In their words: Polk County School Board District 4 candidates answer questions
The Ledger sent the candidates a series of questions about issues facing their office. See their answers below.
Polk County School Board, District 4 (nonpartisan)
Rebekah Ricks
Q. Why are you the candidate most deserving of being elected?
A. I am the candidate most deserving of being elected to the Polk County School Board due to my extensive experience, deep commitment to education, and proven leadership in various educational and community-focused initiatives. Polk County schools are currently ranked 57 out of 67 counties in Florida, and our children deserve better. With over 23 years of hands-on experience in education, including classroom teaching and developing educational programs, I have founded and led organizations like The Homeschool Connection and The Tutoring Terminal to provide tailored educational experiences. My leadership roles in The Coalition of Mothers and Moms for Medical Freedom demonstrate my strategic leadership and advocacy skills. I believe in fostering a collaborative environment and have a proven track record of working effectively with superintendents, principals, and teachers. I support rigorous accountability measures for schools receiving public funds and advocate for efficient use of current funds to avoid additional financial burdens on the community. I propose implementing Positive Behavior Intervention Systems (PBIS), ongoing professional development for teachers, and parental engagement to improve student behavior and academic success. My extensive work in education policy, including drafting and passing state-level legislation, showcases my dedication to public education. With a comprehensive understanding of educational issues and a commitment to improving our education system, I will work tirelessly to increase the quality of education in Polk County and support our community's families.
Q. What do you consider to be the main issues the School Board must address in the coming years?
A. The main issues the School Board must address in the coming years include ensuring student and staff safety by prioritizing safety measures and implementing comprehensive safety protocols and emergency preparedness plans. Improving academic outcomes is essential, which involves enhancing educational programs and providing targeted support for struggling students. Keeping salaries competitive to attract and retain high-quality educators is crucial, requiring regular reviews and adjustments to compensation packages. Maintaining adequate staffing by addressing shortages and implementing recruitment and retention strategies is necessary. The board must balance population growth with the need for school infrastructure and resources, planning for new constructions and expansions. Maximizing operational efficiencies through streamlining operations and implementing best practices for resource management is vital. Comprehensive rezoning efforts should be undertaken to balance student populations, with community engagement to ensure fairness and transparency. Combating chronic absenteeism requires developing programs and engaging parents to emphasize the importance of regular attendance. Adjusting school start times to comply with state mandates and communicating these changes effectively is also important. Finally, expanding school-to-work and industry program partnerships will provide students with hands-on learning opportunities and prepare them for the workforce. Addressing these issues will require a collaborative approach involving input from educators, parents, students, and community stakeholders to ensure a high-quality and equitable education for all students in the district.
Q. Like other districts around the country, Polk County is coping with high student absenteeism rates following the COVID pandemic. How should the School Board address that issue?
A. To tackle the high student absenteeism rates plaguing Polk County in the wake of the COVID pandemic, the School Board should adopt a multifaceted approach, drawing on successful strategies from districts across the nation. For instance, New York City's personalized outreach program, which involves teachers and staff making regular phone calls and home visits to frequently absent students, could be implemented to identify and address barriers to attendance. Chicago's mentorship programs, pairing at-risk students with mentors for guidance and encouragement, have proven effective and could similarly benefit Polk County. Additionally, Houston's incentive programs that reward regular attendance with prizes and special events could motivate students to attend school consistently. MiamiDade County's attendance awareness campaigns have successfully educated students and parents on the importance of regular attendance, a strategy that Polk County could replicate through social media, community events, and school assemblies. Lastly, enhancing mental health support, as seen in Seattle's focus on increasing access to school counselors and mental health professionals, can help address underlying issues contributing to absenteeism. By integrating these proven strategies, the Polk County School Board can effectively reduce absenteeism and foster a supportive educational environment.
Q. What specific suggestions do you have for the district and for individual schools to address disruptive student behavior in classrooms?
A. To address disruptive student behavior in classrooms, the Polk County School Board can adopt a variety of proactive and positive strategies, drawing on successful approaches from districts nationwide. District-wide, implementing Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) can create consistent expectations for behavior; for instance, Chicago's use of PBIS has led to a 20% reduction in behavioral issues. Regular professional development, such as Los Angeles Unified School District's workshops on classroom management and trauma-informed practices, can equip educators with the skills to handle disruptive behavior effectively. Increasing access to mental health services, as seen in New York City’s hiring of additional counselors and social workers, can support students' mental health needs and reduce behavioral problems. Parental engagement programs like those in Miami-Dade, which include parenting workshops and regular communication channels, foster stronger school-family partnerships. Data-driven decision-making, similar to Houston's approach, uses behavior tracking systems to identify trends and tailor interventions, resulting in a 15% improvement in student behavior. At the school level, establishing clear behavior expectations and ensuring consistent enforcement helps maintain order, as demonstrated by Seattle Public Schools. Creating a positive classroom environment through strong student-teacher relationships and positive reinforcement, a strategy successfully used in San Francisco, encourages appropriate behavior. Implementing restorative practices, as in Denver, addresses conflicts through dialogue, promoting mutual understanding and reducing disciplinary actions by 30%. Engaging students with interactive teaching methods and differentiated instruction, as practiced in Boston, keeps students interested and reduces opportunities for disruption. Developing individual behavior plans for students with persistent issues, increasing supervision, and supporting student leadership can also contribute to a positive school culture. By adopting these strategies, Polk County can create a more conducive learning environment, ultimately improving academic outcomes and reducing disruptive behavior.
