luis hernandez dkf questionnaire responses

7/29/2019 Luis Hernandez DKF Questionnaire Responses

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Luis Hernandez

District 4

2013 DKF Questionnaire Responses

Pol. Adv., Kids First PAC

2 Please describe your involvement in Dallas ISD or public education issues over the

last five years.

Graduated from DISD in 2007. Attend PTA meetings at my little sister's school inDISD.

3 Please explain leadership positions and responsibilities that have prepared you forschool board governance.

Experience working in large organizations such as the Bureau of Labor Statistics andIRS.

4 Please identify three specific issues that you think should be addressed in order toimprove the quality of education in Dallas ISD.

1) Community and parent involvement in student's education.

2) Teacher morale.3) Improved professional development.

5

If elected, what would you do to address each of these issues?

1) Be a positive influence in the District by attending PTA meetings, visiting

classrooms, and staying in communication with community leaders and the citizens ofDISD.

2) Work with the other trustees and teachers to create a plan to increase morale byreducing micromanagement by the administration.

3) Work with the other trustees to create a plan that helps teachers become highquality instructors, which can only be effective by improving the evaluation process.

6 Do you think Dallas ISD faces a teacher morale problem? If so, what do you thinkare the primary causes, and what would you do as a Trustee to improve morale?

Yes. Micromanaging lesson plans. Teachers spend extra time trying to perfect theway the learning objectives and the demonstration of learning are written and

essentially are being told how to teach since they must constantly use multiple


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Luis Hernandez

District 4



response strategies (MRS).Its a good thing to have students discussing in the classroom, but if they are not

observed during an 8-10 minute SPOT observation, the teacher receives a lower

rating. Its induces stress for teachers and makes them less effective.Also, morale would increase with a calculated pay for performance plan that canaccurately tie compensation to a child's growth, not state standards.

7 Do you think Dallas ISD teachers and principals receive effective professionaldevelopment?

No. Often teachers say that trainings were pointless and a waste of time. Teacherswant to become better instructors, so professional development should be targeted to

the teachers needs. Content-based professional development where teachers andadministrators decide on the topics to be covered would provide teachers a better

experience.

8 Please rate the following Dallas ISD practices in terms of effectiveness.

Very

Weak Weak

Somewhat

Effective Effective Strong

Not

Sure

Teacher recruitment

Principal recruitment

Teacher professional

development

Principal professional

development

Retention of high

performing teachers

Retention of high

performing principals

9 For any of the Dallas ISD practices rated "very weak", "weak" or "somewhateffective" in the question above, please explain what you will do as a Trustee toimprove the practices.


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Luis Hernandez

District 4



Teacher recruitment: Work with HR. Get applications reviewed on time. Go to thebest teacher education programs in the state, out of state.Teacher professional development: See 7.

Retention: Higher salaries, benefits so they dont leave the district.

Text Block :

Please indicate your level of agreement or disagreement with the following three statements.

10 Parental and community involvement is extremely low, which prevents Dallaspublic schools from consistently generating high-achieving students.

Strongly Disagree Disagree Neutral Agree Strongly Agree

Comment:Community involvement is extremely low.

District needs more parent education programs available in schools which help

parents understand their role in their childs education. Not only in elementarybut through middle and high school as well.

A child's support should not only come from their parents. Some children do

not have that luxury. Students need good role models and mentors available tothem. A volunteer program should be created with participation from the

community.

11 Dallas ISD's college-readiness failures (i.e., the district's SAT/ACT scores are in the

bottom 25% of all U.S. test takers) are the school board's ultimate responsibility.


Comment:They are a sign of the Board's effectiveness at interpreting the problems oftheir respective communities.

12 Students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds cannot consistentlyperform at high academic levels without first addressing poverty and other socialissues.


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Luis Hernandez

District 4




Comment:Community (health department and social services) should work with schoolsto provide for the whole child. All issues need to be addressed concurrently.

While a childs living situation may not be able to be immediately changed,the school and community should provide a safe haven which keeps the

childs background in mind and helps him or her succeed.

Again, the child needs know they have support. They need good role modelsand mentors. A teacher only have so much influence.

