Cindy Davis (Utah)
2023 - Present
2027
2
Cindy Davis (Republican Party) is a member of the Utah State Board of Education, representing District 11. She assumed office on January 2, 2023. Her current term ends on January 4, 2027.
Davis (Republican Party) ran for re-election to the Utah State Board of Education to represent District 11. She won in the general election on November 8, 2022.
Biography
Cindy Davis lives in Cedar Hills, Utah.[1] Davis earned a bachelor's degree from Brigham Young University and a master's degree in education leadership and policy from the University of Utah.[2] Her career experience includes working as an adjunct professor of education with Utah Valley University, a teacher and English department chair with Oak Canyon Junior High School, and the principal of Shelley Elementary School. Davis has served on the Kennedy Center International Area Studies Advisory Board and the Alpine District Community Council.[1][2]
Elections
2022
See also: Utah State Board of Education election, 2022
General election
General election for Utah State Board of Education District 11
Incumbent Cindy Davis won election in the general election for Utah State Board of Education District 11 on November 8, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Cindy Davis (R) | 100.0 | 59,870 |
| Total votes: 59,870 | |||
 = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Republican primary election
Republican primary for Utah State Board of Education District 11
Incumbent Cindy Davis defeated Kim Del Grosso in the Republican primary for Utah State Board of Education District 11 on June 28, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Cindy Davis | 52.1 | 15,254 |
| Kim Del Grosso | 47.9 | 14,043 | ||
| Total votes: 29,297 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Republican convention
Republican convention for Utah State Board of Education District 11
Kim Del Grosso defeated incumbent Cindy Davis in the Republican convention for Utah State Board of Education District 11 on April 23, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Kim Del Grosso (R) | 75.8 | 213 | |
| Cindy Davis (R) | 24.2 | 68 | |
| Total votes: 281 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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2018
General election
General election for Utah State Board of Education District 9
Cindy Davis defeated Avalie Muhlestein in the general election for Utah State Board of Education District 9 on November 6, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Cindy Davis (Nonpartisan) | 67.6 | 37,594 |
| Avalie Muhlestein (Nonpartisan) | 32.4 | 17,988 | ||
| Total votes: 55,582 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Nonpartisan primary election
Nonpartisan primary for Utah State Board of Education District 9
Cindy Davis and Avalie Muhlestein defeated Joylin Lincoln and Kami Alvarez in the primary for Utah State Board of Education District 9 on June 26, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Cindy Davis (Nonpartisan) | 51.5 | 13,824 |
| ✔ | Avalie Muhlestein (Nonpartisan) | 17.2 | 4,615 | |
| Joylin Lincoln (Nonpartisan) | 16.2 | 4,363 | ||
| Kami Alvarez (Nonpartisan) | 15.1 | 4,050 | ||
| Total votes: 26,852 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Campaign themes
2022
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Cindy Davis did not complete Ballotpedia's 2022 Candidate Connection survey.
2018
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Cindy Davis completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Davis' responses.
What would be your top three priorities, if elected?
My top three areas of focus would be: 1. Advocate for funds going mostly to WPU (weighted pupil unit) as opposed to splintered projects to allow LEAs (Local Education Agent) rather than legislators to determine top needs and priorities. 2. Work toward rectifying the funding hemorrhage caused by the constitutional change of allowing K-12 funds to be used for higher ed. (This is also an advocacy as opposed to an oversight issue, but crucial.) 3. Focus on teacher recruitment, induction and retention. There is a focus by many now on recruitment and retention, but as I visit with many educators, induction is a problem, particularly with educators returning to the workforce seeking a level two license and navigating the EYE (Early Entry Years) requirements through the state. If elected, I plan on working toward streamlining this process and clarifying communication to reduce the frustration applicants are currently experiencing which will reduce attrition with this important segment of our workforce.
What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
In addition to the top three priorities listed, I am passionate about and will work for the following:
- Improve tone and build bridges between legislators, board members, and educators. I have been attending State Board meetings and meeting with legislators from both parties on educational issues for the past four years. I am ready to hit the ground running with improving relationships among policy makers and practitioners.
- Support schools as they help students build skills and dispositions which will allow them to secure family-sustaining jobs in the future.
- Shed light on educational realities to inform on potential positive policy impacts and caution against potential unintended negative policy consequences for schools and for students.
- Encourage innovation and action research in our schools to better meet needs of varied learners. Schools have individual plans for students with special needs but need to improve in the area of more personalized learning for students who have already mastered the concepts. As a member of the personalized learning advisory board to the USBE, I have spent the last two years studying systems used in our states and others to improve personalized, flexible learning to demonstrate skill competency at a student's level rather than a general "teach to the middle level." If elected, I plan on furthering the competency pilot that we started this year with seven districts and seven charter schools to advance opportunities for schools to gather expertise and implement best practices to better meet individual learner needs.
Is there a book, essay, film, or something else you would recommend to someone who wants to understand your political philosophy?
While there isn't one book that captures my political philosophy, Crucial Conversations and Crucial Confrontations by Switzier, Granny and McMullan, offers insights into my personality. In politics we have far too much posturing. We don't have to agree to get along. We typically need calm, rational and even kind interactions to work together, think outside the box, find common ground and work toward consensus, which is different than mere compromise. We must exercise effective communication to move forward the critical work impacting our schools, cities, states and country.
What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?
The three core responsibilities of a State School Board member in Utah are: 1. Provide oversight for every K12 public school in Utah which includes district and charter schools. 2. Oversee a four billion dollar educational disbursement 3. Approve minimum basic state content standards to be taught in Utah classrooms.
Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.
See also
2022 Elections
External links
|
Candidate Utah State Board of Education District 11 |
Officeholder Utah State Board of Education District 11 |
Footnotes
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Natalie Cline (R) |
Utah State Board of Education District 11 2023-Present |
Succeeded by - |
| Preceded by - |
Utah State Board of Education District 9 2019-2023 |
Succeeded by Natalie Cline (R) |
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State of Utah Salt Lake City (capital) |
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