In anticipation of Fort Bend ISD’s election for board of trustee positions 1, 4 and 5, Community Impact Newspaper asked the candidates some questions about their plans if elected and what they think of the school district right now. See what candidates for Position 4 Shirley Rose-Gilliam, principal of Wheatley High School in Houston ISD, and incumbent Kristin Tassin, an intellectual property and special education attorney, had to say. Candidate Rodrigo Carreon did not respond to requests for comment. Answers have been edited for brevity and clarity.

Question 1: Why are you running for trustee?

 Shirley Rose-Gilliam: I am a long-time Fort Bend resident, a 28-year veteran educator and an administrator with a proven track record for turning around struggling schools. For 25 years, I serviced FBISD as a teacher and administrator, while being a parent and tax payer. My experience includes Elkins and Willowridge [high schools] on the east side and Kempner and Bush [high schools] on the west side of Fort Bend County. I am a practitioner who understands how policy matters and how it allows educators to do what is best for students. I am eager to team with the present board in order to provide an educator viewpoint as it pertains to meeting the established goals of FBISD. Kristin Tassin: I have been honored to serve FBISD as a trustee these past three years and as board president this past year. My work as a trustee on behalf of the students in FBISD has been extremely rewarding. Our current board has led the district to developing and implementing innovative instructional programs, such as allocating $2 million in resources to two struggling schools with the [Educators Dedicated to Growing Excellence, or] EDGE program. With three children attending schools in the district, all receiving various services including special education and [gifted and talented]education, I am running for re-election in order to continue helping to lead FBISD in these and other innovative ways for the benefit of all of our students.

Question 2: What is FBISD’s biggest challenge right now and what do you think of the current school board’s response to that challenge?

SRG: Discipline management and success of minority students. We all know the achievement gap is a nationwide issue. But, we in FBISD are very proud of being a majority-minority school district. Shirley Rose-Gilliam[/caption] What are we doing to reduce discipline referrals of minorities and special education students? I believe the board is working to reduce [referrals] with the approval of the EDGE program on the east side of the district. KT: I believe the biggest challenge we face currently in FBISD is overcoming the current attacks against public education in Texas and the nation. We work hard in FBISD to help our students by addressing their individual needs in the classrooms through differentiated instruction and development of a local assessment system instead of relying on the flawed, expensive, one-size-fits-all, state-mandated accountability system (State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness). Gaining the true support of those in leadership in Texas and the United States is a challenge that I fear will not be overcome quickly or easily.

Question 3: How would you describe the level of board support for teachers in FBISD and would you do anything differently, if elected?

SRG: I spoke with several teachers about board support. Kristin Tassin[/caption] They could not articulate how the board supported them. So the first thing I would do differently is have open dialog—[I am] not saying this is not occurring—with teachers. Teachers were very cautious when speaking with me and asked me not to use names when they stated a concern. As representatives of the students, parents and teachers, I feel teachers should be able to have productive conversations with trustees as it pertains to support. KT: As a current member of the board, I can say proudly that teacher support is a top priority. Teachers are at the heart of our core business, which is teaching and learning. Eighty-six percent of the budget in FBISD goes to salaries and benefits and we will increase teacher pay again this year to remain competitive. We have hired compliance coordinators to ease the burden on teachers and counselors in our schools. The board has also made leadership development a priority and recently implemented a leadership program to help develop teachers aspiring to be principals.

Question 4: How would you describe the level of equitable access and class offerings for all FBISD students? Do you think it could or needs to be improved?

SRG: I believe FBISD works very hard to establish equity among resources. Class offerings vary from campus to campus and some parents would state it is not equitable. Yes, I believe it could be improved. As trustees, we continuously have to seek strategic ways to make smart financial decisions. Improvement begins with listening to parents and staff with concerns. KT: As a member of the current board, I voted for implementation of the EDGE program which invested about $2 million into Briargate and Ridgemont elementary schools, both with struggling student populations. We have added instructional coaches and other staff support in Title 1 schools. I would also like to see us explore additional innovative programming options, ways to implement flexible grouping, expansion of restorative discipline, school mentorships and partnerships across the district, distance learning options, and broadening [career and technical education] programming and accessibility for all students.