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Name: Christine Birkett
What office are you seeking? CUSD 300 Board of Education
What is your political party?
What is your current age? 51
Occupation and employer: Creative Director, KnowledgeWorks Global
What offices, if any, have you previously held? CUSD 300 Board of Education
City: West Dundee
Campaign Website: www.christinebirkett.com
Education: BFA
Community Involvement: As school board member, I have focused my community involvement on D300. In that role, I serve as the Board Secretary, Operations Committee Chair, Boundaries Committee, and I’m an active IASB member.
Formerly, I served as a board member for Shared Harvest Food Co-op, a youth soccer coach, and a Sleepy Hollow Elementary School PTC Committee Chair.
Marital status/Immediate family: Yes, I have a spouse. I have one child.
Questions:
How can the district improve reading and English proficiency and state test scores?
D300, like school districts across the country, has been faced with the challenge of figuring out how to bring students’ scores back up to pre-pandemic levels. Our district has seen improvements in our ELA proficiency and state test scores after making the switch to the Science of Reading instructional model in 2023. This research-backed approach is a return to the foundational skills of phonics which are proven strategies for improving literacy outcomes for all learners. We are already seeing the hard work that our educators have put into learning and implementing the new curriculum in their classrooms improve students’ ELA scores. We are monitoring students’ progress throughout the year to ensure that they are making adequate gains, adjusting and providing additional resources, supports, and training as needed.
If you have children, do they or did they attend public school and was that for all of their K-12 school years?
I have a daughter who is currently in 8th grade. She has attended D300 schools since kindergarten.
What do you see as the school district’s role in deciding what materials should be available in the library and in curricula?
The district’s library media program must comply with State law, Illinois State Board of Education rules, and the standards listed in our policy. The materials should “supplement classroom instruction, foster reading for pleasure, enhance informational literacy, and support research, as appropriate to students of all abilities in the grade levels served.” Materials are selected based on the advice of our Library professionals, who often purchase selections recommended by library review sources and award-winning collections.
Curricula is chosen by the district administration after being evaluated a review panel made up of educators. They must ensure that the curriculum meets the needs of our educators and students, aligns with district’s educational goals, is rigorous, research-based, vertically aligned, and meets state standards and statues. Prior to adoption the recommended curriculum materials are available for the community to review for 30 days. Once approved, the curriculum is reviewed through a continuous improvement model.
The board’s specific role in this is to allocate the funds to purchase the recommended materials through a board vote.
Most of local residents' property taxes go to their school districts. Are taxes paid to your school district too high? What would you do to protect the interests of taxpayers?
Yes, our local property taxes are high, due in large part to the state’s failure to pay its fair share towards school funding. Until that changes we are always going to struggle with property tax issues.
In 2017, the Evidence-Based Funding for Student Success Act (EBF) was put into place to overhaul Illinois’ previous funding system which was regressive in nature and lead to inequities in school funding. EBF model helps allocate state funds for education based on districts most in need and has made significant differences for school districts and the students they serve. Unfortunately, there is a long way to go to reach full funding for EBF and the result is that a large portion of residents’ property taxes continue to be needed to fund their local school districts.
Through strategic planning and leveraging our position as a large unit district, D300 finds itself in very good financial condition. As a board member, I will advocate for annual programs evaluations to ensure an academic return on investment, work hard to maintain a fiscally sound budget that spends our tax dollars wisely and balances our current needs with our plans for the future.
Most of the COVID relief money from the federal government is coming to an end. What spending adjustments does your school district need to make to address that?
As a district we were strategic in our use of COVID relief funds following a multi-year plan for how those funds would be allocated. Initially, funds were used to purchase PPE which is no longer needed. When the decision was made to use funds to provide adding additional mental health and educational support staff, we budgeted to ensure that we would be able to keep these necessary positions after the funds expired.
Should Title IX cover sexual orientation or gender identity? What are your views on the use of locker rooms and bathrooms by transgender students and their participating in sports?
A recent court ruling returned Title IX to its pre-existing 2020 regulations. In Illinois, all students have the right to a school environment that is free from discrimination, as outlined in the Illinois Human Rights Act. Regardless of a student’s gender-related identity, they should have full and equal enjoyment of and access to all school programing and activities and to be treated in a manner consistent with their gender identity. This includes participating in sports and using facilities that match their gender identity. I will continue to follow the state law and at the district level support policies, procedures, and trainings to ensure a safe school environment for all our students, including transgender students.
What is your stance on ICE agents accessing school grounds, and what policies would you advocate for regarding their presence on school property?
One of the district’s top priorities is to ensure that our schools are safe learning environments. I believe that we should continue to follow our already established safety protocols which ensure that all visitors, including ICE agents, follow specific procedures if they attempt to gain entrance to one of our buildings. We should also ensure that our policies protect the rights and privacy of our students.
What are the top three issues that the school district is facing right now?
Achievement Gap & Academic Recovery: Many students are still recovering from the learning disruption caused by the pandemic; these disruptions disproportionately effect students from low-income backgrounds. As a district we can combat this by:
- Continuing our work to cultivate a sense of belonging in our schools. When students feel safe, accepted, and valued they thrive emotionally and academically.
- Utilizing targeted interventions for students who are struggling in specific areas
- Working to address the causes of chronic absenteeism
- Implementing new instructional programs
Student Mental Health: Today’s students are experiencing higher levels of mental health challenges, in part due to academic stress, social pressures, and trauma. As a district we can combat this by:
- Continuing our SEL programs
- Providing/increasing mental health supports for students such as school counselors and social workers
- Providing families with information about additional mental health resources that are available in the community
- Working on policy to address cell phone usage
Educator Shortages & Retention: It’s becoming increasingly difficult to hire and retain educators. As a district we can combat this by:
- Looking for innovative ways to attract new educators to our district, such as incentives for former students to return as teachers
- Monitoring our compensation rates to make sure they are fair and competitive
- Offer opportunities for growth within our district
What is your position on allowing students to use cell phones during school hours?
