Sarah Howard

Education Look out for our English learners. Peoria is a community with diverse needs, but our demographics are shifting. We have a growing population of students learning English as a second language and this trend is expected to continue. Shoutout to the Multicultural Dual Language Academy for meeting this need! Wages / Job Benefits As a board member, I would advocate for better pay, training, and retention for classroom aides. Education Expand access to gifted and AP programs at our schools so gifted students everywhere are challenged. Education Apply evidence-based solutions for closing the achievement gap and raising reading and math proficiency. I would also like to look into possibilities for tutoring solutions and bringing back specialized roles such as interventionists. Education Keep students on the right path. For example, increased involvement in extracurricular opportunities is a positive bulwark against falling into a less ideal lifestyle. We need to expand offerings to make them available to kids at every school. Education Hire and train qualified classroom aides. In classrooms that are crowded, or have students who need extra assistance, another qualified set of hands would free the teacher to do their job. Wages / Job Benefits Listen to our teachers and our union. I would invite teachers for a seat at the table for input on decisions that affect the classroom, working conditions, and working with them on salary and retention pay. As the community and collective voice of our experts on the ground, they deserve to be heard. Unions matter for stronger schools! Education Lift up our differently abled students. As a special ed mom, I am very passionate about this! Children with special needs deserve to learn in a classroom like any other, and as a board member I would never let resource funding for our SPED services lapse.