The At-Large Race: Ted Velkoff
One in a series of at-large school board candidates responses to reader questions
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Seven candidates will vie for three at-large seats on the Fairfax County School Board in the Nov. 8 elections.
As election day approaches, Patch has selected six questions based on submissions from readers and sent them in a survey to all at-large candidates.
Over the course of the next week, Patch will run the responses of the six candidates who returned the questionnaires. These responses are unedited, in the candidates' own words. Note: Candidate Lin-Dai Kendall did not return the survey.
Oct. 12: Ted Velkoff
Today, Ted Velkoff
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Is FCPS underfunded, overfunded, or properly funded at the current level? Explain. |
| FCPS is underfunded. The Federal Government imposes many unfunded mandates on our schools. The Commonwealth of Virginia underfunds education at all levels – in our universities (the result of which is that our universities limit the number in-state students in order to make up the difference with out-of-state students paying higher tuition); in our K-12 schools; and in pre-K (where many of our neediest children go without needed preparation for public schools). Not only is state education underfunded, the available funds are distributed in a manner that is unfair to Fairfax County citizens. Because the Commonwealth uses a formula called the Local Composite Index (LCI), our county gets back about 24 cents for every dollar it pays in. The burden for making up the rest of the school system budget (about 75% of $2.2B) falls on the citizens of Fairfax County. Because Virginia is a Dillon Rule state and the taxing authority of the Board of Supervisors is limited, the tax burden falls heavily on property owners in Fairfax County. |
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When you compare high schools in Fairfax County, especially looking at free and reduced meals and band and athletic booster numbers, there is a large disparity between some high schools, resulting in “Have vs. Have-not” schools within Fairfax County. How do you intend to deal with this growing disparity? How does the School Board and Board of Supervisors plan to help the most needy schools, as its budget continues to shrink? |
| First, we need to continue to target resources to the schools with the greatest needs, in order to address this imbalance. Second, we need to encourage business partners to contribute funds and resources to these schools, to help cover expenses that may be more easily covered in other communities. Finally, we need to use the Foundation for Fairfax County Public Schools as a source of funding to help reduce disparities between schools. |
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The School Board is almost entirely dependent on school system staff for knowledge and understanding, and there is no standing ombudsman function. Do you trust the central office staff of FCPS to provide the School Board with honest, well-reasoned, fact-based analysis of policy questions facing that body? |
| The School Board and the Board of Supervisors have responsibilities that run in parallel. The School Board oversees the school system, which is managed by the superintendent; the Board of Supervisors oversees county government, which is managed by the county executive. The twelve member School Board is currently supported by a staff of four people; each of the ten supervisors typically has a staff of four or five people that report to that supervisor. Although the Board of Supervisors has sole authority to generate revenue, the School Board has sole authority over the school system budget, which comprises more than 53% of county revenue. The public rightly expects the School Board to operate with independence of the superintendent, just as it expects the Board of Supervisors to act with independence of the county executive. I believe the time has come to examine both the size and reporting structure of the staff that reports to the School Board. The hiring of an auditor and perhaps an ombudsman is a good first step. |
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What role do you think parents should play in setting policy and effecting change in our school system? If you had to draw a pie chart showing all those whom you think should be involved in overseeing FCPS policies, what would it look like? |
| The twelve elected members of the School Board are completely responsible for setting and changing the policies that govern our school system. The School Board has full responsibility for establishing the goals and objectives for our schools; has full responsibility for selecting a superintendent who will work to achieve those goals; and has full responsibility for holding the superintendent accountable for meeting the Board’s objectives. The School Board represents the citizens (parents, teachers, students, taxpayers) of Fairfax County, and each board member is responsible for reflecting community opinion, to his or her best ability, in each decision he or she makes. |
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School start time is an issue that has not been addressed in some time. Will you seriously consider pushing the start time of our high schools back? Why or why not? |
| The arguments for helping teenagers get more sleep are compelling and grounded in science. But changing the bell schedule will have negative consequences for some children and families that outweigh the benefits for them. I believe what we learned in 2009 was that the issue is less about high school start times, and more about high school end times. At town hall meetings and in the opinion survey, parents in overwhelming numbers expressed concern that the costs to their families – in impact on after-school athletics, activities and programs, childcare and family schedules – outweighed the benefits of a later start time. I am completely open to a reconsideration of this question, but in order to support a change to the schedule, I would need to be convinced that the concerns raised by parents two years ago have been addressed to their satisfaction. |
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Do you support video surveillance in the county’s high schools? To what extent? |
| Before we even consider increasing the current level of video surveillance in high schools (which I believe the community is not ready to do, given the recent issues with the discipline system), we should first be sure we have made every possible effort to curb the behaviors that led to recent incidents in the first place. This could take the form of presentations, programs or discussions with students in school and with parents at PTA meetings and town halls. |
Wien
6:08 pm on Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Velkoff...Velkoff...Velkoff...where have I sent that name before? Oh yeah, every three feet on the highway. It's disgusting to come down 123 from DC and see the same candidate's signs every four feet for miles and miles. It's an eye-sore and a waste, and there should really be county ordinances in more places that restrict this 'shock and awe' strategy of blanketing our medians.
