Academic Excellence

Many of us moved our families into the Poway Unified School District because of its stellar reputation for academic excellence It cost a LOT to move to this area and the return on that investment is in peril!

• Do you know that test scores in core subjects have dropped?

• 2023 Smarter Balanced English test results reflect the proficiency rate of PUSD students was less than 76%

• 2023 Smarter Balanced math proficiency test results reflect these skills dropped over 4% to approximately 66% from 2019 to 2022

• Have our schools been distracted from core academics by modern political issues?

• Have parents approved this misdirection?

• Did you know that PUSD no longer offers the rigorous academic program, known as Gifted and Talented Education (GATE)?

• Do you know that teacher morale is low and leadership turnover is high?

• approximately 85% of PUSD schools have had a principal turnover since 2020

• 25% of PUSD schools have had two principal turnovers since 2020

So are we really getting what we pay for when we move to Poway for the quality of our schools? All of these issues have solutions that begin with the Board of Education. What have they been doing instead of managing the most important issue - educating children?

I will concentrate on academic excellence!

Students & Parents

Call me Pro-Student and Pro-Parent! School districts are created to serve the community! The district staff, the board, your principals and teachers are responsible to the community!

• Do you know that students are exposed to material that their parents don’t approve of?

• Parents must give permission for a student to view a PG-13 movie, but not for far more objectionable classroom materials and discussions?

• Do you know that our previous superintendent was fired after bullying students and trying to cover it up?

• Do you know it took nearly a year for the Board of Education to conclude the issue?

• Do you know the schools and district pry into your family lives through surveys they innocently distribute to students?

• Did you ever attend or try speaking at a board meeting?

• Time for public comment has been reduced from three minutes to two. Try making a point in two minutes and not be rudely cut off.

• Do board members respond to your emails and messages?

• Do board members communicate with parents outside the board meeting?

Individually and as a whole the student’s educational experience is precious and fleeting! They only get to do it one time! No do-overs! So when our education system gets distracted and robs them of good solid core learning they never get that time back!

Parents and students need a voice on the PUSD school board.  I will hear you and be that voice!

Fiscal Responsibility

Everything costs money and education is no exception.  But where is that money going?  Is it going to improve education and opportunities?

• Do you know that the PUSD annual budget is over $500 million?

• Do you know that about 87% of the budget goes to salaries and benefits and only 3% towards books and supplies, and very little for facilities and maintenance?

• Do you know that PUSD is operating with a $15+ million deficit this year?

• Do you know that the former PUSD superintendent  was receiving nearly a $500,000 annual salary / benefits (combined)? The superintendent  was also not incentivized to make and meet performance goals!

• Do you know that PUSD took temporary federal relief money during COVID and used it to take on continuing programs and salaries?

• Did you know that in 2011 PUSD borrowed $105 Million and will begin repaying that loan in 2031 (just seven years away) at a cost of nearly $1 billion?

• Do you know that  debt will be paid from your property taxes?

• PUSD owns a lot of real estate in the county and its infrastructure is in dire need of maintenance.

• While there are still outstanding bonds to be paid, the district continually goes back to the taxpayers to ask for more money. 

These issues fall directly at the feet of the Board of Education and the Superintendent. While there are still outstanding bonds to be paid, the district continually goes back to the tax payers to ask for more money. There needs to be a new and fiscally responsible plan!

I will help create  that new plan!