Q. The Polk Education Association has been urging the School Board to seek a dedicated property tax that would be used for increasing teacher salaries. Do you favor this idea? Why or why not?
A. While I understand the urgency and need for increasing teacher salaries, I do not favor the idea of a dedicated property tax increase for this purpose. Here are my reasons, along with some suggestions on how to address the issue without raising taxes: While the Polk Education Association's push for a dedicated property tax to increase teacher salaries is understandable, I do not favor this idea due to the current economic climate. Raising taxes at a time when families in Polk County are already struggling with high inflation and rising living costs would place an additional financial burden on them. Instead, alternative funding sources should be explored. For instance, reallocating existing funds within the school district's budget by cutting unnecessary expenses and improving operational efficiencies can free up resources for teacher salaries. Engaging local businesses and community organizations through public-private partnerships can also support educational initiatives, including salary enhancements. Seeking state and federal grants specifically aimed at teacher compensation, and advocating for increased state funding, are viable strategies as well. These methods can help bridge the gap between the average teacher salary in Polk County, which is approximately $48,000 per year, and the national average of around $63,000, without imposing new taxes on residents. By focusing on these alternative solutions, we can ensure our teachers are fairly compensated while maintaining responsible fiscal management.
Q. The school district has faced a high volume of challenges to books held in school and classroom libraries in recent years. Are you satisfied with the process the district has used to handle book challenges? Would you suggest any changes?
A. The school district has faced significant challenges regarding the content of books held in school and classroom libraries, and I believe the current process for handling these book challenges needs improvement. In the two and a half years since concerns about content in school libraries have arisen, the current school board has not taken action on any specific titles. This inaction is troubling. While no one is advocating for banning books outright, it's important to recognize that materials inappropriate for young audiences in film or music should be similarly restricted in written form. These books remain accessible for purchase online or at brick-and-mortar stores, but school libraries should adhere to standards that protect young students from inappropriate content. To address this issue, I suggest the district implements a more robust review process for challenged books, establishing clear guidelines that align with community standards, forming a diverse review committee, ensuring transparency in the decision-making process, conducting regular reviews of library collections, and requiring the school board to vote on challenged titles. By adopting these changes, the district can better balance the need to protect students from inappropriate content while respecting the freedom to access diverse literature. This approach will create a safer, more respectful learning environment for all students.
Q. How would you seek to improve teacher retention rates, so that fewer teachers leave Polk County for other districts with better pay?
A. Improving teacher retention rates in Polk County requires a multifaceted approach that goes beyond salary increases. Competitive compensation packages are essential; by reallocating existing funds, introducing performance-based incentives, and offering stipends for extra duties, we can reward teachers without raising property taxes. Professional development and career growth opportunities, such as ongoing training and leadership development programs, will help teachers enhance their skills and advance within the district. Creating a supportive environment with adequate resources and reasonable class sizes is crucial, along with offering comprehensive benefits packages that include health insurance, retirement plans, housing assistance, and childcare support. Recognition and appreciation through awards, teacher appreciation events, and regular feedback can make teachers feel valued. Mentorship and support for new teachers, as well as strong community ties and parental involvement, further create a sense of belonging and support. By addressing both financial and nonfinancial factors, we can make Polk County an attractive and rewarding place for educators to build their careers, helping to retain our current teachers and attract new talent to our district.
Q. The Florida Legislature has increased starting teacher pay in recent years but not the pay for long-term teachers, some of whom do not make much more than starting teachers. How do you think the School Board should address the issue of “salary compression”?
