Dwight Jones “Education First” Plan

To build a better Richmond we must create an educational system that is worthy of our children; one in which cities across the nation look to as a model to emulate. We must have a school system that has no fear of creativity and new paradigms.  We can spare nothing to ensure that our children have the tools they need to compete in the global economy. That means that our city’s schools must strive to not only excel in testing but also excel in building character and good citizenship.

 Improving our schools is not something that the Mayor can accomplish on his own – it will take the work of the City Council, the School Board, the Superintendent of Schools, the business community, civic leaders, principles, teachers, parents and students working together to improve our schools.  As Mayor, I promise to work with all those willing to help to put education first.

  Making Richmond’s Middle Schools Models of
Innovation and Creativity

 “I have heard from countless city residents that the middle school years are when parents decide to move out of the city or send their kids to private schools. To build a better Richmond we will make our middle schools models of innovation and creativity in urban education and turn our middle schools around.”  – Dwight Jones

·         Establish Laboratory Schools for the purpose of stimulating the development of innovative public education programs by providing opportunities for greater cooperation and coordination between institutions of higher education and K-12 education systems.  Learning by doing has guided the efforts of many lab schools across the country – in Chicago, Indianapolis, New York, and Washington, DC.  A lab school’s mission is entirely focused on students. They are more than just test scores and college admissions statistics. Lab schools are about learning and complementing the work going on in educational research and teaching in Richmond’s premier institutions of higher learning, such as Virginia Union University, the University of Richmond, and Virginia Commonwealth University. The academic program of lab schools is rigorous because it utilizes the latest in thinking and practice in education. Lab schools also are interested in the development of character. In short, in building a better Richmond we need the best and brightest minds helping our communities in creating conditions for a purposeful search for knowledge and truth.

·         Work with the school board and the new superintendent to build and staff two new middle schools by the end of my first term funded through public-private partnerships with businesses and higher education.

Lowering Richmond’s High Dropout and Truancy Rates

“The high dropout and truancy rates combined with the low graduation rates of our students, along with the increasing number of disciplinary actions in our schools, are unacceptable.  The rates among Richmond’s African-American students are especially troubling.  These high drop-out/truancy rates show a failure on our part as a community to provide vulnerable students with the kinds of support and resources they need to be successful.  We must take pride in all of our children because they look to us for leadership and stewardship.” – Dwight Jones

·         Develop strategies to ensure our children are prepared for high school.  The date shows the largest group of children who are held back in school is in the 9^th grade.  For the 2006-2007 school year, Richmond had a nearly 4% dropout rate in grades 7 – 12. In that same year Richmond led the state in the number of children who were consistently truant with over 5,100 students absent more than 6 times.  We need to make investments in our children’s middle school education to ensure they do not fall further and further behind. 

·         Provide resources in our schools for advisors to work with students individually on academic and career plans to find out what their career interests are and help them work toward their goals.

·         Encourage mentoring partnerships with the business community to guide students down the career path of their choosing.

·         In collaboration with the General Assembly, we need to continue to invest in Pre-Kindergarten.  During the last General Assembly session, I worked with Governor Kaine to expand the Virginia Preschool Initiative.  We know a student who can read by first grade has a better chance for success in all levels of schooling, so I will continue to work with the General Assembly and the Governor to fight for early childhood education funds from the state.

·         Hold monthly meetings with teachers, school administrators, the police department and other community groups to chart a progressive course on how best to approach the spikes in truancy in the City of Richmond schools.

·         Work with the Virginia Commission on Youth and the Virginia Board of Education when their reports on truancy and high school completion rates are completed to implement strategies regarding lowering truancy and dropout rates in our schools.

Adopt Creative, Market-Driven Solution to Creating a
World Class Education System

“We must not take any options off the table when it comes to the education of our children.  We can leave no stone unturned in our pursuit of excellence in education.”  – Dwight Jones

·         We must be more efficient in our procurement practices and we must be wise and deliberate in our allocation of resources.  In tough economic times, we need to be creative and use our money wisely.

·         Expand after school programs for any student who qualifies from a low-performing school funded by enhancing our public-private partnerships.  This will allow students the opportunity to improve their performance in school and have a safe place for them to go after school hours.

·         Seriously consider the establishment of alternative schools and programs, such as charter schools. Other cities are not just experimenting with these innovative schools but have embraced them wholeheartedly—and they are working.

·         Do what we can to retain our quality teachers and principals and work with them to make decisions on what the best practices are in educating our children.  Richmond’s teachers work their hardest every day to educate our children and their views and opinions on what works best in the classroom should be encouraged and their efforts should be rewarded.

 ·        Recruit and hire the most highly qualified teachers who will work to improve accountability in student achievement. World class education starts with world class teachers and principals and it should be our goal to attract a highly qualified teacher for every classroom in Richmond.

·         Elevate the status of career and technical education.  Work with the business community to develop career pathways in our schools to prepare students for high skill, high wage jobs.

·         Be open to the best practices and solutions that other urban school districts are employing to make their divisions world class.