4th District School Board Larson RTD Op/Ed

The 4th District is a crowded race for school board. The Times-Dispatch invited candidates for Richmond City Council and School Board to tell us why they’re running. They will publish their statements – in no particular order – on the Op/Ed page between now and Election Day. Candidate Kristen Larson has an editorial up on today’s paper.

As a member of the Richmond School Board, I pledge to listen to the community. I will work to provide better options to the children and to reverse the trend of declining enrollment by attracting new families to our district. I welcome schools and programs like International Baccalaureate, comprehensive vocational-technical schools, charters and lab schools that have proven successful all over the country in improving educational outcomes. Quality education must be available for all Richmond students.

Middle schools are among my top priorities. Richmond’s 2011 middle school SOL scores were among the lowest in the state. The district must dramatically change what it is doing.