Candidate name: Heather Iliff

Place of residence: College Park

Date of birth: Feb. 16, 1970

Place of birth: Baltimore

Current occupation: Deputy Director for Education, Alliance for Nonprofit Management

Education: B.A. in International Studies; The American University; M.A. in Political Science; Central European University (accredited by University of the State of New York).

Community associations, involvement: Chair, Education Advisory Committee; City of College Park; President,;Berwyn District Civic Association

Professional associations: No answer.

Family: Husband, Jeff; Daughter, Maya

Campaign office address and telephone: Friends of Heather Iliff, 4900 Osage Street, College Park, MD 20740

Link to candidate's Web site, if site exists: www.heatheriliff.com

Link to state Board of Elections campaign finance database

My top three priorities are to:

a) Improve instruction at all levels by recruiting and retaining top teachers, providing incentives for teachers to work in challenging schools, and supporting innovation;

b) Focus on raising achievement in middle and high schools, including creating smaller schools and 'schools-within-a-school' to individualize learning; offering more rigorous courses such as international baccalaureate and advanced placement; and promoting career and technical education; and

c) Promote strong community involvement, including the business community, in helping schools and students succeed.

How would you rate the performance of the current school board: excellent, good, fair or poor? Why?

Fair. The current school board has succeeded leading the system toward three consecutive years of rising test scores for students tested in 3rd and 8th grades, and a new curriculum has been successfully implemented at the elementary level. However, we are facing a crisis in our high schools, and we have not seen the board advance a strategic set of remedies to address the myriad problems. In fact, while the school system has experienced a budget surplus, funds have been cut for successful programs that boost student achievement such as advanced-level courses, anti-truancy programs and parent liaisons. The board had an unfortunate mis-step in hiring and backing the previous CEO, and clung too long after it became apparent that his ethical lapses were egregious.

Is the county funding for schools too much, about right or too little? If too little, where would you find additional funds?

Operating budget is about right for this year: County funding for the operating budget of schools will be $1.5 billion in the coming fiscal year, showing an 8.5% increase over the previous year that includes a much-needed raise for teachers. Since the School Board's budget was fully funded by the County, I believe we need to work within these resources and ensure funds are being spent wisely.

Capital improvement budget is far too little: However, the capital improvements budget for school repair and new school construction is far under-funded and needs a serious investment on the part of the county, the state, and the private sector. Many of our schools are severely overcrowded, especially high schools, and too many repairs have been postponed, thus further degrading our existing facilities.

What should the school system do to raise student achievement?

Students achieve when they have access to high-quality teachers, when the learning environment is disciplined, when students interact every day with adults who know them well, and when their parents are involved in their education. It is the job of the Board to ensure these conditions are present in every school and every classroom.

One particular challenge for our schools is the issue of student discipline. I believe an ‘‘ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure,” and our best hope is to pro-actively involve students in setting the limits of acceptable behavior; for teachers and administrators to regularly interact with students in a respectful, caring manner; and for teachers to regularly update their skills in classroom management.

What would you do to recruit and retain quality teachers?

I believe we need to increase teachers' pay at entry level and at experienced levels to be competitive with neighboring counties. But, problems of recruitment and retention are more complex than just compensation packages. Teachers need to be fully valued, listened to, and supported in the classroom. I believe the entire school system needs to work in service of our teachers, not the other way around. Teachers need to be able to call in the resources they need to succeed, including quality materials and facilities and access to teachers aides, special educators, and other supportive school staff (such as guidance counselors, parent liaisons, nurses, etc.) We also need to reduce class sizes, give teachers more planning time, and provide top-rate professional development opportunities.

What would you do to reduce student truancy?

The most effective way to reduce truancy is to have all children actively engaged in a range of stimulating learning opportunities and to have a school environment that is disciplined and caring. Additional programs to specifically reduce truancy are also needed. In one example, High Point High School ran a successful pilot program to reduce truancy that involved faculty and staff reaching out to parents when students were absent from school at ANY time of day. The program was proven effective, but was discontinued for budget reasons. I believe that kind of policy making is ‘‘borrowing from Peter to pay Paul” - we waste our investment in high-quality teachers if the students aren't there to learn. All parents should be contacted by the school if their child is absent, and repeated absences should require a meeting with a school representative, in addition to the fines that are currently being imposed on neglectful parents.

