The

Jacksonville Public Education Fund, Save Duval Schools, Duval County PTA, Jacksonville Kids Coalition and Jacksonville Urban League are nonpartisan organizations. We do not support or endorse any specific candidate. Our goal is to educate the community and promote increased participation in school board elections. Candidate responses to all questions will be published verbatim on a special web site at www.schoolboard2012.org. While candidates are strongly encouraged to complete the questionnaire in its entirety, partial or non-participation will not prevent candidates from participating in subsequent public forums or other election-related events hosted by these organizations. The deadline for returning this survey is July 2, 2012. No responses will be accepted after this date and all responses will be published simultaneously to the web site subsequent to this date.

2012 SCHOOL BOARD CANDIDATE QUESTIONNAIRE

Martha Barret Candidate Name: ____________________________________________________________ 1 School Board District: __________ www.votemarthabarrett.com Campaign Web Site: ____________________________________________________________

Primary Campaign Contact Martha Barrett Name: ____________________________________________________________

martha.e.barrett@bankofamerica.com E-mail Address: ____________________________________________________________ 904-343-7846 Phone Number: ____________________________________________________________

JACKSONVILLE PUBLIC EDUCATION FUND 245 RIVERSIDE AVENUE SUITE 310 JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 32202 904.356.7757 FAX 904.394.2005 WWW.JAXPEF.ORG

Candidate Biographical Information Please provide a short biographical summary of no more than 500 words that can be used on www.schoolboard2012.org web site and in other publications: Martha Barrett is the Senior Vice President for Corporate Social Responsibility for Bank of American. Martha is currently responsible for the strategic planning, coordinating, and leveraging of the bank's local philanthropic contributions, managing events and sponsorships, and facilitating relationships with community and opinion leaders. In this role, she oversees the local foundation and sponsorship budgets as well as managing local market delivery team. Through her role she promotes a healthy, vital community through sustained leadership in philanthropy, volunteerism, community development lending and investing, the environment and arts &culture. Martha has been with Bank of America since 2001.
Martha served as the Business Development Director for Jim King Companies and she was an Assistant Vice President for Independent Life and Accident Insurance Company. Martha served in the Jimmy Carter administration in Washington, D.C. and also was an aide to Florida United States Senator Richard Stone in Washington, D.C. She returned to Jacksonville in late 1978 to work for the new mayor, Jake Godbold. She was the mayor's press aide and served in the Godbold administration for eight and a half years. She served the mayor in many capacities including as liaison to the United States Conference of Mayors. Martha was elected unopposed to the Duval County School Board in 2000 and 2004. She chaired the board in 2004. She was re-elected to the School Board in a special election in September, 2009. Since Martha has been on the board, a Strategic Plan and Data Dashboard have been established, several reading initiatives have been introduced as well as the Read It Forward Jacksonville Initiative, rigorous graduation requirements have taken hold for high school graduates and Acceleration Programs have been introduced in every neighborhood high school and Career Academies have been expanded in neighborhood high schools. She currently serves on the boards of the Cultural Council of Northeast Florida, Museum of Contemporary Art, Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra, Communities in Schools, Florida State College Foundation and Florida House in Washington, D.C. She also serves as an Advisory Board member of The Bridge of Northeast Florida and Cathedral Arts Project and she is a graduate of Leadership Jacksonville and Leadership Florida. She has received the Tillie Fowler Community Service Award from the Junior League, Tribute in Leadership from Community Connections, EVE award finalist in employment and Woman of Distinction award from the Gateway Girl Scouts council.

Instructions Please answer each of the questions below. If you need additional space or wish to elaborate on your answers to one or more questions, please feel free to attach additional pages to this questionnaire. Please make sure, however, to identify the question to which you are responding by number so we can correctly align your responses with the proper question. You may respond by email, fax, or postal mail. Directions on how to do so are at the end of the survey document. Questions Overall 1. If you had to give the Duval County Public Schools a grade, how would you rate its current performance at educating a. High-performing students? _____ A _____ B _____ C _____ D _____ F b. Average students? _____ A _____ B _____ C _____ D _____ F c. At-risk students? _____ A _____ B _____ C _____ D _____ F 2. In what respects do you think Duval County Public Schools are doing well in their mission to educate students in Jacksonville?
I believe that through the district's strategic plan we have seen significant progress. The "Six Steps to Stronger Schools" have been a proven road map for schools. The high school Acceleration Programs has been a real success for our students. Our neighborhood high schools have at least one of these programs in each school. These are: AICE...Advanced Certificate of Education Early College IB Program Diploma AP Honors AVID...Advancement via Individual Determination The board has been very pleased with these programs as well as the 23 Career Academies which are in our high schools.

