Platform

- Prioritize district-wide rezoning with community engagement
- Continue plans for whole-school magnet programs

Continue UFLI for all K-2 students
Add targeted phonics instruction through Title 1 programs, ESE pull out and push in, and high dose tutoring
Involve UFLI in training middle and high school reading teachers
Increase high dose tutoring for middle and high school students
Promote Beyond the Bell tutoring, prioritizing device access and working with local ISPs and elected officials to expand affordable internet access
Continue developing rigorous data analytics program to continuously evaluate and adapt existing interventions
Expand access to quality after school and summer programs
Continue and expand SF partnerships for college readiness, and add additional partnerships for CTE
Build partnerships with local trade unions to facilitate smooth transitions to apprenticeship programs
Include representatives from local trade unions at college and career fairs

Instruction should be guided by the state standards and facilitated by the curriculum
Curriculum should allow enough flexibility for teachers to differentiate instruction to student needs, respond to teachable moments, and connect instruction to student interests and experiences
Thorough and comprehensive social studies and science instruction are critical components of a rigorous public education that prepares students for a successful future
Instructional materials should reflect the diversity of the students and families on our school district

Streamline the referral and evaluation process, particularly around RtI data collection. RtI is not a reason to delay the evaluation process, and students should not flounder in an endless loop of data collection
Recruit and train staffing specialists to attend IEP and 504 Plan meetings to ensure compliance with IDEA and section 504 of ADA and that student needs are the primary determinant of services and accommodations
Provide professional development for teachers to ensure consistent implementation of 504 Plans and IEPs
Provide a digital learning option for students on access points through Alachua eSchool
Consider moving to a push-in model for gifted education in elementary schools

Increase salaries across the board
Provide free therapy for faculty and staff
Increase recruiting efforts
Provide bonuses for returning faculty and staff members
Encourage district-level administration and Board Members to spend more time in schools and classrooms, and speaking with faculty and staff so that they better understand the issues on the ground

Prioritize raises to decrease wage compression
Reduce unnecessary workload on teachers by decreasing administrative tasks and meetings
Eliminate retaliation against teachers who bring up concerns
Increase input from the ACEA union and the Teacher Advisory Council

Provide better PPE and air filtration to protect health of bus drivers
Prioritize raises for bus drivers, recognizing the difficulty of supervising 70+ students while simultaneously operating a 30,000 pound vehicle
Create a strict behavioral contract for bus riders with a clear progression of disciplinary action, including loss of bus privileges. Encourage drivers to formally report behavior problems and consistently implement disciplinary action
Create a volunteer bus aide program
When transportation shortages are an issue, rotate the bus routes to ensure that the same students are not missing school repeatedly
Prioritize routes for younger children and in areas where RTS is not a viable option for alternate transportation
Prioritize routes for students at failing schools
Improve communication to parents when bus services is unavailable or delayed

Consider moving away from Kelly Services so that the substitutes can be paid the full amount rather than the agency receiving part of the payment
Consider raising the daily rate for substitutes

Work with temp agencies to ensure substitute nurses are available – especially at schools where students have nursing care included in an IEP or 504 Plan
Work to recruit additional school nurses

Consider providing medical-grade masks and individual portable air filtration units to high risk students and staff members
Invest in additional air sanitization and air intake for HVAC systems
Consult with counsel on how federal mandates for mask use on transit apply to our buses
Continue partnerships with UF Health and the Department of Health to offer vaccine clinics
Work with the Department of Health to improve contact tracing
Ensure continued Canvas training for faculty and families so that students can access instruction and teachers can update lessons while quarantined, again prioritizing device and internet access

Work to recruit additional school counselors, school psychologists, and social workers
Train staffing specialists so that school counselors can focus on student social-emotional development and mental health rather than on administrative tasks related to special education services
Consider social-emotional health activities that can be combined with other instruction – for instance, including yoga and breathing techniques in PE instruction or including journaling in writing instruction.

Implement a weekly update video from the superintendent and board chair to keep the community apprised of current projects and their progress
Ensure that advisory councils meet regularly.
Advisory councils should have a composition that reflects the diversity of our community and should include:

Have members of district administration attend PTA and SAC meetings to connect with school-level needs
Have regular town halls to provide opportunities for additional community engagement
Adjust board workshop times to allow for public engagement
Continue and expand partnerships with SF with the goal of creating more community school options

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