School Board Candidate Forum: Madison United for Academic Excellence

Thanks to Laurie Frost & Jeff Henriques for organizing Thursday’s MAUE forum: Video / 30MB MP3 Audio. This event included some interesting questions:

14 minutes: On the Superintendent’s proposed reductions in the budget increase and their affect on the MMSD’s 6 TAG members. Do you believe TAG services still have a role?
20:40 What strategies do you have to raise academic standards for all students and avoid pitting one group of parents against another?
27:50 What are the most positive and negative traits you would bring to the (school) board?
34:28 Please state your position on the educational approach of offering core courses, delivered in completely heterogeneous groupings, with no opportunity for self selected ability grouping? (see West’s English 10)
41:29 How do we do a better job of identifying academically gifted students?
48:42 Would you support a referendum to deal with the (2007/2008) budget shortfall?
54:26 Would you support African centered pedagogy classes for Madison High Schools?
1:00 Where do you see MTI’s advocacy for teachers coming into the greatest conflict with the District’s students?
1:07 What position or talent most distinguishes you from your opponent?

SIS