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Jim Mason (Colorado)
Jim Mason was an at-large member of the Colorado Springs School District 11 school board. Mason assumed office in 2013. Mason left office on December 1, 2021.
Mason ran for election to the Colorado Springs City Council to represent District 1. Mason lost in the general election on April 6, 2021.
Biography
Mason earned a B.A. in political science from Knox College. He later earned an M.S. in personnel management from Troy University and a master of military art and science from the U.S. Army Command General Staff College. Mason retired with the rank of Colonel from the U.S. Army in 2005. He went on to work as a contractor with Sparta, Inc.[1]
Elections
2021
See also: City elections in Colorado Springs, Colorado (2021)
General election
General election for Colorado Springs City Council District 1
Dave Donelson defeated Glenn Carlson, Jim Mason, and Michael Seeger in the general election for Colorado Springs City Council District 1 on April 6, 2021.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Dave Donelson (Nonpartisan)  | 48.0 | 9,183 |
 | Glenn Carlson (Nonpartisan) | 29.0 | 5,544 | |
 | Jim Mason (Nonpartisan) | 15.6 | 2,989 | |
| Michael Seeger (Nonpartisan) | 7.4 | 1,408 | ||
| Total votes: 19,124 | |||
| = 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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2017
Four of the seven seats on the Colorado Springs School District 11 Board of Education in Colorado were up for nonpartisan election on November 7, 2017. Three of those seats were up for general election to regular four-year terms. The fourth seat was up for special election to an unexpired two-year term due to a vacancy on the board.[2] The race for the four-year terms included incumbents Jim Mason and Shawn Gullixson and challengers Morgan Chavez and Julie Ott. Gullixson and Mason won re-election to their seats, and Ott won the other four-year term on the board. Incumbent Mary Coleman ran unopposed and won the two-year term.[3][4][5]
Results
| Colorado Springs School District 11, At-large General Election, 4-year terms, 2017 |
||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
 Julie Ott |
32.27% | 27,943 |
| Jim Mason Incumbent |
28.26% | 24,467 |
| Shawn Gullixson Incumbent |
23.91% | 20,706 |
| Morgan Chavez | 15.56% | 13,473 |
| Total Votes | 86,589 | |
| Source: El Paso County Elections Office, "Official Results: COLORADO SPRINGS SCHOOL DISTRICT 11 DIRECTOR (4 YEAR TERM)," accessed November 27, 2017 | ||
Funding
Mason began the race with an existing account balance of $395.16 from his previous campaign. He reported $2,607.50 in contributions and $3,002.66 in expenditures to Colorado Secretary of State, which left his campaign with a $0.00 balance in the election.[6]
Endorsements
Mason was endorsed by the following organizations:[7][8][9][10]
- Colorado Springs Education Association (CSEA)
- Unite Colorado Springs
- Colorado Springs Independent
- Pikes Peak Association of REALTORS®
2013
Mason won election to the board against incumbents Al Loma and LuAnn Long as well as challengers Charlie Bobbitt, Linda Mojer, and James Tucker.
Results
| Colorado Springs School District 11, At-large General Election, 4-year term, 2013 |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Nonpartisan | LuAnn Long Incumbent |
21.3% | 20,601 | |
| Nonpartisan | Jim Mason |
18.7% | 18,069 | |
| Nonpartisan | Linda Mojer |
16.7% | 16,191 | |
| Nonpartisan | Charlie Bobbitt | 15.2% | 14,696 | |
| Nonpartisan | Al Loma Incumbent | 14.3% | 13,854 | |
| Nonpartisan | James Tucker | 13.9% | 13,434 | |
| Total Votes | 96,845 | |||
| Source: El Paso County, Colorado, "2013 Coordinated Election," November 14, 2013 | ||||
Funding
Mason reported $7,567.00 in contributions and $7,171.84 in expenditures to the Colorado Secretary of State, which left his campaign with $395.16 on hand in the election.[11]
Endorsements
Mason received the following endorsements for his campaign:[12][13]
- The Colorado Springs Independent
- Public Educators Advocating for Kids (PEAK)
- Pikes Peak Association of REALTORS
Campaign themes
2021
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Jim Mason did not complete Ballotpedia's 2021 Candidate Connection survey.
2017
Ballotpedia survey responses
E. James "Jim" Mason participated in Ballotpedia's 2017 survey of school board candidates.[14] In response to the question "What do you hope to achieve if elected to the school board?" the candidate stated on October 12, 2017:
| “ | I seek re-election to continue work with Board colleagues, the Administration, Staff, and Parents/Guardians toward our goal of improving Student achievement through improved and increased educational opportunities; and maintenance of a high performing learning environment.[15][16] | ” |
Ranking the issues
The candidate was asked to rank the following issues based on how they should be prioritized by the school board, with 1 being the most important and 7 being the least important. Each ranking could only be used once.
| Education policy |
|---|
 |
Click here to learn more about education policy in Colorado. |
| Education on the ballot |
| Issue importance ranking | |
|---|---|
| Candidate's ranking | Issue |
| Closing the achievement gap | |
| Improving education for special needs students | |
| Improving relations with teachers | |
| Improving post-secondary readiness | |
| Balancing or maintaining the district's budget | |
| Expanding arts education | |
| Expanding school choice options | |
| “ | I think the essence of Public Education should be increasing and improving the educational opportunities of Students towards improved academic achievement.[16] | ” |
| —E. James "Jim" Mason (October 12, 2017) | ||
Positions on the issues
The candidate was asked to answer eight questions from Ballotpedia regarding significant issues in education and the school district. The questions are highlighted in blue and followed by the candidate's responses. Some questions provided multiple choices, which are noted after those questions. The candidate was also provided space to elaborate on their answers to the multiple choice questions.
