Erika Y. Mitchell

The most important role for Atlanta School Board is to improve Student outcomes. Atlanta school board has several important responsibilities—from policymaking to leadership decisions. Some of these responsibilities include but not limited to: Policymaking, Hiring and firing the Superintendent, Approving budgets, Approving curriculums, Assessing compliance with policy standards, Setting the school calendar, and bringing the voice and values of students, parents, and Community advocacy when making decisions.

Yes, Atlanta Board of Education, Distirct 5.

Yes, elementary school Substitute Teacher, high school Track and Field Coach

Since being elected to the Atlanta Public Schools Board of Education in 2018, I have ensured that I participate in ongoing Continue Education, such as not limited to: Annual conferences, 2021 Council of Great City Schools, Board Chair Cohort, Georgetown University, Washington D.C -Certificate in Education Finance, Harvard School of Business, Boston, MA -Certificate in Accelerating Board Capacity and 2019 School Board Partners Cohort. I am currently serving on the Atlanta Board of Education’s Policy Review Committee, Equity Taskforce, Audit Committee and the Boards of Directors for the Atlanta BeltLine. In addition, I served on the Georgia Statewide Human Trafficking Taskforce Workgroup, Fulton County Citizen Court Watch for Zone 4 and was appointed by the City of Atlanta’s Mayor Bottoms to serve on the Atlanta 2020 Census Committee. In 2019, I was on the interview selection panel for the Fulton County Juvenile Court Judges.

Every parent wants the best outcome for their student(s). As a parent, I have live experience with my children attending Atlanta Public Schools, some good and some not. These experiences led to me running for the school board to improve the learning experience for all students.

song:Cold Heart/ Elton John, artist: Lauryn Hill, author: Catherine Ponder, Book: The Dynamic Laws of Prosperity

Literacy: 65% of APS students in grades 3-8 are not proficient in reading. This is an educational crisis. I am currently working with Board Member Tamara Jones in writing Atlanta Public School's first Literacy policy to improve and address the early literacy crisis and equity gaps for students, including those who have historically been disenfranchised, including African American students, multilingual students, and children from low socioeconomic status backgrounds. The policy directs Atlanta Public Schools to establish goals and frameworks to address the district's literacy challenges through "Science of Reading" which means the body of research that identifies evidence-based approaches to explicitly and systematically teaching students to read, including foundational literacy skills that enable students to develop reading skills required to meet state standards in literacy.

· Leadership Skills: Must possess strong leadership skills to guide the educational direction of a school district. This involves setting goals, creating a vision, and working collaboratively with educators, staff, parents, and the community to achieve these objectives. The superintendent should also be adept at conflict resolution, as disagreements and issues are bound to arise.

· Educational Expertise: The next superintendent should have a strong background in education, which usually includes an advanced degree in Educational Leadership or Administration. This expertise allows them to make informed decisions about curriculum, teaching methods, and educational policies, ensuring that the school district meets state and national educational standards.

· Financial Management: Managing a budget, making sound financial decisions, and allocating funds to support schools and resources.

Atlanta Board of Education adopted the Student Outcomes Focused Governance framework in 2021. The framework is built around six research-informed competencies that describe school board behaviors and the degree to which they create the conditions for improvements in student outcomes: Vision & Goals, Values & Guardrails, Monitoring & Accountability, Communication & Collaboration, Unity & Trust, and Continuous Improvement.

To ensure accountability, the school board should review these outcomes annually, set benchmarks, and openly communicate progress to the public. If the superintendent consistently falls short of established targets, the board should take appropriate action, including considering leadership changes. Accountability mechanisms are essential to maintaining the highest education standards in any school district.

Literacy, mental health supports, School-based health clinics, special education programming/ supports. Funding will come from general funds in the APS budget.

Is the decision in the best interest of students and school-level staff, and how will this decision improve students' outcomes?

APS discipline and special education policy should be revised. School discipline policies and practices are a critical part of creating a school’s overall climate.

In 2020, I wrote the language for the trauma-informed policy. This policy implements practices and procedures that ensure students affected by childhood trauma are provided with the necessary interventions and aid to address trauma, reduce re-traumatization, and improve student academic and emotional growth. Also, In 2020, I wrote the language for the restorative practices policy, which directs the school district to shift from punitive and punishment-oriented student consequences to those that provide opportunities for all people affected by a student's action to engage in dialogue and measures seeking to restore the classroom, school community, and interpersonal relationships. By implementing restorative practices, schools ensure that students are not suspended for subjective offenses and can spend more time in their classrooms.

Partnerships in education build bridges between families, communities, and schools. In order to provide the best possible education, schools must partner with families and communities. True partnerships are based on mutual respect. Teachers respect and value parents’ knowledge and insights about their children. Parents respect and value teachers’ knowledge and insights about the learning process and understanding children’s educational needs. In a school-family-community partnership, all members of the community recognize changing family needs in order to raise children in an environment that provides the conditions for health, safety, and learning. Every adult has a stake in the education and welfare of children. It is essential for adults to build bridges in order to work together so children are healthy and safe. Schools, families, and community members must recognize these common goals and work together for the sake of children.

Since being elected in 2018, I began hosting community meetings that welcome students, teachers, parents, principals, and the community. Pre-covid, I hosted these meetings once a month, in person, at the local libraries. During COVID and post COVID, I still host my community meetings. I will continue to engage.

Tell the truth and be able to communicate what is happening and why.

Educational equity means that each child receives what they need to develop to their full academic and social potential.

Equity is embedded in every decision that I make as a school board member.