Keep Austin Voting

2012 Austin ISD Board of Trustees Candidate Questionnaire Responses

The Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce is the largest regional business organization in Central Texas, with approximately 2,500 dues-paying members. The Chamber, through Opportunity Austin 2.0, focuses on providing more opportunities for residents and businesses by increasing Metro Austin’s higher education enrollment percentage from approximately 67,000 students, or 4.4 percent of the home-grown population, in 2000, to 100,000 students, or 6 percent of the home-grown population, in 2015.

Candidate Background Knowledge:  Amber Elenz | Samuel Guzman | Gina Hinojosa | Charlie Jackson | Jayme Mathias | Mary Ellen Pietruszynski | Ann Teich


Questions

 

Mary Ellen
Pietruszynski

 

Gina
Hinojosa

 

Samuel
Guzman

 

Jayme
Mathias

 

Amber
Elenz

 

Charlie
Jackson

 

Ann
Teich
  • Superintendent Carstarphen has two years left on her contract. Currently, high-performing superintendents across the country often have three-year contacts to show a board commitment to the district's leadership and management strategies. Would you support extending Superintendent Carstarphen's contract? (Yes/No)
 Yes

N/A

Yes

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A
  • Do you support the following AISD's existing specific out-year goals for the Class of 2013-2014? (Yes/No)
 Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

N/A

 

Yes

 Yes
  • Assuming a flat budget for FY14, do you support looking at all levels of operations – to include underutilized facilities – so as to free up money to improve college readiness outcomes? (Yes/No)
 Yes

N/A

Yes

Yes

N/A

Yes

 Yes
  • Do you support prioritizing and funding staff positions (Project ADVANCE) to achieve the district's college- and career-readiness targets of 73% for English language Arts, 81% for Math, a postsecondary enrollment rate of 77%, and a staff accountability and incentive component, to ensure progress by 2013-2014? (Yes/No)
 Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

N/A

Yes

 Yes
  • Do you support evaluating high school principals and key personnel on campus specific targets that improve graduation, college-and career-readiness and direct-to-college enrollment rates? (Yes/No)
 Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

N/A

Yes

 Yes
  • Do you support the 2006 agreement between Education Austin, Austin ISD and the Greater Chamber to ensure the REACH incentive pay program further reward educators who meet or exceed graduation and college- and career-readiness targets outlined in the district's strategic plan? (Yes/No)
 Yes

Yes

Yes

 Yes

Yes

Yes

 Yes
  • Do you support electing Trustees in November, when far more voters participate? (Yes/No)
 Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

N/A

Yes

 Yes

Question 1

Superintendent Carstarphen has two years left on her contract. Currently, high-performing superintendents across the country often have three-year contacts to show a board commitment to the district's leadership and management strategies. Would you support extending Superintendent Carstarphen's contract? — Yes/No

Mary Ellen Pietruszynski: Yes.

Gina Hinojosa: N/A (no answer)

Samuel Guzman: Yes

Jayme Mathias: N/A (no answer)

Amber Elenz: No response.

Charlie Jackson: N/A (no answer)

Ann Teich: Insufficient data to make informed decision

Question 2

Do you support the following AISD's existing specific out-year goals for the Class of 2013-2014? — Yes/No

Amber Elenz: No response.

Samuel Guzman: Yes, to all three.

Gina Hinojosa: Yes, to all three.

Charlie Jackson: Yes, to all three.

Jayme Mathias: Yes, to all three.

Mary Ellen Pietruszynski: Yes to all three.

Ann Teich: Yes, to all three.

Question 3

Assuming a flat budget for FY14, do you support looking at all levels of operations – to include underutilized facilities – so as to free up money to improve college readiness outcomes? — Yes/No

Amber Elenz: No response.

Samuel Guzman: Yes. But only as a last resort and it does not disproportionately affect any given area of the District. Also, as long as it does not affect our academic programs.

Gina Hinojosa:

Charlie Jackson: Yes.

Jayme Mathias: Yes.

Mary Ellen Pietruszynski: Yes.

Ann Teich: Yes.

Question 4

Do you support prioritizing and funding staff positions (Project ADVANCE) to achieve the district's college- and career-readiness targets of 73% for English language Arts, 81% for Math, a postsecondary enrollment rate of 77%, and a staff accountability and incentive component, to ensure progress by 2013-2014? — Yes/No

Amber Elenz: No response.

Samuel Guzman: Yes. As long as it is fully vetted with all the affected and interested parties and can gain consensus and support.

Gina Hinojosa: Yes.

Charlie Jackson: Yes.

Jayme Mathias: Yes.

Mary Ellen Pietruszynski: Yes.

Ann Teich: Yes.

Question 5

Do you support evaluating high school principals and key personnel on campus specific targets that improve graduation, college-and career-readiness and direct-to-college enrollment rates? — Yes/No

Amber Elenz: No response.

Samuel Guzman: Yes.

Gina Hinojosa: Yes.

Charlie Jackson: Yes, as part of overall evaluation.

Jayme Mathias: Yes.

Mary Ellen Pietruszynski: Yes.

Ann Teich: Yes.

Question 6

Do you support the 2006 agreement between Education Austin, Austin ISD and the Greater Chamber to ensure the REACH incentive pay program further reward educators who meet or exceed graduation and college- and career-readiness targets outlined in the district's strategic plan? — Yes/No

Amber Elenz: No response.

Samuel Guzman: Yes.

Gina Hinojosa: Yes.

Charlie Jackson: Yes.

Jayme Mathias: Yes.

Mary Ellen Pietruszynski: Yes.

Ann Teich: Yes.

Question 7

Do you support electing Trustees in November, when far more voters participate? — Yes/No

Amber Elenz: No response.

Samuel Guzman: Yes.

Gina Hinojosa: Yes.

Charlie Jackson: N/A

Jayme Mathias: Yes.

Mary Ellen Pietruszynski: Yes.

Ann Teich: Yes, and a limit on campaign spending needs to be in place in future elections.

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