Thank god for Vienna. It's so nice to enter my home town, see the Welcome to Vienna sign, and see political BS vanish from the medians.
How can I vote to see less signs every year?
Catherine
10:19 am on Thursday, October 13, 2011
Gee no mention from Mr. Velkoff about how he has publicly spoken against parent advocates and the work they have accomplished. (See the links below for letters Mr. Velkoff has published in local papers.) Also no mention from Mr. Velkoff that he was one of the only people in the county to publicly speak for renewal of Superintendent Dale's contract in 2009. What a mistake that was! History matters and Mr. Velkoff's record demonstrates he's a protege of current School Board member Kathy Smith - a promoter and defender of the Superintendent and all too willing to criticize parent and teacher groups who bring forth reliable research and legitimate concerns. Voters can do far better than Mr. Velkoff. His positions will bring no added value to the FCPS School Board or the community.
http://www.connectionnewspapers.com/articleprint.asp?article=343357&paper=82&cat=110
http://www.connectionnewspapers.com/article.asp?article=276011&paper=62&cat=110
Chris
5:45 pm on Friday, October 14, 2011
Thank you for providing facts!!!!
Concerned Parent
10:44 am on Thursday, October 13, 2011
This is a candidate for School Board?! Sounds like some political flunkie wrote these responses. Underfunded schools--where's the data that suggests current funding levels have hurt student achievement? Can anyone tell what Velkoff is suggesting as a solution? Funding Disparity--Voluntary corporate contributions for our neediest students? There's a dedicated funding stream. Trust in Central Staff--Did Velkoff even use the words "central staff" in his response? What does the Bd of Supv have to do with this anyway? When SB staff start helping residents find services, repair potholes, resolve bus problems, etc., then they'll need to hire 4 staffers each. Duh. Role of Parents--Clearly, Velkoff thinks they should have no role. Later Start Times--This man & his wife led or were involved in nearly every effort to prevent later start times. He is opposed to them regardless of what research has proven can work, save millions, & improve health. He will not be swayed by any FACTS or resolutions offered. Parents were overwhelmingly opposed to an alternative designed by FCPS to be unpalatable. Surveillance Cameras--Velkoff's response demonstrates just how ignorant this candidate is of best practices & data-driven decision making. Schoolwide Positive Behavior Supports (SWPBS) are foundations for school climate, requiring community buy-in & engagement--not just programs, presentations, PTA meetings.
VOTE BROWN-KAPLAN, STUBAN, MANCHENO-SMOAK for At-Large School Board.
Marta D. Saltus
11:17 am on Thursday, October 13, 2011
Thank you Catherine and Concerned Parent! I was not aware of the fact that Velkoff advocated for the renewal of the Superintendent's contract. I think that is ALL any parent and/or taxpayer needs to know when voting for a School Board candidate this coming November, and the choice is crystal clear: Velkoff should not be a winner in this race!
Concerned Taxpayer
1:03 pm on Friday, October 14, 2011
I would support him just because he supported Mr Dale. We are blessed to have both great schools and great leadership in our schools for many years. Unfortunately our public servants can not do their jobs because of busybodies and over-involved helicopter parents in this county. It is a shame that the stupdiest people are often the wealthiest and the ones with the loudest mouths.
Chris
5:50 pm on Friday, October 14, 2011
I am very grateful to these "stupid" people.
Concerned Taxpayer
9:49 pm on Friday, October 14, 2011
Well you shouldn't be. The people who tear down our school system are destroying our property values and devaluing the number 1 reason people move here: great, exceptional schools. It is all a symptom of this ridiculous idea that every citizen has all these rights and every decision by elected officials and public servants needs to be approved and vetted by the public. We don't live in a democracy, sorry, we live in a representative democracy. You elect people to represent you, allow them to do their jobs and if you don't like the job they do, vote them out, don't badger and insult them. Let them do their jobs. It amazes me that anyone would run for public office given the amount of second guessing and backstabbing that the public engages in vs our elected officials.
