Sally Cain: I believe I can make a difference in Dallas I.S.D.because of my unique experiences. I have been a classroom teacher, a senior policy and fiscal analyst with the Texas Legislature and a senior official with the U.S. Department of Education. Currently, I am working with dyslexic students as an Academic Language Therapist working towards a Masters Degree through SMU. As a public school classroom teacher, I understand the challenges of helping every child be successful. As a senior policy analyst with the Texas Senate Education Committee, I worked on school reform with Dallas ISD and other schools to provide support and resources for the challenges of large urban districts to raise academic standards and improve achievement. I understand the legislative process and funding for public schools and want to maximize our resources to support the classrooms for successful students. My work with the U.S. Department of Education in five states, provided insights to best practices for Blue Ribbon Schools, and most significantly, strong learning environments that result in student academic success. There are numerous ways to leverage resources with federal agencies, state and local entities including non-profits and faith based programs to achieve the goals of personal and academic success for every student in DISD.

After an adult career devoted to public education, I want to do everything I can to help Dallas I.S.D. to accomplish the goals of making certain every dollar is maximized and leveraged to support the classroom to ensure success and completion of high school. Every child in Dallas I.S.D. deserves to graduate and participate in the 12th largest metropolitan economy in the world- Dallas, Texas.

Public education is the most important thing we can be involved in because while students only comprise about 25% of our population, they are 100% of our future.

Sally Cain: The first objective would be to strengthen governance. School laws and regulations are very complex- more than any other imposed on a public body. I understand some of these challenges and recommend strong changes to support the trustees- with more meetings for data and more meetings with the public to allow full public input. Parents and taxpayers need time to address the board on the budget and exactly how taxpayer dollars are being utilized to achieve acaedemic goals for all children. Secondly, I want to improve the public perception of the school district and stronger communication mechanisms will begin this process. Lastly, I will always focus on the classroom and how we can help the teacher be successful with students and their parents. We must support that classroom experience to help children reach their full potential and find their gifts. The district's educators need to look carefully at the new brain research in order to maximize their success with students. What are we doing to support slow readers in middle schools to prevent their frustration that could lead to dropping out of school?

Dallas ISD must improve the dropout rate and build the roadmap for successful completion with competitive careers and/or college. Recently, a study suggested that if we increase our graduates by 339,000 students, we could see an increase of $1.6 billion to the economy in North Texas. And most significantly, students who graduate and successfully complete at least two years of postsecondary school, have about an 80% greater lifetime earnings than the student who does not graduate. Dallas ISD students deserve this from our school.

Sally Cain: Magnet schools were orginally intended as a tool for federal desegregation and yet, they have become the beacon public schools for innovation and creative ways to help students learn and be successful. I would be interested in a fiscal anaylsis and understanding what part of local DISD funding is utilized as compared to federal and other sources. Ultimately, the question is what is the best use of Dallas taxpayer dollars for the best results? I would not want to destroy good programs but replicate them in every school possible. The time is now to bring the most recent technologies and quality teachers to help all children in Dallas ISD.

Sally Cain: As a former classroom teacher, I have been sensitive to fair evaluations based upon student test scores because no classroom is alike in terms of students and a teacher must take students from where they are when they arrive at the classroom door. I support fair measures that account for these extraordinary classroom challenges with intensive support for improved achievement. Dallas ISD has developed an index that accounts for some of these factors. High stakes testing provides a valuable tool to measure student progress and it should be a team effort on the campus level to help teachers be successful and be professionals.

Sally Cain: It appears that Superintendent Hinojosa has been successful in working with his faculty and developing district benchmarks for academic success through the help of Dallas Achieves. The State of Texas and the U.S. have been moving towards defining standards and accountability measures and Dallas I.S. D. has won notable recognition for improved student scores on both the state test and college readiness benchmarks. For this accomplishment, I am pleased for the district and applaud the hard work of dedicated educators, parents and others. The loss of taxpayer dollars is not acceptable. However, hiring an internal auditor to establish a solid system of internal procedures was a good move. It is critical that the board continues to work with the Superintendent to make progress. The Board needs more time to meet with the administration and to understand how the district is managing resources and ultimately, meeting the needs of the students and taxpayers.

