Meet Jennifer Custer, candidate for the Chicago school board’s 1st District

Academics

About 31% of Chicago Public Schools elementary students are meeting state standards in reading, and 19% are meeting math standards. How would you approach growing reading and math achievement?^*
Part of this improvement comes from a solid, researched-based curriculum for all students. It should be achievable, but heavily differentiated so students can access it. But it also means supporting teachers and staff who teach it through professional development, teaching best practices and resources to do their job.

Do you support standardized testing more than once a year?
Yes. Using standardized testing throughout the year helps to show growth in our students’ learning as the year goes on. The beginning of the year testing helps us establish a baseline as to where students are starting, and a place to move forward from as the year progresses.

Do you support requiring all schools to select from a certain curriculum authorized by the board of education?
Yes. All students deserve the same access to a high quality education no matter what school they attend. Curriculums may be the same, but teachers can have autonomy to choose from the best practices to teach it, and ones that reach their student’s best. Being able to differentiate that curriculum will be critical to meet the needs of all students.

Chicago Public Schools has consistently fallen short when it comes to serving students with disabilities. What would you do to improve special education?
Special education is an area where CPS does need to raise the bar to serve this population. I think budget allocation has a lot to do with this, as it can be a large area for need. Providing the right support for these students at every building is also critical.

CPS finances

In recent years, Chicago’s Board of Education has consistently raised the property tax levy to the maximum allowed by state law every year. Should the board continue to raise the levy to the maximum?
Yes. While I don’t believe this should always be the case, CPS is in desperate need of funding for various efforts. While I respect people’s hard-earned incomes, the support of public education, in its many facets, is crucial to helping to turn out well-rounded, critically thinking citizens. Similarly, as Springfield expands the role and responsibility of school districts around the state, funds are required to meet those demands.

Do you think CPS needs more funding, or do you think the school district’s budget is bloated? How would you balance the CPS budget?^*
Balancing the budget is going to be a monumental task, and one I don’t take lightly. I think taking a closer look at how and where money is allocated can help us make more informed decisions. No matter what those outcomes might be, being transparent with the public and taxpayers is crucial.

School choice

Do you support the current board of education’s decision to prioritize neighborhood schools and shift away from the current system of school choice with selective enrollment, magnet and charter schools?
No. I do not believe that these issues are mutually exclusive. I firmly believe that looking more closely at our best performing selective enrollment and magnet school can serve as a lamplight to helping to build up and improve on our neighborhood schools as well.

Given the board of education’s decision to prioritize neighborhood schools, how would you balance supporting those schools without undermining the city’s selective enrollment schools and other specialized programs?^*
These two ideas are not mutually exclusive. I believe we can not only do both, but we can look at some of these selective enrollment schools and learn from what they are doing well to support neighborhood schools and raise the bar.

The first charter school opened in Chicago in 1997 and these privately run, publicly funded schools grew in number throughout the 2000s. Today, 54,000 Chicago Public Schools students, or about 17%, attend charters and contract schools. Do you support having charter schools in CPS as an option for students?
Yes. While I believe parents should have a choice on where to send their children and utilize the existing charter schools, I do not support the expansion of charter schools in Chicago.

Independence

If elected, how will you maintain your independence from the mayor’s office, the Chicago Teachers Union or other powerful forces shaping the school system?^*
When running for the Chicago School Board, I feel it is important to have your priorities solidified before entering. For me, as a long-time educator, my bottom line is what is best for the kids. There are many stakeholders in the game of education, but we should also be looking at what creates the best product, and that is the students who come from the system. We need to work together to insure their success as future citizens.

Police in schools

Do you support having sworn Chicago Police Department officers stationed in schools?
Yes. Sworn police officers, also known as a School Resource Officer (SRO), can be a vital asset to buildings. I believe that, in lieu of the board’s decision to remove them, LSCs should have the right to work with their administrators to make a decision that is best for their school and community, and its needs.

Busing and facilities

Last year, in an effort to prioritize transportation for students with disabilities as required by state and federal law, CPS canceled busing for general education students who attend selective enrollment and magnet schools and hasn’t found a solution to reinstate that service. Do you support busing for general education students?
Yes. As I have been out meeting with families, and even teachers and staff, I have heard and seen how drastically this has affected some of their lives. Systematically, we should be looking at every single possible way to get students to school — not keep them from it.

About one-third of Chicago public school buildings have space for at least double the students they’re currently enrolling. Chicago officials have previously viewed under-enrolled schools as an inefficient use of limited resources — and a decade ago the city closed a record 50 schools. Do you support closing schools for low enrollment?
No. Through efforts in school improvement and supporting our neighborhood schools, I believe we can build these institutions back up again to bring the local community back to their schools.

Bilingual education

CPS has long struggled to comply with state and federal laws requiring bilingual programs at schools that enroll 20 or more students who speak a different language. The recent influx of migrant families has exacerbated the problem. What policies do you support to ensure the district is supporting bilingual students and in compliance with state and federal laws?
The expansion of bilingual programs is an effort across the state at the moment. Many schools are looking for teachers and staff to help support these efforts. I think, first and foremost, establishing bilingual education as a value-added asset to education is crucial, and removing the stigma that speaking another language is a hindrance to education.

Top local issue

Please share one issue that’s a top concern for your community or your larger elected school board voting district.
Selective enrollment and magnet schools are a large issue in my district. Many do not want to see those schools torn down, as they serve many families in my community. While many feel neighborhood schools are important and want to continue building them up, the community supports keeping those selective enrollment and magnet schools as they are.