Michael Erwin
Michael A. Erwin was a member of the DeKalb County School District school board in Georgia, representing District 3. Erwin assumed office in 2013. Erwin left office in 2020.
Erwin ran for re-election to the DeKalb County School District school board to represent District 3 in Georgia. Erwin won in the general election on May 24, 2016.
Erwin was first appointed to the board by Governor Nathan Deal on March 13, 2013.[1]
Prior to Erwin's appointment, Governor Deal removed six members of the DeKalb Board of Education from office after the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools placed the school district under "accredited probation" status. This was due to an audit that revealed issues with board governance, unethical practices and fiscal mismanagement.[2]
Biography
Michael A. Erwin resides in DeKalb County, Georgia. Erwin received his B.S. and M.S. degrees in biology from North Carolina Central University before earning his Ph.D. from the University of South Carolina. He served in the United States Navy and worked for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration as a fishery biologist before becoming an educator in 1998.[3][4] Erwin is employed as an assistant professor in the School of Science and Technology at Georgia Gwinnett College.[5]
Elections
2016
Four of the seven seats on the DeKalb County Board of Education were up for general election on May 24, 2016. There was no primary. District 1 incumbent Stan Jester, District 3 incumbent Michael Erwin, District 5 incumbent Vickie Turner, and District 7 incumbent Joyce Morley ran without opposition.[6]
Results
| DeKalb County School District, District 3 General Election, 4-Year Term, 2016 |
||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
 Michael Erwin Incumbent (unopposed) |
100.00% | 7,646 |
| Total Votes | 7,646 | |
| Source: Georgia Secretary of State, "General Primary and Nonpartisan General Election May 24, 2016," accessed December 14, 2016 | ||
2014
Michael A. Erwin and Atticus LeBlanc defeated challengers Jerrie D. Bason, Jarrod Jordan and Willie R. Mosley, Jr. for the District 3 seat in the general election on May 20, 2014. Although the District 3 seat normally carries a four-year term, this election was for a two-year term. Erwin defeated Leblanc in the runoff election on July 22, 2014.[7]
Results
Runoff election
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonpartisan | Michael A. Erwin Incumbent |
58.8% | 4,164 | |
| Nonpartisan | Atticus LeBlanc | 41.2% | 2,916 | |
| Total Votes | 7,080 | |||
| Source: Georgia Secretary of State, "General Primary/General Nonpartisan/Special Election - July 22, 2014," accessed February 23, 2015 | ||||
General election
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonpartisan | Michael A. Erwin Incumbent |
37.2% | 3,603 | |
| Nonpartisan | Atticus LeBlanc |
20.9% | 2,025 | |
| Nonpartisan | Willie R. Mosley, Jr. | 16.8% | 1,627 | |
| Nonpartisan | Jarrod Jordan | 16.7% | 1,612 | |
| Nonpartisan | Jerrie D. Bason | 8.4% | 810 | |
| Total Votes | 9,677 | |||
| Source: Georgia Secretary of State, "General Primary/General Nonpartisan/Special Election - May 20, 2014," accessed July 10, 2014 | ||||
Funding
Erwin reported $500.00 in contributions but no expenditures to the DeKalb County Department of Voter Registration and Elections, which left his campaign with $500.00 on hand.[8]
Endorsements
Erwin did not receive any endorsements during the election.
