Iowa City school board candidates share their priorities, thoughts on safety and facility plans

IOWA CITY — Five candidates are vying for three seats on the Iowa City school board in next month’s election.

The Gazette asked the candidates about their priorities, support of the district’s facility plan, and student and teacher safety.

The candidates are Jayne Finch, 54, and Ruthina Malone, 49, both incumbents, Jennifer Horn-Frasier, 55, David Noerper, 57, and Dan Stevenson, 48.

School boards establish the vision and goals for public schools in their district and set standards for the performance of schools and superintendents.

School boards — whose members are unpaid in Iowa — are responsible for making final financial and policy decisions for their districts.

Election Day is Nov. 4.

Here’s why candidates say they are running

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Finch, a physician assistant and chief healthcare ethics consultant at the Iowa City Veterans Affairs Medical Center, said she is running for re-election to provide “stable, experienced leadership that is vital at a time when our public schools are under attack.”

Malone, an administrator in the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences at the University of Iowa College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, said she is running for re-election because she believes she can “continue to offer steady leadership” as the school board navigates changes in public education. She also serves as current president of the Iowa City school board.

Horn-Frasier, a small-business owner and strategy consultant, is running for school board because she wants to contribute “to protecting, sustaining and growing” the Iowa City district at a time when “public education is under attack.” Horn-Frasier is a former language arts teacher in the district.

Noerper, a parent and former educator, said he is running for school board because he believes improvements can be made in the district, especially for students with diverse needs. “I would like to drive policies that lead to better results supporting our students, support staff, and teachers,” he said.

Stevenson, a history teacher in West Liberty, said public schools are “facing unprecedented challenges,” and he is running for school board because he believes his experience has prepared him to meet those challenges “collaboratively.”

Priorities, if elected

Finch’s priorities are to maintain student enrollment, ensure classroom safety and improve student outcomes.

“Central to all of the above is addressing the discrepancies in class sizes across our district. Smaller, more balanced class sizes support individualized instruction, improve behavior and engagement, and help teachers educate students of all needs and abilities,” Finch said.

“Classroom safety is essential for both learning and staff retention, and it requires responsive leadership. I will continue advocating for consistent behavior expectations, mental health supports, professional development, and a strong commitment to staff voice — to ensure an environment where all educators can teach and all students can learn,” she said.

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Malone’s priorities include attracting and retaining “top teachers and paraprofessionals” by offering comprehensive support and training and competitive wages; expanding full day preschool; and ensuring students are prepared for life after graduation.

This includes continuing to address achievement discrepancies with specific student populations, including students in special education and students who qualify for free or reduced lunch, she said.

“Whether our students are planning to continue their educational journey or entering the workforce, as a board member, I want to ensure that our district is providing them the tools needed to be successful through our curriculum and work readiness programming,” Malone said.

Horn-Frasier’s top priorities are civil rights and safety; funding and academic excellence; and continuing the work to close achievement gaps in alignment with the district’s 2023-2027 strategic plan, she said.

Horn-Frasier said she would like to further review the district’s policies and practices related to staff and student safety and closely monitor “rapidly changing state and federal laws” and respond “in ways that provide maximum protection of student and staff rights.”

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“As public funds are being funneled away from public education, I will advocate for continuing to bolster district financial practices and oversight to ensure that financial planning and budgeting are as precise as possible (and) developing contingency plans for scenarios in which expected funding is reduced or removed, or certain funding streams prohibit spending for items the (district) considers important,” Horn Frasier said.

Noerper’s priorities are to create a supportive environment safe for students and staff; improve communication between district leaders and school staff; and assess the impact screen use in the classroom has on student learning.

Noerper said in conversations with teachers, he has heard stories of students being physically aggressive toward teachers and their peers. He would like to see a task force convened that includes families, educators and mental health professionals to create solutions.

He also would like to create a task force to examine the impact and function of technology in the classroom. “With each passing year there is more research available that demonstrates the impact of screen-based devices on the developing brain,” he said. “The solution is to administer a tech program in the upper grades that utilizes devices that are appropriate for the task and supportive for minimizing digital eyestrain while teaching skills that are defined and truly needed.“

Stevenson’s top priorities include ensuring support and respect for students, support for high quality educators and administrators and providing “steadfast leadership during these challenging times,” he said.

“Support and respect for all students mean addressing individual needs while creating safe and welcoming environments for all learners. As a board member, I will advocate for policies that best serve students with opportunities within the classroom and beyond while ensuring additional supports are available for students who need them,” Stevenson said.

Stevenson said the district has done a great job attracting and retaining quality staff and wants to ensure they have a reason to stay.

Student and staff safety

Finch said improving safety begins with “strong, responsive leadership, and a commitment to transparency and accountability.”

Managing student behavior includes consistent enforcement of district discipline policies, restorative practices that build accountability and community, and services that meet students’ academic, behavioral and emotional needs, Finch said.

