Meet Danielle Wallace, candidate for the Chicago school board’s 6th 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?^*
My focus as a board member would be to provide more resources to our trusted teachers and administrators. The board is a governing body that doesn’t have day to day interaction with children but we trust those who do and it will be our job to make sure they have everything they bneed to thrive.

Do you support standardized testing more than once a year?
No. There is so much innovation in assessing student outcomes that I think we have some really good and viable options that don’t have to include the damaging effects of high stakes standardized testing.

Do you support requiring all schools to select from a certain curriculum authorized by the board of education?
No. I believe the board can act more as a guardrail not a guide. Our administrators, teachers, support staff and students are the active participants in improving student outcomes and should have the space to collaborate towards establishing and implementing innovation in curriculum.

Chicago Public Schools has consistently fallen short when it comes to serving students with disabilities. What would you do to improve special education?
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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?
No. We have become so reliant on property taxes as a major source of funding for our schools. I would love to see us reimagine how we could engage with The Children First Fund for innovations in funding.

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?^*
Two things can be true. CPS needs more diversity in funding sources and better oversite in spending.

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 trust that parents and students know what schools are the best fit for them. I do, however, support creating a plan to be intentional about revitalizing our school that are in deep disrepair.

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?^*
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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. I support innovation. I believe that charter schools aren’t the enemy of public schools. Public schools and charter school are apart of the education ecosystem. Figuring out how to exist in this ecosystem is a task that we constantly try to circumvent however for every innovation we try to prevent there are four more to take its place.

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?^*
I’m not affiliated with them today.

Police in schools

Do you support having sworn Chicago Police Department officers stationed in schools?
No. Police in schools is a reactionary practice that began in the wake of a decline in the sanctity, and respect for the school environment. As we address the overall culture of CPS we will see less of a need for police in schools.

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. Students that need busing should have busing.

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. Schools that have low enrollment are schools that have experienced decades of disinvestment. It’s adding insult to injury to close a school for poor management.

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?
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Top local issue

Please share one issue that’s a top concern for your community or your larger elected school board voting district.
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