LH voters have important decision to make in May 21 primary
The voters of Laurel Highlands have an important decision to make on May 21.
Our school district will be confronted with a number of challenges in the years to come. First and foremost is the need to provide quality educational experiences for a broad spectrum of students with a variety of educational needs. Regardless of the career path of these students, the foundation of their future success is being provided by our school district today.
How are we doing so far? According to the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA) we under perform the state averages in the critical disciplines of reading, writing, science and math. The other metric used to evaluate our educational system’s performance is the Adequate Yearly Performance Report (AYP) which measures our graduation rate as well as reading and math skill at grade levels 3-5, 6 -8 and 9 thru 12.
In 2011 we did not meet all AYP measures. These results have been described by some as a statistical fluke while others see them as an indictment of the school system in general. In my view, neither extreme is correct. What these metrics provide is a clear and concise message. Improvement is necessary and improvement is possible. This goal should be the first priority of our school board.
School consolidation, proposed by some as a method to improve our school system, is little more than a reshuffle of the organizational chart attached to the vague assumption that something good will happen if we become part of a larger group with similar debt and financing problems. The “something good” or the pathway to improved education is not defined. The consolidation approach deserves a failing grade because it ignores the real task ahead, improvement of our educational system. In fact, “education” is not even discussed in this proposal.
If everyone is opposed to nepotism, why are we still talking about it? We have been stuck in the rhetorical phase of this problem for years and we still do not have a solution. Here is that solution. Adopt a clearly defined hiring policy with it’s sole focus upon a job candidate’s qualification, certification, ability to communicate and possess the potential to provide future benefit to our students and district. All applicants should given a fair and objective evaluation using the same criteria. This straightforward process must be conducted in an honest and transparent manner. Every school board member should be able to look the taxpayers in the eye and assure them that the person hired was, without any reasonable doubt, the most qualified candidate for the job.
As you cast your vote for LH school directors, ask yourself if the status quo meets the needs and expectations of our school district. Do you believe that new ideas and a fresh approach to doing business would be beneficial? If you are looking for an independent candidate not controlled by political affiliations, vote for John Cofchin. I am committed to the dual mandate of quality education and fiscal responsibility.
John Cofchin is a resident of Uniontown.