13 Dallas ISD's superintendent has identified the following structural problems thatnegatively affect student achievement. Which three issues should be "toppriorities" (please highlight exactly three top priorities)? Similarly, which issues areless important? Please label at least one issue as "not critical".

Not

Critical

Important But

Not a Top

Priority

Top

Priority

Teacher morale is at a long term low.

Principal evaluations are routine and

meaningless.

Educators do not have access tocomprehensive, powerful technology to

guide learning for each student.

The District's budget is not driven by

instructional priorities.

Principals are paid the same regardless of

performance.

Teacher evaluations are not accurate or

rigorous.

There is no standard or process for

identifying high quality candidates forschools, classrooms, and central office

positions.

Micromanaging staff is a pervasive problem

and undercuts progress.

There is no accountability for poor


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Luis Hernandez

District 4



customer service (where customers are

parents and students).

We are losing strong candidates because the

hiring process sometimes takes months.

14 Analyzing information is a fundamental Trustee responsibility. What informationwill you rely on to have a full understanding of board issues, and what groups will

you call on for perspective (e.g., staff, central office, constituents)?

Constituents, staff, central office; Everyone must have input in order to get the fullscope on the issue and decide whats best for the children. Everyones opinioncounts!

15 Please highlight three school district micromanaging pitfalls, and explain how you

would avoid these pitfalls as a Trustee.

1) Allow each campus to implement their own grading policy as opposed to thedistrict deciding on grade policy.2) LOs/DOLs/MRS Can be noted on observation, but do not rate a teacher instantly

lower if they are not observed during the SPOT observations3) SPOT observations. Reduce number of spot observations. Work with teachers and

principals to create a rubric which truly aids in helping identify high quality teachers,which will mean more thorough evaluations to help determine a teacher's

effectiveness.

16 What local organizations are you affiliated with, and how have they influenced yourthinking regarding the needs of the district? Please give at least three examples.

I am not influenced by local organizations.I am influenced by 1) my family, who currently attends DISD, 2) my friends, who

currently teach in DISD, and 3) my experiences with DISD.

I am only beholden to the children and the community.

17 How do you plan to balance the needs of your individual voters with the needs ofthe whole district?


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Luis Hernandez

District 4



The individual voters are not who's needs I will balance with the whole districts.Being a trustee is a strange situation because the people who you are most directlyaffecting are not able to vote. Children do not vote, yet you are most accountable to

them.My focus will be on children, not just of my district, of DISD. The same problems

that afflict my district afflict the entire district.

18 Who will you consult with when considering and making key decisions for thedistrict?

Voters, parents, teachers, and administrators. Schools need the help of the entirecommunity in order to succeed.

19 What is the ideal relationship between the superintendent and the Board ofTrustees?

Work together to make decisions.

Above all the Board should be the voice of the community. They should bring theissues of the community directly to the superintendent, while determining if the

superintendent is being effective.

20 What district relationships need to be created or improved?

All of these relationships need improvement.1) Community and schools within the community

2) Parents and school3) Teachers and Board/Superintendent

21 What are three questions you would ask a candidate for Dallas ISD superintendent?

What would you want to learn from those questions?

How do you see your relationship with teachers?

How do you see your relationship with parents?What is my role?


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Luis Hernandez

District 4



22 How will you encourage parent and community collaboration with teachers,principals, and the superintendent?

Have more parent education programs available in schools which help parentsunderstand their role in their childs education. Not only in elementary but throughmiddle and high school as well.

Create a mentor program, in which people from the community volunteer to talk tothe students so that the children have good role models and at least get the impression

that the community cares.

23 How do you plan to communicate and connect with all Dallas ISD stakeholders --students, parents, teachers, school administrators, and the community?

Attend PTA meetings at various schools in District 4. Volunteering in schools withinDistrict 4 in addition to other districts to mentor student. Be the most accessible

trustee by staying in communication with principals, teachers, student, and parentsthrough email, phone calls, twitter, and PTA meetings.

Also, I think it would be rather beneficial to sit in on teacher's professionaldevelopment sessions.

luis hernandez dkf questionnaire responses

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