Would you support having more charter schools in Prince George's County?

I would support charter schools under the following conditions: 1) the school is needed in the local area in terms of enrolment; 2) the school is operated by a nonprofit organization; 3) the school brings an innovative or special type of curriculum that meets particular needs of a large enough group of students in the County.

Do you think the current system for renovating and building schools is adequate or does it need changing?

The current system of renovating schools is under-resourced and reportedly ill-managed. As a result, maintenance and repairs are postponed, leading to larger renovation needs that are far more expensive. We need to focus on a regular routine of preventive maintenance and upkeep of facilities, and promote greater resources for renovation and other capital projects.

Should the school system's health curriculum include discussions of homosexuality and demonstrations of contraception use?

The school system's health curriculum should include topics and instructional approaches that are proven by research to improve student health and reduce high-risk behavior.

What do you think about the board's relationship to the community?

The board's relationship with the community needs improvement. I believe the board should offer a range of forums and opportunities for the community to have genuine input into policy, redistricting and budget decisions, in addition to public hearings. I intend to focus heavily on engaging constituents on a regular basis on how we, together as a community, can improve Prince George's County Public Schools.

Does the County Council have too much, too little or not enough oversight of the school system?

The County Council's role in approving the school budget is appropriate. With the appointed board in place, the County Council has seemed to take on a range of roles that I believe are more appropriate for the Board of Education to lead. The County Council has engaged in extensive constituent service related to education and has had significant involvement in capital improvement decisions. While these roles may have been needed with an appointed board in place, I believe an elected Board will need to take the lead on engaging the community in education, setting appropriate policy and determining capital improvement priorities.

Do you think the school system is doing enough to meet the needs of special education students?

The County is currently not able to serve all students with special needs, and is therefore obligated to pay for these students to receive a private education in neighboring counties and states. This is both disruptive to these families and costly to the school system. We currently do not have enough special education teachers, so we need to invest in teacher education and recruitment to be sure we meet the needs of special education students across the County.

Are the schools safe for students and school personnel? If not, what should be done?

Numerous instances of violence have been reported within our schools. Prevention begins at the early grades and must be sustained throughout middle and high school. Establishing a culture of discipline is essential, including accountability for both students and parents. I support expanding character education programs that have been proven to reduce discipline problems in schools. Character education includes an emphasis on respect for self and others, goal setting and high achievement.

Do you think the school system is doing enough to meet the needs of students and parents for whom English is not their primary language?

Multiculturalism must be seen as an asset, and as such, we must invest in fostering an inclusive community. The school system has recently reduced funding for parent liaisons, a position often held by bilingual staff. I believe that is going in the wrong direction. We should improve English-language instruction for ESOL students, and promote more bilingual language immersion programs. If we do so, Prince George's County could become a regional leader in graduating large numbers of bilingual and trilingual students, ready to compete in the global workplace of the future.

With uniforms becoming the norm at many county schools, would you want a countywide policy established?

School uniform policies are best determined by local schools by involving parents, administrators, staff and students.

What qualifications do you possess that make you a worthy candidate?

I am a parent of a second grader in Prince George's County Public Schools and Chair of the Education Advisory Committee in College Park, MD. I have organized numerous local forums on education, served as President of the Berwyn District Civic Association, and was the Student Member of the Board of Education in Anne Arundel County. Currently, I am Deputy Director for Education at the Alliance for Nonprofit Management. Previously, I worked overseas for nearly a decade on education policy and reform in East-Central Europe where I gained experience that will serve me well on the Board as we lead large-scale improvements in Prince George's County schools. I am a trained facilitator with experience in strategic planning, K-12 education policy, and adult learning. I hold a bachelors degree in International Studies from The American University and a Masters in Political Science from the Central European University (accredited by University of the State of New York).