District 3 Offers Candidates Myriad Challenges

Lisa Raymond, the former chief operating officer at Cesar Chavez Public Charter Schools for Public Policy, also has not articulated specific reform proposals as part of her campaign but is positioning herself as a finance expert who will contribute that background to the policymaking board.

"I think what this board needs is people who have a record of getting things done and can push through significant changes that have to happen in this system," said Raymond, a mother of twins who would work full time in the job if elected. She said she supports less spending on overhead and more funding for schools and would improve early intervention programs for special education students.

Marc Borbely, 33, a former Eastern Senior High School teacher, led a grass-roots effort that resulted in a $2.3 billion D.C. Council measure to modernize schools. In candidate forums, Borbely, an ANC commissioner, mentions specific schools by name and the facilities problems there, knowledge gained from his effort to get city officials to set aside money to fix the schools.

He has proposed a mentorship program pairing veteran and new teachers and a preventative maintenance plan for school buildings, whose average age is 73. After fighting for new school buildings, Borbely said, he will now push to improve "what goes on inside those buildings."

Stephane Baldi, 37, a principal research scientist with the American Institute for Research, is promoting his decade of experience in working on education reform across the country. He said he would increase the number of staff development days so teachers and principals have more time to plan, create an incentive system for teachers and principals whose schools show improvement, and push for regular financial audits of the school system to eliminate waste.

"I understand the issues that the District is facing right now," Baldi said.

Mary Baird Currie, an ANC commissioner and former school counselor, did not attend two recent forums at which candidates outlined their positions.

Like many voters, Franklyn Malone, a parent of twins who lives in Woodridge, hasn't decided whom to support. His children used to go to Anthony Hyde Elementary in Georgetown but now attend the Friendship-Woodridge Elementary and Middle School, one of the few public schools this year in the District to make "adequate yearly progress" on a new standardized test.

Malone said he was struck by the inequities between schools once his children transferred. He said he was very satisfied with Hyde but changed so his children could have more male role models. He said his children have access to more enrichment programs at their new school.

"I'm not looking for someone who has grand plans for the future," he said. "We need something immediate that works."