Sally Cain: The educators and support personnel that have dedicated their lives to the students of Dallas Independent school district are the greatest asset of the school. There is no quantitative measure of the impact of an authentic relationship between a teacher and a student to support student success. The largest challenge, is finding educators to fill our classrooms with the passion and the dedication our children need. DFW is rich with colleges of education and training programs that can support this district. UTeach is an example of a solid recruitment program. The parents and citizens that support public education are another asset to this urban district. Every non-profit, faith based, community and business organization that support students are an asset for Dallas ISD. The challenge, Dallas I.S.D is about to become a Chapter 41 district under Texas school finance laws which would require sending funds back to Austin for equalization. We need unified leadership from Dallas to work with the Texas Legislature to prevent this from happening to Dallas ISD.

Sally Cain: There needs to be a strong new focus on governing and leading the superintendent with more extensive meetings with data and communications to ensure the elected Board of Trustees is aware of how taxpayer dollars are being spent. The parents and taxpayers want more time to work with the Dallas ISD and to provide input on what is working in the schools. If possible, the District's budget could be available and reviewed for at least a month before it is finally adoped by the Board of Trustees. I would want to look at other large complex urban schools and investigate their proceedures for input for efficiency and effectiveness.

Sally Cain: No.

Sally Cain: I do not have any personal, professional or financial relationships with the district,nor will I do so while in office..

Bernadette Nutall: I am running again for the same reasons that I ran in 2006 for School Board Trustee. Our children are and can be dreamers, achievers, winners, and ultimately our future. It is our job to provide them with the resources and give them every opportunity to achieve what they dream about and more. Opportunities can be created, but significant changes are needed before real progress can be achieved. It is my belief that change will take place by being transparent in our motives and creating an atmosphere of trust. I feel that significant changes are needed to ensure that our teachers receive quality support and resources while educating all children of Dallas ISD. Every aspect of my life has reflected this belief. I have consistently sought opportunities to volunteer and contribute for the betterment of the Dallas community. This was my motivation for starting the Girl S.M.A.R.T. and S.M.A.R.T. Boys (Science, Math, Art, Reading, and Technology) Summer Learning Program. This passion for change is exactly why I am running for Dallas ISD Trustee. The board needs progressive leadership and I believe that I represent this quality.

Why should voters consider you the most qualified candidate?

My background and experience in educational public service uniquely qualifies me for this position of leadership and responsibility as a school board trustee. I bring a unique mix of skills and knowledge to the board. I am a proven bridge builder capable of working with many different individuals and entities to accomplish a common mission and or goal. Having worked on the ground floor within the district as a Community Liaison I know the challenges that our teachers face in the classroom as well as those of the staff at the school level. I have been able to listen to the concerns of the parents of all of our students as well as local community and business representatives. Being the Co-Founder and Executive Director Circle of Support, Inc., has allowed me to see just how effective innovative programming can be while also developing budgeting skills and expertise in the delivery of that programming. I represent the change that is needed to insure that the ultimate goal of the school board, the district, and Dallas ISD parents is to ensure that our children receive the best education possible--fully aware that education is a right and not a privilege. As a board trustee, I promise to work hard to do what’s best for all of our children while keeping educational excellence in mind. I promise to come to work with a cooperative spirit and always be an advocate for our children. I promise to do what is best, what is right, and what works for our children. This passion for change coupled with my practical experience is exactly why I am running for Dallas ISD Trustee.

