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Jane Barber
Jane Barber was a candidate for at-large representative on the Aurora Public Schools school board in Colorado. Barber was defeated in the at-large general election on November 7, 2017.
Barber previously served on the Aurora Public Schools school board from 2005 to 2013.[1]
Elections
2017
- See also: Aurora Public Schools elections (2017)
Four of the seven seats on the Aurora Public Schools Board of Education in Colorado were up for nonpartisan general election on November 7, 2017. The race included incumbent Barbara Yamrick and challengers Kyla Armstrong-Romero, Jane Barber, Kevin Cox, Debra Gerkin, Marques Ivey, Miguel In Suk Lovato, Gail Pough, and Lea Steed. Armstrong-Romero, Cox, Gerkin, and Ivey won the spots on the board.[2]
Results
| Aurora Public Schools, At-large General Election, 4-year terms, 2017 |
||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
 Kevin Cox |
16.58% | 12,636 |
| Debra Gerkin |
16.26% | 12,391 |
| Kyla Armstrong-Romero |
15.13% | 11,527 |
| Marques Ivey |
12.9% | 9,830 |
| Gail Pough | 9.76% | 7,441 |
| Miguel In Suk Lovato | 8.91% | 6,793 |
| Jane Barber | 7.15% | 5,447 |
| Barbara Yamrick Incumbent | 7.07% | 5,385 |
| Lea Steed | 6.25% | 4,760 |
| Total Votes | 76,210 | |
| Source: Arapahoe County, Official Results," accessed August 28, 2023 and Adams County Elections Office, "Official Results," accessed August 28, 2023 | ||
Funding
Barber reported $1,510.32 in contributions and $1,510.32 in expenditures to the Colorado Secretary of State, which left her campaign with $0.00 as of December 8, 2017.[3]
Campaign themes
2017
Chalkbeat questionnaire
Barber participated in the following questionnaire conducted by Chalkbeat. The questions provided by the news organization appear bolded, and Barber's responses follow below.
Tell us a bit about yourself. How long have you lived in the school district? What do you do for a living?
| “ | I have lived in the school district for 41 years. My children attended school in Aurora for their entire pre-k though graduation. I am retired from a retail job . I am currently working in nutrition services at Fulton Elementary school.[4] | ” |
| —Jane Barber (2017)[5] | ||
Tell us about your connection to the school district.
| “ | When my children were in school I was involved in PTA and volunteering in classrooms and libraries. I was in PTA from the local to the state level serving in various capacities. From 2005 to 2013 I was elected to the APS school board. In the four interim years I stayed on the LRFAC, attended board meetings and DACC meetings, also volunteering in the schools, and helping Board members with their elections.[4] | ” |
| —Jane Barber (2017)[5] | ||
The district’s state test scores improved this year, enough to lift the district’s state quality rating and get APS off the accountability clock. Why do think the district was able to achieve this, and do you think APS is on the right track?
| “ | APS and superintendent Munn initiated the 2020 proposal concentrating on student efforts.
I know the teachers worked very hard with their students on reading and math. Fulton did very well in improving their math scores. I think often educators initiate a new program and give up before a fair chance has been given. I hope APS continues to improve. It is not for lack of trying that they have come this far.[4] |
” |
| —Jane Barber (2017)[5] | ||
Some candidates have said they would like the school board to have more accountability or transparency. What would you say to that, and should anything change on that issue?
| “ | The meetings are publicized well in advance according to law, the discussions are open, the people can contact any of the Board members any time through the district. The only meetings not open to the public are on personnel issues.
Citizens can even attend the negotiations between the teachers union and the district. Budget meetings are held many different places to accommodate the public. Anybody can access the website at any time and ask questions or give opinions.[4] |
” |
| —Jane Barber (2017)[5] | ||
Aurora has sought to increase school quality by recruiting the high-performing charter school network DSST. Is this a sound strategy and was the process sound, or would you have done anything differently?
| “ | I think DSST is a for-profit charter business. I do not like that Munn went to them and asked them to come to our district. Nor do I like that they are promised four schools and APS will provide half the money to build or renovate those said four schools.
Why is the executive officer of DSST a CEO and not a principal? The process was not sound and the Board should have been a part of negotiations from the beginning.[4] |
” |
| —Jane Barber (2017)[5] | ||
What role do you believe local school boards should have in reviewing, approving or managing charter schools that wish to open in the district?
| “ | DACC clearly reviews all the charters before they get to the BOE. Board members can be a part of this process as can anybody else. I am impressed with the knowledgeable questions asked by DACC members. Charter schools under the venue of the board should report to the BOE at least twice a year — especially to review financial matters.[4] | ” |
| —Jane Barber (2017)[5] | ||
Aurora Public Schools is likely to continue facing budget issues. What funding do you think ought to be cut, and how should the district go about deciding what should be cut?
| “ | No funding should be cut that directly impacts the students. I think APS is top heavy in several areas i.e. Nutrition services. The Rebound program needs to be carefully audited. APS for the most part has cut so much in the last year, but it can always look closely at administrative costs.[4] | ” |
| —Jane Barber (2017)[5] | ||
Do you agree with the resolution the school board passed earlier this year to support immigrant and refugee students? How would you judge what the district is doing to respond to the concerns of those communities?
| “ | This district should have responded to their demands by the beginning of the school year. Did they? I would be interested in the answer.[4] | ” |
| —Jane Barber (2017)[5] | ||
What do you see as the biggest issue facing Aurora schools today and how do you hope to have an impact on said issue as a school board member?
| “ | The impact that charter schools is having on our district. Privatization of public education is not needed. We need to invest in our neighborhood schools where our kids are impacted the most. I feel that neighborhood schools are the foundation of our school system and should be treated as such.
We cannot lose sight of the cornerstone of democracy which is public schools.[4] |
” |
| —Jane Barber (2017)[5] | ||
Recent news
The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms Jane Barber Aurora Public Schools school board. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Aurora Public Schools, "APS Community Bids Farewell to Departing Board Members," accessed October 9, 2017
- ↑ Aurora Public Schools, "APS Board of Education Election," accessed September 7, 2017
- ↑ Colorado Secretary of State, "Campaign Finance Database: Political Race Search," accessed December 8, 2017
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.7 4.8 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 5.7 5.8 Chalkbeat, "We asked the 2017 Aurora school board candidates nine questions. Here are their responses," October 5, 2017
| Aurora Public Schools elections in 2017 | |
| Arapahoe County, Colorado | |
| Election date: | November 7, 2017 |
| Candidates: | At-large: • Incumbent, Barbara Yamrick • Kyla Armstrong-Romero • Jane Barber • Kevin Cox • Debra Gerkin • Marques Ivey • Miguel In Suk Lovato • Gail Pough • Lea Steed |
| Important information: | What was at stake? • Additional elections on the ballot • Key deadlines |
