Bill Quirk

League of Women Voters^®
of the District of Columbia

Question 1:
Age: 33
Occupation: Attorney for Children's National Medical Center
Education: Juris Doctor from the Catholic University of America's Columbus School of Law, 2003 B.A. in Political Science from Villanova University, 1999 B.A. in Spanish Language & Literature from Villanova University, 1999

Qualifications for office sought: As an advocate for children in the District of Columbia for nearly a decade as an attorney for Children's National Medical Center, as the Chairman of Advisory Neighborhood Commission 4D, and as a soon-to-be Ward 4 parent, I would bring to the DC State Board of Education the right blend of experience, understanding and concern about the future of the educational system in the District of Columbia.
My wife, Suzanne, and I have been residents of the District for 12 years, spending most of our time in Ward 4. She has been an advocate for at-risk youth and their families for nearly a decade in her role as a Social Worker for Community Connections. We are both the product of public schools and would like to contribute to the continued improvement of the DC public schools.

Question 2 - What State Board of Education policies would you advocate? Two examples of ways in which we could improve education in the District of Columbia include 1) advocating for a date certain after which we could require that every child in the school system be at or above grade level and 2) implementing the existing educational standards.

Question 3 - What are the major challengers to implementing the common core standards of learning? The challenges that lie ahead are the ability of the District of Columbia to implement the Common Core Standards of Learning such that children are not being promoted before they have mastered the material. This needs to be done as early as possible to ensure that children are prepared for the next grade to which they are being promoted. This will help to ensure success by high school, reduce the high school drop-out rate and prepare our children for college.

Questions 4 - Should high school students be required to have a semester of DC history and government? We should require that students graduating from public schools in the District of Columbia have a semester of DC History and government because a strong understanding of state and local government is an important and powerful tool for adult life.

Questions 5 - Is there a role for the State Board of Education in making charter schools accountable? Yes. The State Board of Education should work with the Deputy Mayor for Education's Office and the DC Council in order to ensure that Charter Schools are held accountable.

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