Bernadette Nutall: Budget Deficit I would address the budget problems through increased financial controls. Reductions should never happen at the classroom level. I would push to look for programs that have minimal impact on the total student population. Additionally, the district should require increased financial reporting requirements from all of its departments to insure that each is staying within its allocated budget for the year. A board and management should never be surprised by a budget shortfall. I also would look at the feasibility of renegotiating some vendor and consulting contracts to bring them in line with the financial difficulties that the district faces. Public Opinion Dallas ISD is and has been facing a public relations nightmare. The board has compounded this through many impractical decisions that defy logic and in some cases law. I will work to bring transparency and ethics to the board’s dealings. I do not believe that trustees or their family should have financial contracts with the district. The appearance of impropriety is almost as damaging as actual violations of ethics. Quality Education for All Students The district routinely wins awards for the performance of some of its magnet schools. I believe the time has come to try to expand the scope of the curriculum that other schools utilize. Innovative programming and teaching methods that have proven successful should not be restricted to just a few campuses. Instead the district should work to make it available to as many students as possible. I understand the uniqueness of the challenges that other schools face, but there is no doubt that the performance of these schools can be increased.

Bernadette Nutall: Schools should never be pitted against other schools. Instead I would like to see the district implement more cost containment in an effort to channel the savings back into the classroom to raise every school to the same level of funding. The answer to raising the quality of education in the district is not to make cuts in the classroom.

Bernadette Nutall: Our educational system is only as good as the teachers in the classrooms. We need to let educators do their jobs. We cannot assign teacher compensation to test scores any more than we can assign student success to one common denominator. There are many factors that determine an “educated” student, and test scores are simply one. Additionally, there are too many outside factors that can adversely affect a student’s test score. I believe that measuring a student’s aptitude when he or she first comes to a teacher as well as at the end of that academic year (with periodic testing) will yield a better idea of the teacher’s actual impact on the learning performance of the student. Comparing these results with peer groups from the same school could also yield helpful data for the district going forward.

Bernadette Nutall: Although Superintendent Hinojosa has endured numerous challenges that would strain the effectiveness of anyone in that postion, I believe that I can work with Dr. Hinojosa to help restore the districts' credibility. That being said however, there are significant changes that I would like to see in the superintendants' office.

This position requires leadership. Two fundenmental aspects of leadership are responsilbility and accountability. Although numerous scandals and issues have emerged that cannot be considered as Dr. Hinojosa's fault,however, being in leadership means that it is his responsiblity. The district has done an ineffective job of holding invididuals and departments accountable for their actions.

Going, forward, I would encourage the superintendent to be proactive in his leadership and to set the example for all staff and district personnel. Additionally, I would like to see Mr. Hinojosa work closer with all board members in addressing the district's policies. Too often the board is caught by surprise regarding a situation instead of being notified immediately regarding these issues.

Bernadette Nutall: Dallas ISD Greatest Asset:

The district does an ineffective job of utilizing feedback from the teachers in the classroom and school level to implement policies and procedures that enhance the teacher’s ability to provide students with the best possible education to become productive and responsible citizens. The lack of trust and respect that the public and employees have in the board as a leadership mechanism. I am also concerned that the overall quality of education that our students are receiving is being severely affected by the decisions that the board has made and is making. The districts’ financial/budget controls are viewed as being too weak or ineffective.

Dallas ISD Largest Challenges: I believe that our district has exceptionally talented teachers. Additionally the districts’ diversity is also a valued strength. An excellent pool of educators with many obtaining graduate level degrees to assist in their skill development in the classroom. A troubled past that can be used as a blueprint for what to avoid going forward if the board realizes that it can learn from past mistakes. A highly passionate business and community presence that demands excellence from the district.

Bernadette Nutall: First and foremost an accurate and more disciplined budgeting mechanism must be in place. The district relies heavily on ‘projected’ revenues versus confirmed revenues. A more conservative approach would yield positive results with regards to cost containment and minimizing the need for cuts in the classroom. Additionally the district waited until it was too late to see if there were programs and resources that were not really necessary. I would like to see a more aggressive and comprehensive program and department evaluation process that is conducted at regular intervals throughout the school year. Additionally, the district needs to seek counsel on whether some existing vendor contracts can be renegotiated. We have to make sure that we are getting enough “bang for our buck’ with regards to contractors and vendors.

Bernadette Nutall: No, I have not been arrested or involved in any criminal proceedings or civil suits.

Bernadette Nutall: I have a sister who works at North Dallas High School.