2020 Vote: Pinellas County School Board

As part of the Gabber’s election coverage, we’re reviewing lesser-known races to help voters make a more informed choice in November. 

In this issue, we take a closer look at Pinellas County School Board candidates for Districts 1 and 7. The Gabber asked each candidate questions compiled by our editorial staff. Answers have been lightly edited for style.

Find out more about the election, including voting locations, mail-in ballots, registration and more at votepinellas.com.

School Board Candidates   

The Pinellas County School Board has seven members: three are elected at-large – which means they are voted on by all county residents – and four are elected by the registered voters within each single-member district. Terms are four years. 

District 1 (At-Large)

School Board District 1 is one of three county-wide seats. The candidates are Laura Hine and Stephanie G. Meyer.

Laura Hine

Hine is a U.S. Naval Academy graduate who spent 10 years in the Navy as a Surface Warfare Officer. Hine believes in adequate teacher pay for recruitment and sustainment and supports teacher autonomy. Hine vows to focus on changing standardized testing, adjusting the school grading system and school safety. 

Stephanie G. Meyer

Meyer is a local school teacher who believes in redirecting funding into the classroom. Meyer plans to recruit and retain professional teachers, provide them with better pay, more flexibility and autonomy. Meyer intends to expand mental health counseling, advocacy for ESE students and encourages community engagement and parent participation in schools.

What does the school board control; what is your interpretation of your responsibilities as a school board member? 

Laura Hine: The school board is complex and demanding in its duties: school board members are charged with operational, policy and fiduciary oversight of public education in Pinellas County. We work in education, yes, but we also work in mental health, juvenile justice, poverty, exceptional student education, school safety and other areas. The school board hires the lead supervisory roles: the superintendent of schools, district leaders and principals – all of whom then hire our teachers. Ours is a board of seven people charged with overseeing a $1.6 billion budget, about 14,000 employees, and 100,000 students in 140 buildings. It is a significant responsibility.

Stephanie G. Meyer: The school board is the only democratically elected body in what would otherwise be an insulated institution. Its main purpose is to provide oversight of the school district and hold it accountable on behalf of parents, students, teachers and taxpayers. The board is also responsible for managing the district’s $1.6 billion budget efficiently and effectively, as well as directing policy that reflects the values of the community. Lastly, the board is the voice for parents and all members of the community. If elected on November 3, my priority will always be putting our children’s best interest first.

How do you appeal to a voter who doesn’t have school-aged children? 

Laura Hine: Our public education system educates more than 90% of our students using public tax resources of nearly $1.7 billion. These students are the ones who grow (quickly) to be our families, our communities, our workforce, our economy and our military. It is a family, economic and national security issue that we are excellent at public school on a broad scale. Every citizen is impacted by public education; insist on experienced, thoughtful leadership on your school board.

Stephanie G. Meyer: We all share in the great responsibility of education. Our tax dollars, whether we have children in the system or not, are what sustain our schools. In addition, the quality of our education system has far-reaching effects as each new generation becomes members of our community and of the workforce. The future success of our community starts in our schools – and we must make sure we are electing board members who will ensure accountability, transparency and excellence.

What are you doing/planning to do to help elevate students who fall behind? What is your plan to support families who don’t have internet access? 

Laura Hine: The most important thing we can do is work to keep students from falling behind. Ideally, we would have many more school counselors who could follow up with students and families on their circumstances and their learning experience. Teachers are working their best all day and could identify families that they think need to be contacted for a more one-on-one check in. We will have to ask questions and pay attention to the potential differences in learning gains between face-to-face students and myPCS online students, and be transparent with that information with families so they can continue to make their best decisions. Some in the education field have already coined the phrase “COVID slide” as they call the “summer slide,” acknowledging that we will have to have classroom strategies to address it for the academic year or more to come. But we cannot accept a slide as fait accompli. We must actively ask and listen to the students, families and teachers about their experience and respond to ameliorate the impacts of this unique learning time.

Every single family choosing virtual school must have internet access. This has been made available through a partnership between PCS and Spectrum, and on a family-by-family basis, should be verified by the schools. If a family that needs and wants the internet does not have it, then the school and/or district needs to connect that family with the right person to obtain it and follow up until it is complete. There should be a report each week about internet access with the numbers of families that need it and their status. This same answer applies to learning devices.

