Where City Council Candidates Stand on Education, Charlottesville Public Schools
May 10, 2023 — In late April, Charlottesville United for Public Education send all five candidates for Charlottesville City Council a brief survey about public education and our schools. We appreciate their timely responses, support for public education, and their willingness to serve our community. The candidates’ full, unedited responses can be found below. We wanted to share these observations:
• All candidates stated that they believe one of the biggest improvements to Charlottesville City School is more efforts towards equity. Specifically in supporting trades for students who are not college-bound. Not every child has the same goals post-graduation, and we really need to rethink how we are approaching each student's individual needs. This could include making sure students who are interested in participating in CATEC are set up to have enough credits to enroll.
• All candidates support an early education center at Walker. Some thoughts about funding for this project include getting the authority from the state to implement a 1% sales tax allocated to school construction and ensuring upcoming investments are already incorporated into the Capital Improvement Program (CIP) budget.
• Different suggestions have been made in terms of finding solutions for transportation. Some candidates have suggested the use of smaller buses
that don't require a CDL to operate; others see an opportunity for community organizations to come together and join resources to ease some of the stress at least as a short term solution. Most candidates believe that increasing bus driver salaries to be competitive with the regional market and investing in more recruitment efforts for school bus drivers are crucial to a long term solution.
• There were many suggested approaches to safety in our community and schools. Some ways to start supporting healthy environments for our students include:
o Establishing a collaborative task force that includes representatives from city council, CCS, law enforcement agencies, and community organizations. This task force could work together to identify the root causes of safety concerns in the community, develop strategies to address those concerns, and ensure that the needs of students are being met. The task force could also work to establish programs for the youth such as mentoring and after-school programs and mental health counseling services.
o Funding for youth and community programs in neighborhoods as well as having more community youth activities targeted specifically at teenagers.
o Invest in addressing the underlying causes of instability, like housing and food insecurity, that affect the safety and success of students and their families. Our students deserve a safe space and a safety net.
• All candidates believe there is plenty of room for improvement when it comes to centering the voices of our community members that haven't been traditionally centered. Some approaches include creating youth-led forums or creating advisory committees that include student representatives to receive feedback within our school to hear from students within these demographics. Other ideas include:
o Hosting events that are held in different neighborhoods or schools to ensure a range of voices are heard
o Reducing barriers for the voices who are not being heard
o Engaging with community organizations who are already in the works of creating the groundwork for community input.
2023 Charlottesville United for Public Education City Council Candidate Survey
How do you think CCS is doing when it comes to delivering educational results to the City’s children? As a City Councilor, what would you advocate be CCS’s top 1-2 priorities?
Lloyd Snook: I wish that we had better results for those who are not college-bound. I have been delighted to serve on two committees that award scholarships to CHS kids going to college, and I am in awe of their accomplishments, but I also know that there are a lot of kids who are NOT college-bound, and I worry about their futures. As we are starting to think about what it will mean to own CATEC, I want us (the City and CCS) to establish a community goal that no one finishes 12 years in our school system without either a pathway to college or a trade.
Dashad Cooper: Just like any school district CCS face a range of challenges that can impact educational outcomes, including funding constraints, teacher shortages, and inequities in student access to resources and support services. Ensure that when students are juniors and seniors in school, they have access to resources and opportunities such as going to CATEC and gaining a trait if they do not want to further their education or getting more kids into AVID like programs and resources to prepare them for college. Continue to work collaboratively with CCS, local organizations, and the broader community to develop strategies and initiatives that support student success and promote educational equity.
Bob Fenwick: CCS is doing a very good job. Both my boys attended CCS thru 12th grade and it was good preparation for their careers. I have supported adequate pay (including expenses) for teachers and a continuing effort towards young men and women who choose coaching, mentoring, trades as their primary interest.
