CANDIDATE Q&A
Get to know the candidates running in the election
Incumbent
Fort Bend ISD board of trustees Position 3
What would be your way of addressing the district’s budget shortfall?
First listen to our teachers. They are on the front line in the classroom and know better than anyone else what is required. Second, support and respect our teachers and imple- ment their suggestions and provide for them through salary and bene t adjustments as we can a ord. Third, the ... boardmust work pro- actively with the administration to implement programs needed. Lastly, wemust model the behavior we wish to see in our students. The district is going to have to create an evaluation instrument that can determine the level in which the students are performing. We need to continue using our benchmark assess- ments such as the Ren360. Determine where our gaps are and focus on lling the holes. We need to alsomake sure teachers are equipped with the resources they need to be successful. I support the development and implementa- tion of local accountability system. For those kids that have experi- enced learning loss, how should the district go about catching them up with their peers?
I will bringmy 12 years of school board expe- rience to bear and joinmy fellow trustees as we work together with our superintendent to ensure academic success and achievement for all our kids. I will work collaboratively withmy colleagues as we participate in the decision-making process of the Fort Bend ISD board of trustees. I have consistently done this ... and amextremely proud of the broad-based support I have received. Board members have various backgrounds. How would you navigate those di erences to work toward a shared goal? As president of my neighborhood HOA and as a [municipal utilities district] director, I have a history of working with people fromdi erent backgrounds and with di erent opinions. I have a proven track record of working together with others. Gaining the respect of others requires listening and allowing everyone to be heard. If you create an environment where there is trust and no judgement, then you can navigate any situation.
JIM RICE
Occupation: project management Top priority if elected: work with the team of eight to ensure academic success for all our kids www.jimrice isd.com
Work with the superintendent to ensure every stakeholder in Fort Bend ISD, parents, teach- ers, administrators, support sta and even students understand exactly what the scope of the problem is, how the current funding mechanisms operate and what options are available to the community to adequately fund education in Fort Bend ISD. ... I am con dent that with enough community input we can ensure our children get a quality education. The quickest way to address the budget shortfall is to go through and evaluate all of our district programs and physical assets and determine their return on investment. I would also support e orts to evaluate the software the district is using, such as instructional software, as well as all of the services we are using. Are we getting what we paid for? Are these services still being used? We also need to look at our building utilization to ensure we are being stewards of the taxpayer dollar.
RICK GARCIA
Occupation: IT project manager and team lead Top priority if elected: invest in teachers, mental health and wellness, innovation and scal responsibility through technology www.voterickgarcia.com
Answers and questions may have been edited for length, style and clarity. Read full Q&A’s at communityimpact.com .
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COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER • COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM
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