Stephanie G. Meyer: As a current teacher who has taught both before and during the pandemic, I know the reality of this first hand. We must give our teachers grace as they navigate uncharted territory, as well as our students. As great as technology is, many of our families do not have access to the tools they need to effectively distance learn. This is why I have, from day one, supported choices for families and teachers when it comes to returning to school amid the pandemic. In addition to lack of technology, many families, like mine, do not have jobs or the resources to allow children to distance learn. My husband is a firefighter and I am a teacher – like so many other families in our county, face-to-face is our only option.

What’s your plan to support teachers during the COVID-19 pandemic? What more do you think PCS could do to keep students and teachers safe? 

Laura Hine: The more we can allow decisions to be made at the school/classroom level, the better. I would encourage teachers to communicate openly and frequently with parents and senior staff about their circumstances and request the kinds of changes that can improve them. The county can make the best assumptions and policies they can, but that will never be as informing as what a teacher is actually experiencing in the classroom. We must listen to our teachers, trust them and support them with all means available.

Stephanie G. Meyer: First of all, I do not agree that teachers should be teaching simultaneously online and traditional. As an educator, I know this is impossible – and my heart goes out to our teachers who are being forced to do this. The bottom line is we need more teachers and the FDOE needs to start processing certifications more efficiently so that we can get the teachers we need hired, trained and ready in our district. The district needs to continue to support teachers by providing adequate PPE and paid time for sick leave. As well, those teachers who have a documented medical condition that puts them at serious risk of developing life-threatening complications [due] to COVID should have the option to teach virtually. I have so much respect for our teachers, and I am proud to work alongside of them to ensure the children in our county get the education they need and deserve.

What responsibility does the school board have to teachers and staff who get COVID-19 at their job? 

Laura Hine: That is exactly the kind of question I would ask as a school board member. As the CEO of a public-facing organization, those are the kinds of questions I have had to navigate without a team for months. This is not an easy time; nonetheless, we have to ask the hard questions.

Stephanie G. Meyer: The board needs to support them – just like in any other field that poses a risk of COVID transmission. That is exactly what I will do if elected because I understand exactly what our teachers face each day.

District 7

School Board District 7 is a single-member district with over 167,000 voters in Gulfport, South Pasadena, Lealman and most of St. Petersburg, excluding Snell Isle, Shore Acres, Riviera Bay and surrounding area and parts of Pinellas Park. The candidates are Caprice Edmond and Karl J. Nurse.

Caprice Edmond

Edmond is a St. Petersburg native and local educator. Edmond plans to focus on equity in education, academic success, safety in the schools, family and community engagement, and plans to recruit and retain educators and staff professionals.

Karl J. Nurse

Nurse is a former St. Petersburg Councilmember and 34-year business owner who believes that with Pinellas County School’s budget of $1.5 billion, he can run it like a business. 

What does the school board control; what is your interpretation of your responsibilities as a school board member? 

Caprice Edmond: The Pinellas County School Board is responsible for operating, controlling and supervising a system of public education which includes instruction as well as transportation and food service. The system employs hundreds of staff including highly skilled teachers, administrators, bus drivers, support staff and multiple other categories. School board members working with the state legislature have important responsibilities in fulfilling the board’s mission to provide the best opportunities for all students to succeed by adopting policies that ensure continual improvement of highest student achievement, safe learning environment and effective, efficient operations.

As a school board member, I will take seriously the responsibility of ensuring Pinellas County Schools’ budget of $1.6 billion is invested effectively and managed carefully, striving to balance the needs of our students and school system employees and taxpayers. I plan to focus on working with colleagues on the board to pass measures, practices and policies necessary for the operation and improvement of schools throughout the county. I want fair allocation of resources for every student. It is important to keep communication channels open with constituents in District 7 as well as other stakeholders.

Karl Nurse: The school board is rather like a board of directors. We hire and fire the Superintendent of Schools who manages the employees. The board sets the policies of the system. The board passes the budget, which, at $1.6 billion this year, effectively makes many of the major decisions. This includes deciding which schools get rebuilt, rehabbed, expanded or closed. The board approves the union contracts which cover the 14,000 district employees.  The board can change standards to eliminate social promotion and can significantly increase career education and partnerships with other governments, schools and the private sector.