4 These programs have been very successful and our neighborhood high schools are seeing significant increase in numbers due to these programs.

3. In what respects do you think DCPS needs to improve significantly? What specific changes do you want to make in school district policies or programs to make these improvements? The reading scores are still poor. We have to get students reading on grade level. The school board initiated "Read It Forward Jacksonville" last summer. There are extensive pre K programs and also the system is looking at broader menu of options in grades 6 through 12. The system is adding an additional honor in our lowest performing schools. Discipline is a major concern for the school system. The board just passed an updated policy on discipline at the June board meeting. Our graduation rate must improve although it has gone up the last few years but we have a long way to go.

Strategic Plan Duval County Public Schools has a strategic plan approved by the school board in 2010 that guides the day-to-day management and activities of the superintendent. A copy of the strategic plan can be accessed at http://www.duvalschools.org/static/ aboutdcps/superintendent/strategic_plan.asp. For the following questions, please cite the strategy number and title (e.g. Strategy 1.A: Provide additional support for all low performing students in all schools). 4. On which specific strategy do you see as most critical for the district staff to focus in 2013? The significant strategy that I see is 1(c) 1 Students Demonstrating True Gains in Reading. This is ensuring that all students will read on grade level. This strategy includes goals 1, 2 and 3 in the strategic plan. We have put the "Read It Forward Jacksonville" program and there are extensive pre K programs and also broader menu of options in grades to 6 to 12. The school system is also adding an additional hour for reading in our lowest performing schools.

5. Which specific strategy or measurable would you propose revising or eliminating and what would you change about it? The specific strategy I would propose revising is 1(B) 2 Students enrolled in rigorous courses who are African American. We want to make sure that all of our students are not just enrolled in courses but they are successful in these courses!! We must not just increase the participation but also increase the success rate!! Governance 6. Please provide a description of how you would differentiate between the governance responsibility of the school board and the management role of the superintendent.
The school board's role is to govern which the superintendent and administration manage the schools on a daily basis. The school board should exercise governance and policy making actions. The school board should: Adopt policies Adopt budgets Adopt local students learning programs Evaluate programs and policy effectiveness Visits schools in district Active in community Attend worthwhile education conferences Conduct Town Hall meetings The school board also has to evaluate the superintendent's performance on an annual basis. I went through the Broad training program several years ago and I very much aware of the fact that the board is a policy making body and the superintendent runs the district.

7. Describe in your decisions how you would balance the interests of your specific neighborhood school board district with the interests of the entire school system if they come into conflict.
I have always been supportive of the entire district. While board members are elected from two city council districts, we truly represent the entire school district. I have always voted for new schools and necessary capital improvements and programs for schools in and out of my district. I expect the staff to tell us where these improvements should be made. At this point we do not have anymore funding to build new schools but when we did I always supported them. Since I have been on the board we have built two schools in my district..Arlington Middle..the old one was torn down to make room for the new one and a brand new elementary school...Waterleaf.

The Duval County School Board is currently engaged in a search for the next superintendent, who will replace retiring Superintendent Ed Pratt-Dannals in December 2012. 8. What do you consider the key qualifications the next superintendent should possess in order to be most effective? A leader who solicits respect and values the input of stakeholders at all levels of the organization and who has demonstrated leadership in utilizing that input to create and sustain a culture of shared decision making. A leader who supports and empowers principals, teachers and staff to improve organizational and student performing outcomes. A proactive visionary someone with strong organizational skills, able to collaboratively align and focus internal and external stakeholders' efforts to accelerate progress on achieving the district's goals for students and organizational performance. Possesses ability and understands the importance of developing mutually beneficial relationships with the business community. Possesses experience with strategic planning and the ability to manage a large diverse school district.
A very successful communicator.

