Much of the public conversation this local election cycle has centered on the future of Richmond Public Schools. Buried at the bottom of the ticket are competitive races to determine who will have a direct hand in shaping the vision of public education in the city.
Five of the nine School Board seats are open (2nd, 4th, 7th, 8th and 9th districts) and three of the four incumbents seeking re-election in the remaining districts face serious challengers. What this means is the November general election guarantees that a new, and relatively inexperienced, board will take the reins at a time when several key questions about the school system’s future remain unanswered: Will the mayor and council heed calls for a dedicated funding source for the school system? How will the city pay for a long overdue plan, endorsed by the outgoing board, to overhaul outdated facilities? What will become of Superintendent Dana Bedden, nearing the three-year mark of his tenure?
The issue of school funding drew hundreds to rallies on the steps of City Hall and into council chambers during an intense budget battle this past spring. The conversation occurred against the backdrop of school closures proposed by the school system administration, which some viewed as a bargaining chip. In the end, no schools closed and the board cut $10 million worth of programs, positions and initiatives the administration said it needed for the current calendar year.
The watershed-moment-that-wasn’t catalyzed a grassroots movement of parents, teachers and students to advocate and raise funds on the school system’s behalf. Several candidates have joined in the effort and pledged to work toward a solution. Reaching that solution starts with something elementary: cooperation between the bodies. Virtually every candidate seeking a spot on the board has said they will work with council counterparts year round to head off springtime budget squabbles.
If there’s any hope of agreement, the infighting has to stop, says Keri Treadway, a teacher at Fox Elementary and a founding member of the Support Our Schools movement. “Coming out of this last budget cycle, one of the things that we’re hoping for is that all of our elected officials — School Board, City Council and the mayor — figure out how to engage in a culture of collaboration and respect”
To their credit, the current council and board held the first two joint meetings between the bodies in more than a decade. However, those meetings were poorly attended and did little to head off the annual drama.
Garet Prior, founder of the advocacy group Richmond Forward, has shopped what is known as the “Roanoke 40” as a model the city could apply. If implemented, 40 percent of all taxes collected by the city would be set aside for the school system. This would eliminate the question of how much money the mayor or council “can find” each spring. From that pot, school leaders would be able to direct money toward capital projects of their choice. In theory, this could make it easier for the school system to begin work in earnest on its $600 million plan the to build new schools and renovate others. Under the Roanoke 40 model, RPS would take responsibility for the debt servicing payments on capital projects, Prior says.
Beyond funding, the biggest question is this: What will become of Superintendent Bedden? The should-he-stay-or-should-he-go storyline has traction because of a combination of things. Three outgoing incumbents — Kimberly Gray, Kristen Larson and Donald Coleman, along with chairman Jeff Bourne — were Bedden’s staunchest supporters. In his last job, board turnover eventually pushed him out. Adding to his plight are stagnant standardized test scores and more schools falling into state accreditation purgatory, raising questions about the headway he has been able to make.
“Certainly, a number of the School Board candidates have been lukewarm at best in their support for the sitting superintendent,” says political analyst Bob Holsworth.
Bedden balked in an interview when asked whether this election is a referendum on the job he has done. Progress takes time, patience and resources, he says, and he hasn’t had enough of any, given the situation he inherited. He points out that his academic improvement plan has not received full funding in either of its first two years, and the school system still has more fully accredited schools (14 out of 44) than when he arrived (11 out of 45). The teacher vacancy rate is down. Pre-kindergarten and middle school enrollment are up. New programs at Chimborazo Elementary School and Binford Middle School have generated excitement.
“Does that equate to a test score? No it doesn’t,” he says. “But I hope schools are measured by more than just test scores.”