Michael Payne: I think that CCS is generally doing a good job -- there are so many dedicated teachers and staff who are committed to children (and the broader community) who do incredible work every day. However, they operate in a broader environment of persistent inequality and a lack of adequate funding + support at a state and federal level. As a City Councilor, I don't have unilateral priorities for what CCS should do -- that's something that has to be developed through collaboration between both City Council and CCS -- but for me two broad top priorities include: 1) Eliminating the achievement gap. The achievement gap is just one measure of a broader issue: the inability of every student to access equal opportunities that provide every student with the basic resources + skills to pursue the lives they want, whether it be continuing on to higher education or entering a workforce that provides them with decent careers and living-wage jobs. 2) Investing in equal opportunities for every student. No student should have to go to schools with lower quality facilities or fewer resources just because of where they live. Priorities include investing in every school building so they have high-quality resources + facilities. Along with increasing teacher + bus driver + support staff salaries so that every school can hire and retain all the staff positions needed to provide high-quality instruction, tutoring, transportation, counseling, mentorship, etc. for every student. Public schools should be of a better quality than private schools and provide every opportunity -- and more -- available to wealthy families through private programs.
Natalie Oschrin: I am a proud Charlottesville City Schools graduate (CHOS '07) and will offer strong support to CCS as a councilor. The delineation that existed along racial and socioeconomic lines that existed when I attended CCS continues to exist, though now there is a better and more open understanding of why, and efforts are being made to address that inequity. The overdue end to bussing from Westhaven and reckoning with the stratification and stigma of the Quest "gifted program" are good steps in the right direction. Involvement in the fine arts programs and AP-level classes that made CHS such a fantastic school for many should be more achievable for more students. City Council and the School Board need to continue investment in supporting students well-being, mental health, and teacher pay increases. The school systems are still recovering from the disruption of the pandemic, and the after-effects will be felt for years. City Council can encourage the new superintendent's work at ensuring students have access to the resources they need to be successful.
How do you see City Council’s role in ensuring that ALL students in the city are afforded a free, high quality, public education that meets their needs? Please include your thoughts about funding for an early education center at the Walker site, once the middle school re-configuration is complete.
Lloyd Snook: I hope that we will be able to get the authority from the state to have a 1% sales tax allocated to school construction, because that is the easiest way to get the money necessary for the Walker project. We need to make sure that the School Board's plans align with our ability to fund those plans. One place where Council can participate is to enable other community resources to be brought to bear on workforce development, to dovetail with the CATEC discussions.
Dashad Cooper: City council plays a crucial role in ensuring that all students in the city are afforded a free, high-quality, public education that meets their needs. The council can allocate resources to support schools and ensure that they are adequately funded. City council and CCS can also work together to establish policies that regulations that promote educational equity and support the needs of all students, including those with disabilities or from disadvantaged backgrounds. Council can collaborate with local schools and community organizations to provide additional resources and support services for students, such as after school programs, tutoring, and mental health counseling. Overall city council has an important role to play in ensuring that all students in the city have access to a high-quality public education that meets their needs and prepares them for success in life. As a former student of CCS, my teachers played a crucial role in of who I am today. They are not just educators; they are parents to the children they teach and mentors that help guide them through life. Continue to make sure we are retaining teachers and close the gap with teacher shortages.
Bob Fenwick: I support an early education center at the Walker site to the extent that I believe it should come before the middle school reconfiguration.
