Why Tricia
Tricia believes deeply that schools belong to everyone in Jefferson County, advocating for transparency and open communication with all stakeholders. She values community involvement in shaping JCPS to best serve our children’s educational needs and aspirations.
Increase Engagement of Students and Staff
It is vital to create an environment where teachers feel free to teach in ways that are exciting and interesting to our students.
Creative curriculums can meet students where they are and move them forward.
Attract and Retain Quality Teachers and Staff
This year’s expansion of teachers’ benefits is the first step in attracting and retaining quality teachers. Other steps include funding classroom management support, and increasing mental health and social work professionals in our schools, so teachers can teach, and others can support students holistically. This includes having an open forum with JCTA to hear and understand what our teachers and staff need to excel.
Community-wide Stakeholder Involvement
Every voice needs the ability to be heard. Tricia will make sure adequate notice of meetings and topics are provided so that all stakeholders can make plans and arrangements to participate in decision making. It is vital to create an environment where teachers feel free to teach in ways that are exciting and interesting to our students. Creative curriculums can meet students where they are and move them forward.
Maximize Instructional Time
One focus will be to keep standardized testing to a minimum – only doing testing that has evidence-based usefulness. Another focus will be to find ways to encourage students to want to be at school, and to view school as their community, a place where they belong. Instructional time also includes ensuring funding for schools to have arts, extracurricular, and physical education programs in each building.
Improved Relationship with State Legislature
Tricia will work with the state legislature to increase funding to all public school systems in Kentucky, including funding for teachers, expanded transportation support, mental health professionals, and for creating alternative public education options to meet all of Kentucky students’ needs.
Tricia’s Views on Current Educational Initiatives
Charter Schools: OPPOSED
I oppose bringing charter schools to Louisville. The goal is to provide equitable access to high quality schools for every student. Charter schools have not been shown to achieve this goal. The issue with charter schools is that they don’t deliver significantly greater outcomes than public schools. There are a few shining examples, but there are also shining examples in public systems. When you compare the best charter school to the worst public school, obviously they look great. When you compare the best public school to the worst charter school, the same is true. In the end, if they don’t deliver better guaranteed outcomes, the risk of removing public dollars from the system is too great.
Funding Private Schools with Public Dollars: OPPOSED
Vouchers and tuition tax credits take money out of the system and will not help students succeed. We have evidence from states around the country that using public funds for private schools, have not increased student achievement. It has actually created a budget crisis where public schools can not afford to update to facilities, invest in wrap around student success programs, or retain of quality educators. I have pledged to vote no on the 2024 KY Constitutional Amendment. I encourage you to do the same.
