Candidate's Platform

As a candidate for election to the CUSD Board of Education, I pledge to seek support from the Board of Education for the following changes in current District policy and/or behavior:

1. The Board of Education will eliminate the practice of awarding contracts to independent contractors who are family members of employees or board members, where the independent contractor is consulting in the same area of responsibility as that of the employee/board member. This is to avoid any semblance of nepotism and/or conflict of interest.
    
2. The Board of Education will require appropriate District employees to participate fully in community forums organized by parents for the purpose of addressing needs and resolving problems in order to promote parent-school-community relations and teamsmanship.
    
3. The Board of Education will require District employees to always demonstrate courtesy, respect and a friendly attitude when communicating and interfacing with parents, professionals and community representatives.
    
4. The Board of Education will support and implement, as much as possible, the componenets of the federal No Child Left Behind Act and the revised California Master Plan for Education
    

Concerns

As a candidate for election to the CUSD Board of Education, I have concerns regarding the current labor dispute between the District and the Capistrano Unified Education Association. My concerns relate to budgeting practices and spending priorities. As a Board member, I will strive to ensure that teacher salaries are at the same high level as the current student achievement level in the school district! The concerns of the teachers follow:

1. CUSD has received 4.11% in new ongoing revenue for 2001-02.
2. CUSD is growing and received additional new unrestricted money for growth totaling approximately $7.7 million.
3. CUSD consistently ends the year with 2 - 3 times more money than expected.
4. CUSD has offered teachers 50% less in cost of living increases compared to other Orange County school districts, while passing along a 230% increase to teachers in out of pocket health benefit contributions.
5. A budget for 2002-03 has been recommended that has over $17 million in carryover reserve funds that were not expended on teachers and students in 2000-01.
6. CUSD will continue to receive millions in new student growth money that will continue to be stockpiled in special reserve accounts.
7. CUSD is moving forward to use money meant to renovate existing schools to build a new District Office complex.
8. The Superintendant is the highest paid tip administrator in Orange County, and site administrators are the second highest paid in Orange County. Teacher compensation remains below the county median.
9. CUSD's salary offer for last year is 50% less than what the other Orange County school districts offered their teachers.

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   Dr. Ron Lackey, EdD
   for CUSD Board of Education - Area IV (ID #1246851)
   PO Box 4001
   Dana Point, CA 92629
   
   Office/Fax: 949.240.9222
   Cell: 949.466.2444
   Email: [email protected]
   Website: http://www.geocities.com/ElectLackey