Michael Payne: City Council's biggest role is straightforward on paper: we approve CCS' budget, so our key role is ensuring there's adequate local funding to provide equal opportunities for every student. Obviously, it's more complicated in practice. We have to work collaboratively with CCS, students, and families to ensure our annual budget provides sufficient funding and is addressing the most critical needs of students. City Council needs to improve collaboration and communication with our schools through things like more work sessions and incorporation of schools into our strategic planning process. We need to be able to work with schools to ensure our budget is prepared for upcoming investments in school buildings, career and technical education, etc.; City Council needs to ensure upcoming investments are already incorporated into Capital Improvement Program (CIP) budget, even if the investments are a few years away from being made -- its critical City Council avoids the situation where the City doesn't have a clear plan for how investments fit within our budget once the time has come where bonds need to be issued, construction is about to begin, etc. Within our CIP, funding for Walker is a critical example of this. We fully funded modernization + renovations at Buford, and while we know investment in Walker is upcoming, it's not formally in our CIP and we don't yet have a specific plan for getting it done. We have to rectify this now, because we know we need to fully invest in Walker + provide high-quality, equal early education opportunities for every student. I think the same goes not just for Walker, but even longer-term investments we know we need to make in the physical buildings of every school within the CCS system. Likewise, we know with CCS' recent acquisition of CATEC that there are going to be critical opportunities to invest in career and technical education; City Council needs to start working with schools + the community now to determine exactly what those investments will be and how we'll incorporate them into our CIP. Finally, we have to work together to plan for providing good salaries and benefits for teachers, bus drivers, and support staff.
Natalie Oschrin: City Council oversees the budget, and has to balance the needs of various aspects of the community, both in the short and long-term. An early childhood education center provides both short and long term benefits, child-care and education, and a better success rate later for students. The community is a system, and there are also other short and long-term needs to improve educational outcomes, especially in ensuring safe and reliable housing for families. Council has to do both things to prioritize achievement for all students, and make strides in providing for those who have been historically under-resourced. I will collaborate with the superintendent and school board to ensure schools are well funded, and the aging school buildings are given the investments they need to modernize.
Together with CCS, the City is working toward a solution that ensures ALL students have a safe way to and from school. Please describe the role that you see City Council taking to ensure the resources needed to implement solutions for the current transportation challenges?
Lloyd Snook: CCS and CAT have the same problem of getting bus drivers. I would like to see us use smaller buses that don't require CDL's to operate. It would probably also be easier then to have EV's for school buses.
Dashad Cooper: There are many different strategies that city council could pursue to ensure that all students have a safe way to and from school. By working collaboratively with CCS, transportation providers, and community organizations, we can develop effective solutions that meet the unique needs of our community.
Bob Fenwick: I would make adequate pay and training for bus drivers a priority.
Michael Payne: Again, City Council's biggest role is providing adequate funding. I think our collaboration on the Safe Routes to School initiative has been a success given the difficult situation we were in, along with City Council approving increased salaries + the right to unionize for school bus drivers + utilizing CAT drivers for some school bus routes. But even with that, the situation is not sustainable or workable for too many families -- we have to be clear that pupil transportation remains a crisis for Charlottesvile We need to continue to fully fund the Safe Routes to School initiative, further increase bus driver salaries to be competitive with the regional market, and invest in more recruitment efforts for school bus drivers. Beyond funding, City Council needs to work collaboratively with schools to identify the most critical transportation needs and direct our staff to work with CCS to implement all elements of Safe Routes to School that CCS identifies as necessary -- including initiatives such as reducing speed limits, hiring more crossing guards, erecting more barriers/traffic calming measures on roads, installing speed cameras, etc. And, again, in advance of the upcoming budget, be fully prepared to make our school bus driver salaries the highest in the region + have full funding for good-paying crosswalk guard positions. Given CAT's integral role in hiring for + managing pupil transportation, no solution can happen without the City continuing to step up as a key partner in providing transportation for every student. Finally, it's far less immediate for solving the pupil transportation crisis, but the City has a clear opportunity to use federal money to transition school bus fleet to electric schools buses; the City needs to take the lead in providing a cleaner, environmentally friendly method of school bus transportation.
Natalie Oschrin: Safe streets are a significant part of my platform. This requires investment and collaboration from the City and state transportation department to build sidewalks and roads that are safe AND pleasant, so using them as a biker or walker is an attractive option, especially for kids and families. Becoming less car-centric is a big cultural shift, a long-term goal that hopefully we can achieve in the short term. Expanded walk-to-school zones, public awareness campaigns, better signage, and protected paths for walkers and bikers are all needed and worthy. Council recently approved speed cameras near Buford to help walkers and crossing guards, however if the car is already speeding, the ticket is reaction more than prevention. We need traffic calming as well, so the car has less of a chance of driving dangerously in the first place. I live a few houses away from the intersection of High St and Hazel, a famously unsafe point on the way for many walking to Burnley-Moran. Simple, inexpensive fixes like speed humps and planters would make it safer, and ultimately, a continuous sidewalk along High Street is incredibly overdue. I am motivated to address intersections and biking/walking routes all over town like this to give kids the freedom to safely get to school.