9. The school board is in the process of developing a new formal evaluation instrument for the Superintendent. In addition to this annual evaluation, please describe how you would propose providing formative feedback to the next superintendent on his/her performance on an ongoing basis.
The Duval County School Board passed a new Superintendent Evaluation policy on June 11, 2012. The formal evaluation will consist of both qualitative and quantitative components and will be aligned with the District's Strategic Plan. The board will determine the components and values of the formal evaluation no later than the month of June each year and if no action then the board will use the prior evaluation instrument. This process will provide for constructive feedback on the superintendent's performance, the intent being the continuous improvement of the Duval County School District.

It is important for each board member to meet with the superintendent on a quarterly basis to communicate his or her feelings about the superintendent's performance. If this is done then there should not be any Financial Resources and Budgeting surprises on the yearly evaluation!! I have done this since I have been a board member. The Duval County School Board is responsible for adopting an annual budget that outlines expected expenses. A copy of current budget documents can be accessed at http://www.duvalschools.org/static/aboutdcps/departments/ budget/budget_resources.asp. Please review these documents so that you can answer questions #10-12 as specifically as possible. 10. What specific areas of the district budget would you prioritize, particularly if additional resources became available? Our first priority is to safeguard the classroom and provide adequate quality educational opportunities for all children.

11. With revenues expected to continue to decline in the coming years, additional budget cuts are all but a certainty. What specific areas of the budget would you recommend reducing first? Having been through several years of cuts we are already at a point of diminishing returns. There is no easy way forward. Many of our operational areas have been reduced by at lease 25% and most employees have not had a raise in over four years. We are in survival role at this point!! My priorities remain in the classroom. We have to reduce capital expenditures before anything else and protect the classrooms at all costs!! 12. The school district generally maintains a carry-forward balance and reserve fund in its budgeting process, a portion of which is required by state law. How would you balance the maintaining of a reserve in excess of the state requirement and continuing to fund programs and services during tight fiscal times? While the state audits for a minimum of 3% fund balance, most professional associations such as the Government Finance Officers Affairs Association recommends an industry average of 5% to 10%. There is very little relief in sight and with a continued unstable economic climate, my priority for any excess would be to first continue the most pressing educational priorities which is saving the classroom and academic achievement at all costs!!

13. To ensure the district has adequate fiscal resources and avoids budget shortfalls in the future, what, if any, revenue sources should the school district pursue and on what timetable (e.g. increased local property or sales taxes, statewide tax increases, etc.)?
The Florida Legislature should fund our school districts at the adequate funding rates!! This action has not been done in years!! We need to continue to increase our grants from the state and federal government. I do not think that we can count on any tax increase and so we must be smart and visionary in our approach to our fiscal resources.

Community, Parent and External Relationships 14. How would you propose strengthening the relationships between parents, schools and community members?
The district has a new Director of the Community and Family Engagement Office. This office is now connecting with the overall community including the faith based community, volunteers, business community and parents and non profits I believe that it is very important for board members to be involved with this office. Board members are out in the community an can assist that office by recruiting volunteers. An example is that about six years ago I was approached by Helen Lane and her sister. They wanted to get involved in a school in our district. The sisters were taken around to look at several schools and they chose Carter G. Woodson. Now Carter Woodson is an elementary medical magnet and I know that they have made a real difference at that school. This should be our goal...to have a major group or individuals adopt all of our schools!!

The Principal for a Day is also a great way to engage our community 10 leaders...they get into those schools and find our the challenges and great opportunities in our schools!!

15. How would you ensure that the school district remains transparent to the community in terms of student academic performance, financial management, school board meetings, public records and other areas? Our board meetings are live and shown on the DCPS website. Any person can attend our meeting...workshops and board meetings. We have to be transparent and with the sunshine law we must have open communication with the media!! Town Hall meetings help with out board communication and our strategic plan and data dashboard is on the DCPS website. 16. There are a number of external organizations that interact with and work to support the Duval County Public Schools, from the PTA to the Mayors Office to local nonprofits. Please describe the ideal relationship with entities like these and how you may leverage their services to support students. We are always trying to be more transparent.
The PTA, Mayor's Offic, JPEF and other non profits serve a very important role for the school system. These groups lobby in Tallahassee and are up to date on all of the issues. Many of our non profits are in our schools and they do a great job. United Way, Communities in Schools, Big Brothers Big Sisters are just an example of the non profits who are in the schools and we need them!! They make a significant difference in students lives!! It is incumbent for school board members to be involved in these non profits and to understand and appreciate what these agencies do for our students and teachers!!