“District leadership must provide regular updates on how teacher concerns are being addressed. Families, local organizations, and community partners must be engaged as allies in supporting students and reinforcing expectations for behavior. I will work to strengthen school-community partnerships and ensure families are included in the conversations that shape school culture and climate,” Finch said.

Malone said the district needs to ensure “teachers are prepared for many different students they will encounter in the building.”

“I want to work with our staff and administration to ensure that we are providing adequate, appropriate and timely training so that our teachers feel well equipped when entering classrooms across our district. Having teachers who are prepared for a variety of classroom events makes our students safer as well,” Malone said.

Horn-Frasier said the district needs to evaluate de-escalation training provided to staff and make improvements, including ensuring paraeducators who work with especially challenging students are adequately trained.

School officials also should evaluate whether to put into place additional mental health supports for students who experience violent behavior, Horn-Frasier said.

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Noerper said the district needs to do a “better job” at identifying students with “extreme behavioral issues from abuse, trauma and medical conditions.”

Creating ways to address these students’ needs “will be person intensive and costly, and we should look for ways to get legislative and private support for financing these specific issues,” Noerper said.

“We cannot continue to have students disrupt class and cause harm to other students, teachers, and support staff while having their needs unmet. If we do not assist these students now, their needs will only continue as will their impacts on those around them. This effort must be supported by our community,” Noerper said.

Stevenson said schools across the country are facing increased violent behaviors in the classroom.

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“I support the district’s focus on supportive rather than punitive measures — it is our responsibility to serve all of our students, particularly those with higher needs. This won’t prevent all incidents, but in the long term it will lead to better outcomes for our students,” Stevenson said.

“Quick response by building administrators in the moment is critical, as is following up with support for teachers and students who are impacted. Ultimately, safety often depends not on reactive plans but proactive community and relationship building. This too needs to be emphasized,” he said.

Iowa City schools facility plans

In June, the Iowa City school board approved the next round of facilities projects, a $104.6 million investment in the construction of field houses and fine arts additions and improvements to athletic fields, performance spaces and playgrounds.

The facility plan is a continuation of the district’s facility plan 2.0, initially approved by the school board in April 2022 with a budget of $270.7 million.

There is about $114.7 million left of the plan being funded by Secure an Advanced Vision for Education (SAVE), a capital projects fund that’s funded by statewide sales taxes allocated to school districts based on certified enrollment.

Finch, who voted in favor of the facility plan, said she supports the plan, “but it must be closely monitored to ensure we stay on budget and schedule.”

“I specifically advocated for the inclusion of fine arts improvements after seeing the condition of our existing spaces and recognizing the growing need. Our students deserve facilities that match the caliber of instruction happening in our music, theater, and visual arts programs,” Finch said.

Finch said she is not in support of the district’s new Dream Accelerator, an immersive Junior Achievement program where students will be able to explore careers and develop a plan to pursue a meaningful career and future — as well as other curriculum.

The 3,500-square-foot Dream Accelerator would be housed in the district’s Center for Innovation, located at 301 ACT Dr. in Iowa City.

Funding for construction costs would come from the district’s SAVE fund.

Iowa City schools would pay for Junior Achievement curriculum costs from the district’s general fund.

“There is no clear data demonstrating its effectiveness, and it introduces more screen time at a time when many are already concerned about the impact of technology on learning. It also requires students to be bused to the (Center for Innovation), reducing valuable instructional time and increasing transportation costs — further draining general fund dollars that could be supporting classrooms,” Finch said.

Malone, who also voted in favor of the $104.6 million investment into athletics facilities and fine arts additions, said she is in favor of the facility master plan.

“We are also faced with an unprecedented need to compete not only with other public school entities but also those in the private sector. Some parents and students look at the courses, educational successes but also facilities. We have to ensure that we can stand in comparison with others to keep our enrollment steady,” Malone said.

Horn-Frasier said she is supportive of the district’s investment into athletics facilities and fine arts additions; however, there needs to be “regular intervals for reflection and reevaluation” when it comes to facility planning.

“My concerns about (the facility plan) are mainly about risk management. The volatility or potential volatility of school funding, student enrollment, legislation affecting public education, inflation, and other factors we may not even foresee at the moment could radically change our ability to carry out the plan as currently designed. Our commitment to the plan should not come at the cost of our future sustainability as a district,” Horn-Frasier said.

Noerper said he needs “more information” about the facility plan.

“I support that our voters have prioritized facilities. I do not fully understand each project or the cost projections and would need more information before giving my support,” he said.

Stevenson said he supports the district’s investment into facilities. It offers “opportunities for our students, particularly given the increased competition for student enrollment under the state’s misguided ‘school choice’ policies. I appreciate the current focus on both athletic and arts facilities, as they will support students with a wide variety of interests,” he said.

Comments: (319) 398-8411; grace.king@thegazette.com