Nurse says that his goals as School Board District 7 Board Member are:

• Close the learning gap early.
• Provide a path to the middle class for all high school students. Help them develop post-high school learning plans.
• Spend the money more efficiently.
• Speed the system’s transition to energy efficiency and clean energy. 

The State of Florida often sets minimum standards for schools. But, the school board can add or raise them. The board approved the creation of the “summer bridge” program and the extra resources for the more struggling schools.  

I believe my fundamental job is to move the board policy in a manner that results in better schools and therefore better opportunities for the next generation. Also, as a board member it is my job to insure that the $1.6 billion budget is used effectively and efficiently. It is not my job to be a teacher. We have 7,000 qualified teachers.

How do you appeal to a voter who doesn’t have school-aged children? 

Caprice Edmond: Studies have demonstrated that voters and taxpayers who do not have children in the school system are equally as concerned as voters with children in public schools. I hope all these voters recognize that they too have a big stake in public education to prepare children for their work in the trades, a university and all future employment. The Pinellas County and State of Florida economy depends critically on a well-educated and prepared workforce. My belief that schools serve entire communities will appeal to all voters, along with my open door style of communication. Voters will appreciate my recognition that everyone’s tax dollars pay for public education, whether they have school-aged children or not. With me as their representative to the board, all citizens in District 7, parents, grandparents and non-parents alike, will have a say in determining who will decide how those tax dollars are spent and how the mission of Pinellas County Schools will be met.

Karl Nurse: I have the experience and skills to be careful with taxpayer’s money. After 34 years running a business, I would suggest that the school needs at least one member who has these skills. Everyone benefits, regardless of having children in the system, if someone is focused on efficiency.

What are you doing/planning to do to help elevate students who fall behind? What is your plan to support families who don’t have internet access? 

Caprice Edmond: In the era of COVID, it is essential that we keep track of student progress as never before. We have multiple layers of evaluation and planning to keep students current in their leaving. I have several years experience working with these programs to support students. As a professional, I have coordinated and facilitated this programming for children and families. I know first hand the benefits of providing academic support, resources and enrichment, early and throughout a student’s academic life. Partnering with businesses and nonprofits with a goal of supporting students is one key element. As a board member I will be listening particularly to teachers and parents for indicators that children might be falling behind. Early attention is critical.

Our district has many resources. Connecting families to the resources is sometimes a challenge. From day one of my term, I would use my influence to push individual school administrators to continue to determine which of their students are without home internet access and, using current practices, find ways to connect those families with the resources they need. On a larger scale, I applaud the district’s partnership with companies such as Spectrum, as well as with local nonprofits, and businesses and municipalities, to provide home internet to students who would otherwise be without access during the past summer.

Karl Nurse: The school system has a strong testing system which will show who is slipping behind. The critical need is to quickly engage the students before they fall further behind. The school system has purchased “hot spots” for those children who do not have internet access.

What’s your plan to support teachers during the COVID-19 pandemic? What more do you think PCS could do to keep students and teachers safe? 

Caprice Edmond: Working in a school myself as an educator, I truly understand the experiences many teachers are facing. As a board member, my support for them would be unequivocal. I will support them by listening to them and talking about their concerns to district leaders – seeking, asking for ways for teachers and parents to receive support and relief they need. I would also reach out to school administrators to find ways to demonstrate and help with coordinating appreciation and other morale boosters. Aside from moving to virtual learning, the district can work towards ensuring our schools have sufficient levels of nursing and cleaning staff. As I listen, I can bring to the board those concerns that might need new policies. COVID is a system-wide issue, not only affecting one district. 

Karl Nurse: The critical issue is to be sure that the plan is implemented at each school and that when there are breakouts that they are isolated and contained. Access to rapid testing is mandatory.

What responsibility does the school board have to teachers and staff who get COVID-19 at their job? 

Caprice Edmond: We have current policy in place for teachers and staff to receive prompt testing and treatment for COVID. This policy is new and we need to observe and evaluate if it serves us or needs revision.

Karl Nurse: First, it is our responsibility to be sure that the safety procedures are implemented at each school. If there are outbreaks, we need to be sure that teachers and staff get the needed medical attention quickly and are financially protected when missing work.

Find out more about the election, including voting locations, mail-in ballots, registration and more at votepinellas.com. Follow the Gabber’s ongoing elections coverage through November at thegabber.com/vote.