A. Addressing salary compression in Polk County, where long-term teachers earn only slightly more than starting teachers, requires a strategic approach to ensure fair compensation and retain experienced educators. Currently, the district's budget allocates $561,213,188 for teacher salaries, but the average salary remains at approximately $48,000 per year, well below the potential indicated by the budget surplus. The School Board can rectify this by conducting a comprehensive salary review to compare local pay structures with regional and national trends and making targeted equity adjustments. Implementing a tiered salary schedule with experience-based increases and regular step increments will ensure meaningful pay progression. Utilizing Teacher Salary Increase Allocation (TSIA) funds effectively by directing them towards mid-career and long-term teachers, and offering performance-based bonuses, will further alleviate compression. Introducing longevity bonuses and retention incentives will reward long-term commitment. Enhancing professional development opportunities and creating leadership roles can also provide career growth. By reallocating a portion of the $230,013,188 budget surplus specifically towards adjusting long-term teacher pay, the district can offer significant salary boosts. Additionally, advocating for state-level funding adjustments and maintaining transparent communication with teachers will support these efforts. These strategies will not only improve teacher retention but also contribute to a motivated and satisfied workforce, ensuring a high-quality educational environment in Polk County.
Q. The school district has begun using a public-private partnership approach on the construction of new schools. Do you think the district should follow the interlocal agreement, which requires that a site-selection committee be called before the district can buy land for a new school? Do you think the public-private approach is working, and do you have any ideas for improving it?
A. The Polk County School District's decision to use public-private partnerships (PPPs) for the construction of new schools has sparked a discussion about the effectiveness and compliance with existing agreements. Adhering to the interlocal agreement, which requires a site-selection committee before purchasing land, is crucial. This agreement, signed by the School Board and all municipalities, is a promise to the citizens of Polk County, ensuring enough seats in schools to accommodate students from new developments. It acts as a vital check and balance system. While the theoretical benefits of PPPs include leveraging private investment to reduce financial burdens, cost savings, and faster project completion, there is not yet enough evidence to comprehensively assess their effectiveness in Polk County. To improve the PPP approach, the district should enhance collaboration and communication, establish performance metrics and accountability, engage the community, encourage sustainable design, strengthen financial oversight, and consider long-term maintenance in partnership agreements. These steps will help ensure that new school constructions meet quality standards and effectively serve the community.
Sara Beth Wyatt
Q. Why are you the candidate most deserving of being elected?
A. I have a genuine love for this community and take the responsibility of representing the full community seriously. I take the time to understand both sides of every issue before making any decision. Most importantly, though, I have an understanding of Polk County Public Schools that has been decades in the making and started well before my time on the board. I often joke that education is apparently a calling you just can’t escape. I come from a family of Polk County educators and have spent the better part of my life in our classrooms as a student, volunteer, or board member. I have taken the time to talk to our students, families, teachers, and staff to understand ongoing issues and concerns and have a track record of rolling up my sleeves to work on solutions.
While we are not where we want to be yet academically, we are certainly moving in the right direction. Since being elected in 2016, PCPS has moved from being ranked 57th in Florida to 49th in Florida. We went from have 6 “F” schools to 0 “F” schools. We are out pacing the state in proficiency gains for 6 of 9 categories. The graduation rate has increased from 69% in 2016 to 78% today. We have increased starting pay for all employee groups to remain competitive, while maintaining a zero premium insurance plan for all employees. We are second in the nation for our career academies and have worked to expand academic offerings by adding programs such as 3DE and expand programs such as Cambridge.
My top priority is ensuring that every decision we make is what is best for students. When we do what is right for kids, our school grades increase, our graduation rates increase, and our dropout rates decrease, but most importantly we will be sending into the community good citizens after graduation that are prepared to enter college or a career.
Q. What do you consider to be the main issues the School Board must address in the coming years?
A. Growth — We are the fastest growing community in the nation with no slowdown in sight. For the school district, growth means we must recruit additional staff, create additional student stations, etc., while still improving and enhancing our offerings. Our District has grown by over 11,000 students since 2020. To put it in perspective, that is the equivalent of two additional high schools every year in terms of student stations and over 400 additional teachers. We are currently exploring opportunities to expand school sites to extend capacity, for public/private partnerships to build schools, for additional recruitment opportunities such as international exchange programs and more. We are working now with the county to re-evaluate our interlocal agreement surrounding concurrency to insure that new residential sites approved have a realistic option for attendance available at every grade level. We are also in the middle of a district-wide rezoning for every grade level to balance the enrollment at each of our schools and decrease unnecessary bus routes. This will allow additional seats in areas where population growth is largest, while filling student stations at schools that have typically seen lower enrollment levels. Unfortunately, there is not a silver bullet to handling growth, but the actions currently in place should help us to realign current enrollment across the district by 2027 to be better prepared as enrollment is projected to continue increasing for the foreseeable future.