| Should new charter schools be approved in your district? (Not all school boards are empowered to approve charter schools. In those cases, the candidate was directed to answer the question as if the school board were able to do so.) |
|---|
| Yes. |
| Which statement best describes the ideal relationship between the state government and the school board? The state should always defer to school board decisions, defer to school board decisions in most cases, be involved in the district routinely or only intervene in severe cases of misconduct or mismanagement. |
| The state should be involved in the district routinely. The involvement should be collegial and mutually supporting, while addressing the particular needs of Districts. |
| Are standardized tests an accurate metric of student achievement? |
| No. However, standardized tests are an important component in measuring student achievement. |
| How should the district handle underperforming teachers? Terminate their contract before any damage is done to students, offer additional training options, put them on a probationary period while they seek to improve or set up a mentorship program for the underperforming teacher with a more experienced teacher in the district? |
| Offer additional training options. Offer additional training options. |
| Should teachers receive merit pay? |
| Yes. We need to figure this out as a State. It cannot be accomplished by School Boards...expertise and resources are not present. |
| Should the state give money to private schools through a voucher system or scholarship program? |
| No. |
| How should expulsion be used in the district? |
| Only in extreme and security-sensitive circumstances. |
| What's the most important factor for success in the classroom: student-teacher ratio, the curriculum, teachers, parent involvement or school administration? |
| Student-teacher ratio. My assessment only: If we can be successful in pairing high performing Teachers with Students who are prepared to learn...learning and an appreciation for knowledge will take place. The other stated factors are a component of the basic 'education paradigm'. |
Candidate website
Mason highlighted the following priorities on his campaign website:
| “ |
|
” |
| —Jim Mason (2017)[17] | ||
2013
Mason provided the following answers to questions posed by the Citizens Project:
Pressing issues in district
| “ | I will make a positive difference in District 11's objective of improving student achievement. I currently serve on the District Accountability Committee, Budget Subcommittee. I have served on the Subcommittee for the past five years; the last three years as Chairman. I have firsthand experience with the challenges facing the District and have assisted in formulating courses of action to accomplish our goals and objectives. My Priorities are: a) Academic Achievement; b) Supporting Teachers, Principals, and Staff; and c) Increase and improve parental/guardian involvement—of which, I also see these as the District's most pressing issues as well.[16] | ” |
| —Jim Mason (2013)[18] | ||
Anti-bullying policies
| “ | Currently, School District 11 supports and enforces the law in a way consistent with its intent. As a Board Member, I will diligently ensure the District is complaint and has in place methods for monitoring and assessing our program.[16] | ” |
| —Jim Mason (2013)[18] | ||
School choice
| “ | Charter Schools have value in the overall educational framework that supports improved Student Achievement. Vouchers—I am against. Student achievement must improve; we must focus on this task. Moreover, if we raise student achievement to grade-level, the context of Charter School and voucher discussions will substantially change.[16] | ” |
| —Jim Mason (2013)[18] | ||
District finances
| “ | I will work with Board colleagues and the Administration to design budget plans that foster improved student achievement. Additionally, I will assist in codifying the strengths and weaknesses associated with the State's education policies and requirements while taking a lead role in communicating this information to Officials.[16] | ” |
| —Jim Mason (2013)[18] | ||
Sex education
| “ | My first priority would be in reviewing the curriculum ensuring that considerations for grade-level appropriateness, presentation format, and "prepared" teachers are addressed and in place. Next will be monitoring and reporting, ensuring parents/guardians are a part of the student's academic experience.[16] | ” |
| —Jim Mason (2013)[18] | ||
See also
2021 Elections
External links
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Personal |
Footnotes
- ↑ Jim Mason for School Board, "Bio," accessed October 28, 2013
- ↑ Colorado Springs School District 11, "Board of Education," accessed February 27, 2017
- ↑ Colorado Springs School District 11, "2017 Board of Education Candidates for Election," accessed September 7, 2017
- ↑ El Paso County Elections Office, "Unofficial Results: COLORADO SPRINGS SCHOOL DISTRICT 11 DIRECTOR (4 YEAR TERM)," accessed November 7, 2017
- ↑ El Paso County Elections Office, "Unofficial Results: COLORADO SPRINGS SCHOOL DISTRICT 11 DIRECTOR (2 YEAR TERM)," accessed November 7, 2017
- ↑ Colorado Secretary of State, "TRACER: Candidate Search," accessed December 15, 2017
- ↑ Abbey Smith, “Email communication with Julie Ott," September 14, 2017
- ↑ Unite Colorado Springs, "2017 Coordinated Election Endorsements," accessed October 17, 2017
- ↑ Colorado Springs Independent, "The Indy's picks for the 2017 Coordinated Elections," October 11, 2017
- ↑ Pikes Peak Association of REALTORS, "2017 November Coordinated Election," accessed October 17, 2017
- ↑ Colorado TRACER, "Candidate Detail," accessed December 19, 2013
- ↑ Jim Mason for School Board, "Main," accessed October 28, 2013
- ↑ Colorado Springs Independent, "Help for education, taxes for RMJ sales," October 23, 2013
- ↑ Note: The candidate's answers have been reproduced here verbatim without edits or corrections by Ballotpedia.
- ↑ Ballotpedia School Board Candidate Survey, 2017, "E. James "Jim" Mason's responses," October 12, 2017
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 16.2 16.3 16.4 16.5 16.6 16.7 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ Jim Mason Candidate for School District 11 Board of Education, "My Life Course: Goals & Background," accessed October 24, 2017
- ↑ 18.0 18.1 18.2 18.3 18.4 Citizens Project, "Colorado Springs School District 11 - Candidate Profiles," accessed October 28, 2013 (dead link)
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