Andrew Moss

League of Women Voters^®
of the District of Columbia

Question 1:
Age: 42
Occupation: Senior Compliance Officer with U.S. Department of Treasury
Education:

Bachelor of Business Administration from North Carolina Central University
Master's Degree in Education Leadership from George Mason University
Juris Doctor from University of Baltimore School of Law

Qualifications for office sought: I am a former teacher, proud native Washingtonian and a parent of a pre-school aged child. I want to take an active role in the educational reform of the District of Columbia Public School System. Education innovation and reform are crucial to ensuring our students are prepared to compete in tomorrow's society. However, in order for it to be sustained and successful, we must take a systematic approach and invite all stakeholders to the table to ensure all voices are heard.
As a compliance officer with extensive experience in oversight of federal funding and the District of Columbia's recent $75 million federal "Race To The Top" award, I believe I am uniquely qualified to ensure our students and schools receive the resources they so greatly need as we continue to implement key aspects of school reform.
Additional qualifications I have for this office to compliment my six years as a DC public school teacher include my tenure as a program director of an after-school literacy program active in several DC public schools, previous positions as a curriculum developer and staff development manager for federal and non-profit organizations. Furthermore, my law degree and experience in policy development also enhances my ability to interpret and implement federal and local mandates.
A vote for Andrew Moss means a vote for experience, commitment, and leadership. Let's educate our children together.

Question 2 - What State Board of Education policies would you advocate? My primary focus would be to establish or reinforce policies for parental involvement. Currently, parents who are the most critical stakeholders in our educational system have not been given adequate opportunity to be heard regarding the mandates placed on their schools and children.
I would also seek to have the performance measurement system of teachers re-evaluated because the current system (IMPACT) as it is administered will create a disparity in where quality educators will want to teach, and would further deteriorate the quality of education in disadvantaged communities across our city.

Question 3 - What are the major challengers to implementing the common core standards of learning? The major challenge facing the District of Columbia with the implementation of the Common Core Standards is the shift in the requirements that would intensify classroom instruction. Classroom teachers will bear the burden of changing the way students are assessed and would require additional training and staff development.

Questions 4 - Should high school students be required to have a semester of DC history and government? As a native of Washington, I believe that learning about the uniqueness of the District of Columbia should be a requirement in our public schools. Given the challenges of the Common Core Requirements to implement a rigorous curriculum, I would advocate to either provide the course as part of a U.S. History requirement or continue to make it a stand-alone requirement in place of an elective course for our high school students.

Questions 5 - Is there a role for the State Board of Education in making charter schools accountable? It is my opinion that some charter schools have proven to be very effective and successful. However, there are some that have not measured up to the standards of our traditional public schools, and those charter schools should be re-evaluated to determine if they should continue to operate autonomously. If elected to the School Board, I would seek to implement accountability standards for ineffective charter schools.

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