Safety is a growing issue in our community that is impacting students both in and out of school. How do you envision City Council working with Charlottesville City Schools to address the safety concerns of youth and families in our community, as well as the needs of students that stem from those safety concerns?
Lloyd Snook: At the schools, we have continued problems from the fact that our school facilities are not "hardened." That problem will soon be solved at Buford, but the same problem is there for Walker. Beyond the school buildings, though, "safety" has to include violence prevention in the community. Having more community youth activities can play a big role in giving teenagers in particular something else to do.
Dashad Cooper: One approach that city council could take is to establish a collaborative task force that includes representatives from city council, CCS, law Enforcment agencies, and community organizations. This task force could work together to identify the root causes of safety concerns in the community, develop strategies to address those concerns, and ensure that the needs of students are being met. The task force could also work to establish programs for the youth such as mentoring programs. after school programs, and mental health counseling services. With this task force it could improve communications and collaboration between Council, CCS and law enforcement agencies to ensure that all stakeholders are working together including students that should have a seat at the table because they see things others do not see and can address safety concerns effectively.
Bob Fenwick: This is an effort that all segments of our city should be part of....parents, guardians, educational providers, social workers, behavioral health providers, ministers, councilors, city staff, etc.
Michael Payne: Every single child in our community deserves to grow up in a safe neighborhood and attend schools where they don't feel the threat of violence. And there is no one easy answer to this critical problem facing our community. One of the broader investments City Council needs to make is funding for youth programs + funding for community programs in neighborhoods. We made a few of those investments in this year's budget -- including funding the PHAR Youth Internship Program, the existing CAYIP initiative, etc. But we know we need to expand these existing programs. This year's budget also included $200,000 in funding for gun violence prevention/youth programs -- exactly how it will be allocated will be determined by a task force that evaluates proposals + priorities. That's a process CCS + families should be involved in. When it comes to safety needs within schools, I believe City Council needs to prioritize what we invest in by listening to schools + families directly. City Council is less directly involved with schools day-to-day and won't know all the specific answers -- we can't unilaterally impose solutions on our schools. I would look to discuss the issue at a work session with the School Board + create feedback mechanisms for City Council to hear directly from students and families and have the ideas that emerge from those processes inform investments we include in our annual budget. While City Council doesn't know all the answers, we absolutely cannot view investments in community safety as 'optional'.
Natalie Oschrin: I support the commitment to alternative ways of managing safety within the schools and keeping schools gun-free zones. The federal and grant funding for mental health resources, alternative education, and the staff dedicated to these programs has been valuable, and the city needs to continue to find ways to keep that funding supply going. Infrastructure investment includes student well-being and enrichment activities like sports, arts, and clubs. Outside of the school system, City Council must also invest in addressing the underlying causes of instability, like housing and food insecurity, that affect the safety and success of students and their families. Our students deserve a safe space and a safety net.
Charlottesville United for Public Education believes in the power of family voice - especially those voices that have not been traditionally centered - in collaboration with schools and educators. How might Council better listen to the voices of our community as partners in creating solutions to our challenges?
Lloyd Snook: Of course, we on City Council have virtually no voice on "creating solutions" that are within the purview of CCS. Taking the issue more broadly, I get hundreds of e-mails a week from residents on all kinds of topics. I go to neighborhood events in all neighborhoods -- this week alone, in the Walker neighborhood, Tonsler Park, Belmont, the Venable area-- and talk to residents about a wide range of people about issues in City governance. This year I have gone to neighborhood association meetings in Greenbrier, Fifeville, and Fry's Spring. We are about to begin a strategic planning process (about 5 years overdue at this point) that will involve seeking community input on a variety of issues.