Technology — We are in an age of unknowns when it comes to technology. We have the responsibility to teach our students to use it wisely, but we also have the responsibility of keeping kids safe and teaching students soft skills, such as how to talk to each other in real life. With new emerging technologies, such as AI, we are just scratching the surface of the opportunities and challenges on the horizon. I am currently working with the superintendent and our technology department to better align our policies to the digital age. One simply example, is our photo release policy. I am working bring forward a more modern photo release policy to ensure family's have the ability to exclude their child's photo and identifying information from being shared on public social media pages without excluding their child from the yearbook or school newspaper.
Q. Like other districts around the country, Polk County is coping with high student absenteeism rates following the COVID pandemic. How should the School Board address that issue?
A. Last school year over 50,000 students missed more than 10 days of school. That is nearly 50% of the students in Polk County. If we were to remove students scores for every student that missed more than 10 days of school, we would be an A-rated school district. Every category would increase by 10 points or more. That is because students need to be in school to learn. We have already brought back community outreach facilitators (previously called truancy officers), who are working diligently with families to remove any barriers for attendance, such as transportation and childcare for younger siblings. We are also working to impress upon students, families and the community the importance of being in school.
Q. What specific suggestions do you have for the district and for individual schools to address disruptive student behavior in classrooms?
A. We must hold students accountable for their actions. While we have a statutory responsibility to educate every student, there is a very fine line between making sure that every child receives an education and allowing one child’s behaviors to disrupt another student’s education. This question tends to be more operational, but I do believe we have the opportunity to work with the superintendent on policies to ensure that repeated behaviors are handled appropriately at all levels. When a student is receiving a referral a week, we, as a district, must take a different approach. The answer cannot just be to continue doing the same thing that isn’t working over and over again. It also has to be a multifaceted approach. While some students thrive with PBIS (Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports), other students need tough love.
Q. The Polk Education Association has been urging the School Board to seek a dedicated property tax that would be used for increasing teacher salaries. Do you favor this idea? Why or why not?
A. When we hired Superintendent Heid, we challenged him to do an efficiency audit of the entire district. He found an outside group to help complete the audit and brought in a group of 30 local community leaders to review the results with him and make additional recommendations. We are working through implementing those recommendations now and will likely see some small savings from things like rezoning. I do not think it is appropriate to talk about going out for a referendum until we can assure our community that every penny is being spent as efficiently as possible. I am never in favor of raising taxes. However, it makes me more comfortable to entertain a conversation knowing that the dedicated property tax that has been discussed could only be assessed through a referendum, putting it completely in the hands of the voters. I have been surprised in recent years as many surrounding counties have passed their referendums with well over 60%. If we want to complete with our surrounding districts academically and with teacher retention, I think all conversation have to be explored.
Q. The school district has faced a high volume of challenges to books held in school and classroom libraries in recent years. Are you satisfied with the process the district has used to handle book challenges? Would you suggest any changes?
A. Our book challenge process was in place long before the most recent series of book challenges. We have updated in multiple times over the last year to remain in line with state law as statues has changed. Superintendent Heid has been called to Tallahassee to testify on our process and it has been used as a model for districts across the state. We have had books returned to shelves, books removed from our libraries and book challenges that resulted in changing the availability from middle school to high school. Florida has led the way in parental choice. In Polk County, we have adopted an opt-out process for our libraries, where every parent/guardian has the option to opt their child out of any or all library materials, as they see fit.
Q. How would you seek to improve teacher retention rates, so that fewer teachers leave Polk County for other districts with better pay?
A. PCPS currently outpaces the nation with an 88% retention rate, but that is still not where we want to be. While we are working to increase salaries, we also must continue to keep our high quality benefits, such as the zero-premium health insurance for all employees. We also need to be a better job of advertising the value of our benefits. We hear stories of teachers leaving for higher salaries in neighboring counties every year, only to realize that their first paycheck is less than it was in Polk County.
Q. The Florida Legislature has increased starting teacher pay in recent years but not the pay for long-term teachers, some of whom do not make much more than starting teachers. How do you think the School Board should address the issue of “salary compression”?
A. We must continue to invest in our lifelong educators and support staff with both salaries and benefits. We worked to reach the required minimum teacher salary of $47,500 nearly 2 years early to be able to address compression more expeditiously. Additionally, recognizing that historically the only way to increase earning potential was to move into leadership positions, we have implemented cohorts such as Leading from the Classroom to recognize and reward veteran teachers who choose to stay in the classroom.
This is really two separate questions, as the two are not mutually exclusive. Even with a public-private partnership, the site-selection committee can and should still review the property to ensure that the location meets all requirements and does not have any environmental limitations. By utilizing an innovative public-private partnership to build Scenic Terrance, the school was able to be completed on-time, on-budget and was able to build maintenance expenses for the first 30 years into the original cost. This innovative approach resulted in a huge savings to tax payers as well.
This article originally appeared on The Ledger: In their words: Polk School Board District 4 candidates' answers