Candidates for the Maricopa Unified School District governing board discussed classroom technology, student achievement and accountability during an Oct. 8 forum hosted by InMaricopa.
Dr. Loraine Conley said the district should rely on data when making decisions, saying MUSD needs to strengthen the connection between data, decisions and results. Latrinda Williams said she supports keeping a balance between digital tools and traditional materials in the classroom.
Student needs were another major theme. Incumbent Lisa Garcia said the district must recognize that each child learns differently and help identify learning barriers so every student can succeed. Nicolas Yendrzeski argued that students should have a bigger role in district decision-making, saying they often know best what problems need to be solved.
Candidates also talked about MUSD’s roughly 60% student capture rate, which refers to the share of school-age children living in district boundaries who attend district schools. Incumbents pointed to career and technical education, specialized programs and expanded facilities as ways to attract and keep more students, while other candidates discussed civics education, fiscal responsibility and oversight of Empowerment Scholarship Account funding.
Patti Coutre, who has served on the board for 14 years, said she is running because there is still more work to do for the district and its students. According to InMaricopa, the forum was livestreamed on the outlet’s Facebook page.