Campaign themes
2014
Erwin published a list of his priorities on his campaign website:
| “ | K-16 Education
College and career ready focus: The board has established initiatives that place emphasis on ensuring that our students are prepared for life beyond the 12th grade be it college, military or the workforce. Teacher Preparation Removal of barriers that impact teachers most: Eliminated all furlough days which have restored the district to a 180 day calendar. By creating a fund balance (surplus), cost of living adjustments have been restored. The results — the removal of barriers that impact teacher recruitment. This supports having highly qualified teachers in classrooms on day one. Parental Engagement Redefining parental engagement: Using the power of technology to explore all avenues to support parental engagement and to help students feel more prepared. Improving student assessment: Universal Screener reports strengths and weakness of students in their academic core subjects and gives parents recommendations on how to support their students at home in areas of weakness. This keeps parents in the loop and ensures their involvement in their child’s curriculum. This was a SACS recommendation that was successfully implemented in 2013–2014. Accountability Monitor the academic achievement of the district: Both leading indicators (e.g., Universal Screener, Benchmark Assessments) and lagging indicators (e.g., CRCT scores at the end of the year and graduation rates) are tools used to monitor growth and achievement for students. This information assists with prioritizing spending towards programs that will enhance academic achievement. Governance in leadership: Exemplary leadership that governs as a "whole" and not from individualistic agendas and perspectives. Ensure parents feel welcome and teachers’ needs are being met. Guarantee a non-retaliatory work environment for everyone.[9] |
” |
| —Michael A. Erwin campaign website (2014)[10] | ||
In an interview with 90.1 WABE, Erwin answered several questions outlining his campaign themes:
| “ | Briefly describe your background. What qualifies you for this position?
First and foremost, I am a parent of two young children, one of which is in the DeKalb County School System and have a vested interest in the success of DeKalb schools. Secondly, I am an educator for a post-secondary college and understand the skills and knowledge necessary for success at the post-secondary level. This vantage point enhances the conversation with fellow board members regarding college and career readiness and the importance of career pathways. In addition to my work as a Professor, I am a Mentor with the African American Males Elite Scholars Program at Georgia Gwinnett College and I work with research students in the field of Conservation Genetics. Previously I worked for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) as a Fishery Biologist where I served as Chair of a biological review team which investigated the status of fish species under the Endangered Species Act. I was responsible for reviewing research budgets that impacted environmental policy. In this position I had to use scientific data, public opinion and fiscal parameters to drive policy decisions. This experience has been beneficial during my time as a DeKalb County School Board Member because responsible decisions are made under similar circumstances. Why should voters choose you? What makes you stand out as a candidate? Voters should choose me because over the past 13 months I have worked to stabilize the school district and I have proven successes in my role as a School Board Member for DeKalb County. Throughout my term, I have remained mindful of my role as a board member which is to work together with the whole board as a team in the areas of adopting policies, approving and monitoring the budget and evaluating the superintendent. It is due to this approach that I along with my fellow School Board Members have been able to reduce teacher furlough days, eliminate the budget deficit, create a positive fund balance (surplus), and prioritize spending towards initiatives that focus on improving academic achievement. What are some of the biggest educational challenges facing the district? How can you, as a board member, address those issues? Academic Achievement is one of the biggest challenges we face in our schools. In order to affect change we must provide funding to support student growth through assessment and professional development. By continuing to increase the fund balance (surplus) I will focus on prioritizing spending towards programs and initiatives that will boost academic achievement. I will also ensure that future budgets place the dollars closest to where student instruction is occurring in the classroom. Removing barriers that exist for teachers will also positively impact academic achievement. I have worked to reduce furlough days which ensure that teacher planning days and professional development days are re-instituted. Continuing the fund balance (surplus) will help restore cost of living adjustments as well as restore step increases. As a result, this will positively impact teacher recruitment ensuring that we have highly qualified teachers in classrooms on day one. Second, a focus on K-16 Education is paramount to making sure that our students are college and career ready. We stop short if our focus is only on getting students through the 12th grade. We must be concerned with what happens beyond that to ensure success of our students at the next level be it college, military or the workforce. I will continue to support the implementation of Career Clusters such as STEM to prepare students for beyond the 12th grade. Research shows that learning opportunities that tap into a student’s vision for the future, provides