There is a major debate between educators, students, and parents going on both nationally and in D300, about cell phone use in schools. I see both sides of the issue. On the con side, the arguments are that cell phones: cause distractions in the classroom, increased social anxiety and cyberbullying, decreased time engaging in face-to-face interactions, and the potential for cheating. On the pro side, the arguments are that cell phones can be: a beneficial learning tool, helpful during an emergency, and a means of emotional support for students.
There are discussions about state-wide policy for cell phone use in schools, but that could take some time to develop, and possibly never come to fruition. In the meantime, I believe that we need to set clear policy around cell phone usage in our schools at the district level. D300 conducted a survey to help better understand the views of educators, students, and parents on this issue. I have my own opinions as a parent on this issue but look forward to seeing the results of the survey, and the recommendation from the administration, both of which will be critical in deciding what direction to take with the policy.
Do you think cell phone policies should allow exceptions for emergencies or specific educational purposes? If so, how would these exceptions be defined?
These exceptions should be discussed after the results of the cell phone survey are made available. I’m hopeful that we can develop a policy that balances the concerns raised by our educators, student, and parents on this issue.
What steps would you take to address concerns about cyberbullying and inappropriate content access through student cell phones?
I would advocate for regular reviews of our digital literacy curriculum to make sure it adequately educates students about appropriate online behavior, interacting on social media, and cyberbullying awareness and response. School leadership and educators should continue initiatives that promote kindness, inclusivity, and anti-bullying culture in our schools. Students should be encouraged to report bullying and to take leadership roles in creating anti-bullying campaigns for their schools. Parents play a critical role in stopping cyberbullying. The district should continue to partner with parents by providing them opportunities to learn about digital literacy so they can help by monitoring their child’s social media and reinforce appropriate digital behaviors at home.
Should students be able to use AI in schoolwork?
It’s clear that AI technology is here to stay and is rapidly reshaping the learning environment for our educators and students. Before we allow students to use AI for schoolwork, guardrails need to be in place to ensure that AI is used as an enhancement to learning - not a replacement. As a district we will need to develop clear guidance outlining responsible student use of AI to avoid the following unintended consequences:
- facilitating cheating or plagiarism
- hindering development of student critical thinking and problem-solving skills
- spreading misinformation or perpetuate biases
- developing an overreliance on technology
What is your plan for making district financial reports, including budgets and expenditures, publicly available and easy to understand?
School finance is complicated and communicating about it in a way that’s easy to understand is challenging. All district financial reports are available to the public on the district’s website, but access without any context or explanation isn’t necessarily helpful to the community. Per the board’s request, the D300 Finance team now includes high-level overviews in their presentations to make the district’s finances easier to understand. Financial reports, the budget, and expenditures are discussed in detail at the monthly Operations Committee meetings. Recognizing that the discussions that happen in the Operations meetings would help taxpayers understanding of the district’s finances, I requested that the meetings be recorded and made available to the public to view at their convenience. This has led to more visibility to the district’s finances and the considerations of the board prior to voting.
How would you involve parents and community members in the decision-making process for curriculum or policy changes?
The board of education members are elected as representatives of the community and serve as their voice when making decisions on curriculum and policy. I would continue to involve our community in the decision-making process through a variety of avenues: surveys, public comment, community engagement sessions, focus groups, and our Parental Advisory Council (PAC). For example, when considering policy for cell phone usage, it’s essential that as a board member, I put my own personal opinions aside and consider a wide variety of perspectives to arrive at an informed decision that balances public opinion with any the laws or guidance the board is required to follow.
What is your position on banning books in school libraries or classrooms, and how do you define the criteria for such decisions?
I believe that books should not be banned in our school libraries or classrooms. Our students should have access to age-appropriate and engaging materials that cover a wide range of topics, perspectives, and cultures. This is supported by Illinois law HB2789 which outlaws the banning of books at the state level. If parents/guardians, employees, or community members believe that a book violates their legal rights or Board policy, they can file a complaint. The book objections will then go through a review process after which the complainant will be notified of the district’s decision.
How would you balance maintaining appropriate class sizes with the current teacher staffing levels?
I would continue to utilize the reports from our Boundary Committee to make informed decisions about staffing levels. The committee continuously monitors enrollment projections, number of sections, and available space in our buildings in conjunction with housing development plans to ensure that we can maintain a healthy staff to student ratio and stay under caps set out in the district’s labor contracts.
Do you believe the district is allocating enough resources toward hiring and supporting teachers, and if not, what changes would you make?
Yes, I believe we are allocating sufficient resources, along with trying innovative strategies to recruit and retain high-quality and dedicated staff who are passionate about our students’ education and well-being.
How will you make sure you are accessible to your constituents?
The school board is the liaison between the members of the community and the school district. As a board member I need to be accessible to the community and engage with stakeholders to understand our community’s values, wishes, and challenges. I am always accessible to the community via email and through public comment at board meetings. If re-elected, I will continue to make it a priority to attend as many community engagement events and meetings as possible, because I believe it’s important to hear directly from our community about their experiences with D300. As part of our work on our Master Facilities Plan, we’ve hosted community engagement sessions for to hear directly from our community and staff about their priorities and the future needs of D300. These sessions have been an effective way to ensure that the diverse perspectives of our community are heard by the board. If re-elected I’d be open to conducting more community engagement sessions on other topics. I’d be interested in exploring student engagement sessions to increase student voice and gather their perspectives as our decisions directly impact them daily.