KATHERINE STEPHENS
Schenectady City School Board
THE ISSUES WE FACE
There is so much going on in our world today and our children are noticing. With looming continued economic hardships, it is important to have continuity in leadership. As a member of the Schenectady City School District Board of Education, I promise to continue to work hard to ensure our students are safe no matter what they look like or where they come from. With more than 60% of Schenectady's children living at or below the poverty line, we need to make sure their education goals are at the community's forefront. Not everyone begins at the same starting line and our schools are just one tool we can implement that turn our students towards a brighter future. We must continue the crucial and challenging work to break the school to prison pipeline.
Diversity and Inclusion
Studies show that students of all backgrounds benefit when learning from teachers of diverse experiences. This is especially impactful for minority students. Minority students often perform better on standardized tests, have improved attendance, and are suspended less frequently (which may suggest either different degrees of behavior or different treatment, or both) when they have at least one same-race teacher. [Source:https://www.brookings.edu/research/the-importance-of-a-diverse-teaching-force/] Our students come from all over the world, and that is one of the many things that make Schenectady Schools competitive. We must do more to ensure our students of color succeed along with other demographic groups. I will continue to push for more diversity in our staff and teachers.