Providing Quality Education

Five options for improving the quality of education in the District were presented to participants. In addition, a sixth option emerged from the table discussions: make schools safer for learning.

Several strong themes emerged. Participants liked the breadth of the options and strongly supported the idea of providing "wrap around" services, noting that "education starts with family" and the importance of taking "a holistic approach" to education. They also thought we should improve the quality of our teachers and focus on early childhood education. Participants suggested that we should use our school buildings to support non-traditional learning opportunities, such as adult and senior education and vocational training.

Attendees wanted to know how the District defines teacher quality and how we would assure that early childhood education prepared children for school. They were also concerned about the finances of the school system. On one hand, they said it is important to offer competitive pay for teachers; on the other hand, they said spending more money would not fix all of the schools' problems. They were also concerned that schools need more parental involvement as well as more partnerships with local universities, social organizations and businesses.

Citizens were also asked to prioritize the options for improving education. The top three priorities were:

1. Make schools safer
2. Improve the quality of teaching
3. Provide "wrap around" social services to students