You can find out more about James Billingsley through his Facebook page.
Why are you running for school board and what do you plan to accomplish?
I’m running because I have two kids in the school system. The School Board is in need of fresh members with new ideas.
Many neighbors in our community are feeling distrustful of the school district. How do you plan to rebuild public trust?
I plan to drive more citizen engagement and better collaboration with those that work withing schools, especially the teachers.
What specific academic outcomes should the superintendent be accountable for improving over the next 4 years?
Fiscal responsibility. Things should be more manageable before a new Superintendent comes in office.
What role should the school board play in reducing absenteeism?
Better accountability, tracking, parental input are necessary to help encourage students to attend.
Many neighbors in our community express an interest in reviewing the budget and expenditures to help reduce spending, do you support allowing them to do this? Why or why not?
An audit does need to be conducted. Staffing is an area of concern. Teachers need to be paid accordingly and non-essential personnel are way to high. Hopefully we can work with the County HR Department and realign some of these overstaffed positions outward.
What information do you believe the district should make easier for our neighbors to find out without having to dig through board packets?
More use of social media and not rely on watchdog groups to report on actionable items.
How will you ensure that you are hearing from all stakeholders outside of district staff and what method will you use to collect this information?
An Open Door policy is necessary to ensure communication is free and timely.
Safe schools are more than protecting our students from weapons and across the county parents report bullying as a major problem. How do you plan to address this in Leon County?
We need to develop action plans to address the schools that are high risk. We need to explore a partnership with TPD to help work the inner city schools.
How do you plan to prioritize capital outlay dollars if you are elected and if the ½ penny is renewed? For clarity, many neighbors feel as though lower safety priority projects have been prioritized over higher safety concerns. Which projects do you feel should be prioritized first and why?
Students, Teachers, Safety, Curriculum and Facilities should be the main priorities. Anything other than those specific areas are a secondary concern and non essential issues should not be prioritized over them.
How do you plan to help support and train new teachers whose background is not the college of education?
No Answer
How will you plan to ensure the hiring practices of administrators are fair and consistent? How do you plan to support those placed in those roles?
Hiring HR staff with the right background is the key to this. The purpose of the school board is to support, staff. Staff then supports the students.
Many neighbors and leaders express there is not a vetted process for developing leaders, how will you ensure a concrete and clear process?
We need more transparency and a better more efficient school board. Current members have proven they are not able to push forward and solve issues and bring new ideas. Without a productive board, it cannot reasonably hope to develop leaders.
Many in the community have voiced concerns that most decisions are led by the Superintendent and rubber stamped by the Board. Do you agree with this sentiment? Why or why not? Can you recall a recent decision you disagree with, and what would you have done differently?
The Superintendent is a separate office and should not control the board. If the Chairperson does not run meetings appropriately, then a new one should be put in the role. Experience has been used as an excuse to continue to do the same things, the same way as usual. Unfortunately these same individuals have failed to evolve and move forward. Some of the typical ways from the past never worked well in the first place.
There is a ballot proposal for a one mil increase to compensate educators, staff, school safety, and essential school programs including arts and athletics, how do you envision that money being distributed? How will you support transparency around these tax dollars as well as other local tax dollars?
Transparency is key. This money should not be used to fund a wish list of certain members or the Superintendent. Social media, perhaps live streams, etc… could be used to keep the public up to date.
Do you have a fiscal plan? If so, what is it and how do you plan to accomplish this plan while working with other board members?
No, due to pending actions. Once current efforts are settled then, I envision new members being more of a steward. I look forward to learning in my first year and offering my vast varied experiences to help ensure the board does the right things or the best possible things they can, as opposed to playing politics.
Please tell us one thing about yourself that we would not be able to find through a simple Google search.
I love music
