favorite recommendation is also one I have heard from our Superintendent, Board President, and others- better advertise SD51 schools so they are the school of choice for families currently not using traditional public school. SD51 has an impressive menu of options, but SD51 lacks the stellar marketing and advertising to get them there.

 

8. TEACHER & STAFF RETENTION  

Staff retention is becoming one of the most challenging issues facing education. What actions would you recommend our district take to attract and retain classroom teachers, administrators, and support staff?

The District does a great job at offering a breadth of courses, school programs, and choices in schools. From the vocational R-5 program to Dual Immersion and tech studies to STEAM, the District has an impressive collection of options. So, what’s missing? More teachers, more instructor coaches, and more paraprofessionals. When staff are spread thin, their ability to be their absolute best declines and it impacts the educational opportunities and outcomes of students.

 

The current board made significant progress with increasing wages in the last round of budgeting and adding steps and lanes for positions. It will be good to pull the data on retention in the coming years to see how well this performed. SD51 also made strides in budget line items directly toward Staff Wellness as a result of SD51’s new strategic plan. These moves, along with better marketing of the SD51 offerings, should be an excellent start at attracting and retaining the best talent to and from the grand valley.

 

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9.  OTHER:

What do you feel are other important issues facing SD51, and what solutions do you have in mind?

SD51 struggles with effective communication. To my knowledge, the District only has two staffers in communication. The rumor mill in the grand valley needs more attention if we are going to tell the successes of SD51 and if we’re going to share our struggles and ask the taxpayer’s for a mill levy override.

 

The District also needs to work harder to communicate with all of the constituents, not just the parent’s with email or the folks that can show up to a meeting Tuesday night at 5pm.

 

Here is a short list of interesting facts about the kids in our district:

36% of our kids are raised by grandparents 4% of kids under 6 have both parents at work

8% of households are below the poverty level, but that number jumps to 15.5% when you only look at households with children

18% of our students live in a home with SSI, SNAP, or other welfare benefits 10% of our students are two or more races

22% of our students have Hispanic or Latino backgrounds

30% of our students live in renter-occupied households (11% of mesa county residents moved homes in the last year)

5% of our kids have a disability

88% of our kids are in public schools

 

Our populous is diverse and our communication strategy needs to be more than Facebook posts and email blasts. If elected, I hope to learn other strategies that are more effective and empower our staff to be effective and more creative.