Budget Accountability
The public school budget is massive, and we should ensure that taxpayer dollars are being spent efficiently and effectively. We must treat every dollar spent as an investment in our future. We should continue to make critical investments in academic success and career readiness. Tax dollars should never be spent without real results to justify it. We must be fiscally responsible and find ways to cut wasteful spending so that more of our tax dollars directly benefit the students of HCPS.
Whether taxpayers have students in HCPS or not, the Board of Education owes it to the community to spend its money only on what it needs for the success of its students and the well-being of the faculty. HCPS offers great athletic, music, and extracurricular programs for its students, and these remain a vital component of student life.
Curriculum Review
Harford County Public Schools should be stocked with only the best books and resources for our students. Those that do not meet this high standard of excellence do not deserve to be funded with taxpayer dollars. We must fight for our children's right to read classic literature and only the most cutting-edge science and math content. Simply put, a book that cannot be read aloud in the public comment of a Board of Education meeting does not belong in school libraries.
We must also review our curriculum to ensure that students receive challenging, rigorous materials that encourage the advancement of knowledge. There must be an emphasis on real academic progress with a strategy to build the knowledge base of our students year after year. This can be achieved by offering more honors courses and rewarding a culture of success among our highest performers.
Resources for Students
HCPS offers excellent magnet programs that prepare students for their future careers. Our high schools also provide Dual Enrollment and AP courses, allowing students to earn both high school and college course credit. While HCPS excels at prioritizing college readiness, the system lacks resources to prepare students for life after graduation.
As a Board of Education member, I will propose a series of online training courses for students that teach how to succeed financially, in the job market, and with basic household maintenance. HCPS should equip students with more than academics. Every graduate should emerge as a well-rounded adult ready to take on the world.