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Legislative & State Issues The actions and decisions of the Florida Legislature and State Board of Education have a significant impact on the education of Jacksonville students. 17. What law or policy passed in the past few years by the Florida Legislature or State Board of Education had the greatest positive impact on education in Jacksonville? When State Senator Jim King was President of the Florida State Senate in 2004 to 2006, he went to bat for our district. Duval County always had a very low DCD which is the District Cost Differential...Senator King made sure that our allocation per student was significantly increased!! Sen. King fought for Duval County wand the south Florida legislators were not happy with him but we in Duval County should always thank him for his vision and action!! A net increase for each year was $8 million for three years for the allocation of our FEFP which is the Florida Educational Financial Program. 18. What law or policy passed in the past few years by the Florida Legislature or State Board of Education had the greatest negative impact on education in Jacksonville? The class size amendment has hurt our schools.
Research shows that the only students who are significantly affected by the class size are those in Grades 1-3. Our district has spent millions on this law while we lose significant teachers and aides due to this amendment. Principals have to lay off key resource teachers and media and guidance counselors in order to meet this mandate. This is a great example of an underfunded mandate from the state legislature.

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 Major Policy Issues 19. What do you see as the advantages and/or disadvantages to using standardized testing data as a portion of a teachers evaluation? Teachers will be graded on FCAT scores on a 50% basis. I think that this percentage is too much. We are losing out on enrichment pieces and no longer teach the whole child!! We are teaching to the test!! We have to realize that we need to be teaching the whole child and not just a test!! Arts, music and other areas teach the whole child..there is more to life than the FCAT. 20. Duval County currently operates magnet programs in more than 50 schools, including 13 dedicated magnet schools. How do the districts magnet programs positively and/or negatively impact overall student achievement in Jacksonville? Our magnet programs are very successful!!! The board realized that we needed to offer accelerated programs in all of our neighborhood high schools!! We are seeing a return to neighborhood high schools as a result of these programs. I wrote about these programs in question 2. I am proud of Terry Parker in my school district..TP will have a IB program this coming school year!!

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21. What impact does out-of-district school choicecharter schools, tax-credit scholarships/vouchers, opportunity scholarships, and similar programs have on the success of students in Jacksonville?
Many charters are doing will and many are not. Test scores are fairly low in some. I am for choice but we need to monitor the charter schools on a continual basis.

22. Currently, the Florida Constitution limits class sizes to no more than 18 students in Grades K-3, 22 students in Grades 4-8 and 25 students in Grades 9-12, as measured at the actual class level. From your perspective as a potential board member, is the impact of this measure positive or negative in the effective education of students and management of our district? Why? I answered this on question #18.

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23. Currently, nearly 60 percent of high school graduates need remedial coursework before being eligible to take credit-bearing courses at Florida State College at Jacksonville. What would you propose to increase the number of students graduating college and career ready and reduce the numbers requiring remediation?
I would like to point out that not all of the high school graduates are from Duval County schools. Potential students can apply from every county and many are older students who are not necessarily Duval County graduates!! High school students currently take the SAT, ACT and PERT. PERT is the assessment for entrance into community college. The school system is putting in more rigorous course work in elementary and middle school especially in math and reading. These courses will assist students for the rigor of college work. The school board voted several years ago to increase requirements for high school graduation. Our career academies are very successful and students can graduate with a diploma and certification from the particular career academy area. The board also made sure that acceleration programs are in every high school. All of these actions should assist in making sure that our students are college ready.

24. If you have children, what type of school do/did they attend? (mark all that apply) _____ Public (inside Duval County) _____ Public (outside Duval County) _____ Private _____ Charter _____ Home Education _____ Other: ______________________________________________________________________

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