Chris
10:38 pm on Friday, October 14, 2011
I guess you're right about us living in a representative democracy. However, individuals are not required to go through their representatives in order to speak their minds.
Marta D. Saltus
3:56 pm on Sunday, October 16, 2011
"loudmouth stupid parents? Look at yourself in the mirror. The school board and it's administrators work for US, not the other way around! I suggest you educate yourself before you rattle off talking points for the current administration.
Lin-Dai Kendall
11:54 pm on Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Many people I've heard from make the argument that lack of responsiveness, a tone-deaf approach and failure to consider community based/produced solutions has characterized our sitting School Board. I would also argue that the raised level of interest in these races this year reflects county residents’ perception of this tone-deaf leadership and poor policy decision-making. I would advance that these two issues are what is tearing down our school system and devaluing our schools.
We must also bear in mind that FCPS commands 53cents of every dollar taxpayers pay the County and that same service is used by only ¼ of the population. When you manage a $2.2 billion dollar budget on behalf of the county resident implementing much-needed oversight and responsiveness is mandatory.
PS America was founded on the concept of republic: a majority limited, under a written Constitution which would safeguard the rights of the individual and the minority.
Ca
1:02 pm on Sunday, October 23, 2011
Well put.
Catherine
11:12 pm on Friday, October 14, 2011
People aren't destroying FCPS. Bad leadership is. Check out these headlines:
Suicide Turns Attention to Fairfax Discipline Procedures - Washington Post – 2.20.11
Fairfax School’s Discipline Under Scrutiny-Acne Drug Suspension – Wash. Post 3.10.11
FCPS FOIA Requests Take Seven Months to Fill – Fairfax Patch 3.4.11
Fighting for Honors Program - The Connection Newspaper, 1.14.11
FCPS HS Experiments with Letting Cheating Students Retake Tests –Wash. Post, 11.17.10
Alternative Test May Inflate Score Gains -Washington Post,11.19.09
Fairfax Public Schools Officials Cheat on Test Scores - Washington Examiner, 9.22.09
Fairfax School Board’s Gateway Drug - The Washington Examiner, 1.19.09
Gatehouse II – A Bad Deal - The Connection Newspapers, 10.2.08
Residents Sue Over Closure of Clifton ES - Washington Post, 8.10.10
Woodson Community Fights Bus Storage Proposal – The Connection Newspaper, 10.27.10
Fairfax Chief Wants to Keep Grading System – The Washington Post, 1.3.09
Grading Challenged-Similar HS Yield Different GPAs - Connection Newspapers, 12.18.08
Business Leaders Call for Changes in Grading Policy – The Connection Newspapers, 11.22.08
Moms Challenge Grading System – The Connection Newspaper, 4.8.08
Many Schools Outdated and Overcrowded – The Connection Newspaper, 2.9.10
Class Size Bumps Up Against Physical & Legal Constraints –The Connection, 1.15.10
Concerned Taxpayer
12:26 pm on Saturday, October 15, 2011
Well I could get three times as many headlines that show all the great things that come out of our school system, a bunch of random headlines prove nothing. Well what they do prove is a bunch of loudmouth parents get their way because they yell louder and complain the most instead of letting the system and the professionals do their job. I want even talk about the grading fiasco that dumbed down a superior school system to the level of its inferior peers or the two faced moaning of the Clifton parents about closing their school and at the same time complaining about their tax rates. So don't start with that, facts are facts, you elect people to do a job and then you second guess them, attack their integrity and destroy their will to do their job to the point that competent people leave and the dregs run the system and then you complain that the dregs run the system, you get what you deserve, but I expect better from my civil servants and elected officials.
Chris
5:02 pm on Saturday, October 15, 2011
You keep repeating yourself Concerned Taxpayer. The board members have been at their posts long enough if the voters decide. Plenty of us agree with these "loudmouths". Maybe you should look in the mirror when you call them "loudmouths".
Ca
12:55 pm on Sunday, October 23, 2011
The first part of our lives we try to figure out the world. The 2nd half of our lives, we try to convince others that our way of thinking is right. (I'm paraphrasing, but I think that's from David Brook's, The Social Animal. Great read!) I like what I've read so far on this particular candidate, Ted Velkoff. It seems he is very capable in addition to employing thoughtful, balanced approaches. It seems as if he in to account the big picture when it comes to the sleep issue and the needs of families and students in Fairfax County. It's a tough subject, but from what I gather, this gentleman is open to hearing more and weighing everyone's needs. I also appreciate that he wants to help out where the need is greatest. So far, I'm impressed with what I've learned today about Ted Velkoff.