Dashad Cooper: Engage with community organizations. Council could patterner with community organizations that are working on education issues to better understand the needs of the community. This could include attending meetings and events, participating in working groups, and consulting with experts in the field. Council could create opportunities for youth to share their perspectives on education issues. This could include organizing youth-led forums or creating advisory committees that include student representatives. Establish regular opportunities for the community to have a direct input besides going to council meetings. This would include town hall meetings, and public hearings to hear directly from community members about their concerns and priorities. These events could be held in different neighborhoods or schools to ensure a range of voices are heard.
Bob Fenwick: Councilors have done plenty of listening. Now it's time for City Council to step up and provide the necessary funding.
Michael Payne: As City Council emerges from all-virtual meetings (and over 18 months without a Communications Director -- yes, not a typo), we know need to do better in reaching out to -- and hearing directly from -- Charlottesville's families, students, and teachers. One mechanism to do this would be holding in-person listening sessions to hear directly from students and families: what their concerns on, what they see as priorities, etc. And that feedback needs to inform City Council's budget decisions in upcoming budget cycles. As individual City Councilors, we can set up one-on-one meetings with community groups. As an entire Council, we can schedule hearing reports from community groups + educators at the 4pm work sessions we hold before our City Council meetings in order to directly discuss ongoing issues within our schools. And we can schedule more routine work sessions between City Council and our School Board to improve our collaboration between the two bodies. Finally, I think it's important for City Council to build a direct relationship with the Virginia Education Association (VEA) in order to know the priorities and concerns of our educators.
Natalie Oschrin: Council needs to be conscious of those people and voices that have not been traditionally centered, to be aware of who is doing the talking and whose voices ARE being heard. There will be an participation bias due to time constraints, language barriers, and transportation challenges. So efforts must be made to reduce those barriers to entry as much as possible (virtual meetings, translators, etc), and be aware of who might still be missing and why. Consistent policies and practice of outreach and community building are necessary to find those folks and give them opportunities for input to ensure representation and openness to ideas.
If you could list your top 5 priorities, where does public K-12 education rank if at all?
Lloyd Snook: When I ran 4 years ago, I had three substantive planks and one administrative plank to my platform. The administrative plank was just to get Charlottesville's government working again. The substantive planks were affordable housing, climate action, and full funding for public education. I still have those priorities.
Dashad Cooper: Continue to fund affordable housing, fully fund public education which includes address teacher shortages and pay raises for teachers, climate change, and mental health.
Bob Fenwick: At the top. We can postpone a new building but we can't postpone helping young people transition into being a successful citizen.
Michael Payne: I'd say K-12 public education is the top priority -- honestly, it's impossible to formally rank the needs of our community against each other; I hope it's not a 'cop out' answer, but I believe education is the top priority because its inseparable from every other challenge Charlottesville faces. For example, what good is investment in affordable housing if the children who live there don't have the resources and opportunities they need to fulfill their dreams and build their foundational skills? How can we confront the climate crisis or threats to our democracy if children don't have high-quality public education that lays the foundation for civic engagement and their connection to the environment? Public schools are the greatest social safety net and public institution in our country -- there are simply no solutions to any of the problems facing Charlottesville without a public school system that provides equal opportunity to every student.
Natalie Oschrin: A community is a system, and education is both a foundation of, and subject to, the other elements of that system. Safe streets, collective bargaining, and affordable housing are parts of a solid education system. Kids needs to STAY in the schools, it is detrimental to discipline and achievement if their families face housing insecurity, if they have to move between schools frequently, or have unsafe, crowded housing, or housing that is too expensive. The housing crisis also makes it harder for teachers to live in the neighborhoods where they work and contributes to overall inequity. Better housing options, better transportation options, and better education are all linked, and I'm pushing to improve them together.