Palo Alto Unified School District

Chris Colohan

https://www.chris4schoolboard.com/

I want every child to learn to love learning, and grow to reach their full potential, both as an individual and as a vital part of our school community. I have a long track record of building up school communities. My extensive background as a PTA leader, substitute teacher, and experienced manager prepares me well for the role of board member.

1. Over 80% of voters polled say they want elected officials to prioritize children and families. What are the top three issues affecting our children and families and how will you make our region a place where all families can thrive?

   In our school district, our top three issues are lack of affordable housing, lack of high-quality child care, and declining enrollment in our schools, possibly leading to school closures. As a community member, I will support any efforts to build lower-income housing. As a board member, I will support efforts to build teacher housing. For high-quality child care, I will support efforts to expand access to Pre-K to all families. And for declining enrollment, I will support creative initiatives that can draw kids back from private schools, and I will support the construction of more housing.

2. High quality childcare improves school readiness and parents' workforce participation. What will you do to improve access to high quality childcare and preschool programs in our diverse communities?

   In our district budget, I will prioritize expanding our current Pre-K program to make it universally accessible to all of our families. I will defend Pre-K from cuts in our budget. I will ensure that our district budget includes funds for outreach to families who would benefit from our programs.
   

3. Much of the student achievement gap has been linked to the opportunity gap that children in low-income families and children of color confront (e.g., lack of access to healthy food, preschool, tutors, and enrichment activities). If elected, what will you do to increase equity of opportunity?

   I will support our district’s ongoing efforts to support our most vulnerable families, which are outlined in our SWIFT Plan which can be found on our district’s website. I will defend our school breakfast and lunch programs from cuts in the budget. I will work to expand Pre-K to all families in our district. I will support our partnerships with local non profits who provide after-school enrichment such as Dreamcatchers. And I will speak about equity of opportunity from the dais as a school board member.
   

4. What steps will you take to improve inclusion and outcomes for children with disabilities and their families in our community?

   Palo Alto has recently suffered from high turnover in our special education programs, which has made it difficult for some families to have a consistent experience with their child’s education. My first priority is to ensure that the special education programs are well managed – with consistent leadership who clearly communicates their goals and plans. Once stability is achieved we can focus on opportunities for improvement.
   

5. If elected, how will you use the resources of your new role to improve children's well-being and access to mental and behavioral health services?

   Palo Alto already has extensive mental health services, and these existing services need to be well supported. I will prioritize mental and behavioral health services in our District’s budget. I will defend those services from cuts in our budget. I will speak about the critical importance of children’s mental health, and encourage parents and PTAs and other district partners to host events on that topic. I will promote those events and attend them myself.