A Balancing Act

Last spring I voted for the Lakewood Schools operating levy because I wanted our district to be able to preserve as many of the wonderful programs as possible that we offer to our students, and because I wanted to provide our school district with the funding needed to continue to provide our kids with a good education.

Many citizens voted yes on the levy because they value education and want the best for Lakewood kids and families. By passing the levy a trust was established between the Lakewood School District and the community. We passed the levy, and in return our Board promised to do its due diligence to be accountable and responsible with our money, especially when it came to programming. 

As we approach another school year we are beginning to receive bits and pieces of clues as to what programs may not be continued next year and the years soon following. To date, it is not clear as to which programs may be on the chopping block for next year, nor have there been any discussions at any of the regular school board meetings or with the community regarding program cuts.

Our elected Board must balance the needs of the District with the values and wants of a community. There is not always a win-win situation and there must be compromises in tough economic times. Yet, shouldn’t parents and citizens at least be able to communicate to the District which programs, if cut, would be “deal-breakers”? How does our Board go about evaluating a program?  Do they consider the consequences to our city, district, and Lakewood families when considering which programs to cut?

I believe our community doesn’t want fires put out or a piece-meal approach to program decisions. My hope is that our District will take a comprehensive, holistic approach when deciding which programs they will offer to students, that they conduct research into programs that are evidence-based and proven to meet the needs of students, that they make the effort to understand what this community values most in education, and that they communicate their findings to the community and evaluate the feedback they receive when making final decisions.

We are experiencing serious financial challenges as a school district, but on the flip side there exists great room for opportunity if we take a holistic approach to our district, as the needs of the District are met and balanced with the needs and wants of our community. The time is now for decisions that will make us stronger and better equipped than other Districts to provide an excellent education in Lakewood.  It will take creativity, forward thinking, and cutting edge decisions. Actually, when you get past the fear of what the financial situation may be you can see that there is opportunity and excitement in the future for education.

Many of the choices we make in the next couple of years will affect our District, our city and whether we will be able to attract new families to our city, and whether or not our kids can get into the colleges of their choice or get the jobs they want. There are some issues that our Board of Education faces that have to be solved quickly and not necessarily with community input. However, programs offered by a school district should not only meet state requirements and standards, but also be a reflection of the values of the community as a whole.