an authentic connection with their teachers and demonstrates relevance in learning positively impacts graduation rates. Finally, education governance is another challenge facing our school system. The current Board has made great strides towards maintaining a responsible governance culture, but this progress must be sustained. Meaningful improvement takes time and education governance does make a difference in the classroom. As a board member I will continue to employ the patience and fortitude to stay the course so that the children of DeKalb County reach the heights that they are certainly capable of achieving. Until recently, DeKalb was on “accredited probation” due mainly to concerns about school board governance. The district recently improved its status to “accredited warned.” But DeKalb still has a long way to go. As a board member, what will you do to ensure the district keeps improving? I will continue to adhere to the guidelines and expectations outlined by SACS as I have done over the last 13 months. Those guidelines include working as a “whole” and not from individualistic perspective. We as a Board must continue to invest in board training and board development. We must operate at a high level of ethics and when necessary hold each accountable for our behavior. Our role is to set policy, review and approve a budget, and hire a superintendent. The superintendent is responsible for the day to day management of the school district. Board members must stay in their lane of governance, as indicated by SACS. We will continue to ensure that the superintendent is accountable for the day to day operations of the school district in the areas of fiscal management and academic improvement will be of the utmost importance in maintaining a good relationship with SACS. According to the Georgia School Boards Association, individual board members don’t have the authority to make decisions about the district. That authority lies with the board as a whole. How will you work to ensure the board makes decisions together instead of pursuing individual agendas? As a board member I always remember that before a decision is made, I must ask the question, “Is this what’s best for all the students in DeKalb County?” Keeping this in mind allows for consensus building and removal of individual agendas. It is through this thought process that the current board has been able to move the district off of accreditation probation, reduce furlough days, and build a positive fund balance to support academic growth.[9] |
” |
| —90.1 WABE interview (2014)[3] | ||
In response to a questionnaire conducted by It's For Them - DeKalb, Erwin answered several questions outlining his campaign themes:
| “ | 1. What is your understanding of the role of a school board member? In your answer, explain (1) the level of engagement that a board member should have in the affairs and operations of the district and, (2) the relationship between the board and district staff.
My role as a school board member is to work together with the whole board as a team in the areas of adopting policies, approving and monitoring the budget, approving and monitoring district expenditures, hiring and evaluating the superintendent, and hearing formal appeals from staff, students, and parents. A board member as a part of the whole board establishes goals and policies and then holds the superintendent accountable for reaching those goals and executing the policies. Board members do not interfere with the day-to-day operations. As a board member, I must communicate my concerns and requests to the superintendent. The superintendent directs the staff. It is important for the board to have a collaborative relationship with the superintendent’s executive staff since they are the team that presents monthly to the board. However, any requests of the board from staff should go through the superintendent. 2. Explain your views on the current state of transparency of information at DCSD. The District has multiple ways of communicating information to provide transparency to the public. This includes the use of a Parent App available through mobile technology, the website, and social media. The board meetings are televised and community meetings are held for stakeholder input. All board documents approved by the board are posted on the website for public consumption. 3. How would you inspire parents and other stakeholders to have confidence in DeKalb schools? I would continue driving the momentum of successes over the past year of the board and district which includes the elimination of the budget deficit and creation of a positive fund balance (savings account). We have established a productive relationship with SACS and are no longer on accredited-probation. Academic achievement is top of mind for parents and stakeholders, therefore I will ensure that the allocated surplus funds are utilized to support policies and programs that drive this initiative. Finally, I will continue to engage parents and the community in shared decision-making for school initiatives and projects. 4. What skills, talents, and personality traits do you believe that you possess that would make you work effectively with the rest of the board to get things done? First and foremost, I am a parent of two young children in the public school system and have a vested interest in the success of Dekalb schools. Secondly, I am an educator for a post-secondary college and understand the skills and knowledge necessary for success at the post-secondary level. This vantage point enhances the conversation with fellow board members regarding college and career readiness. 5. How will you enhance the mix of skills and backgrounds on the board and help represent the diversity of the community? As a parent, educator, Navy veteran and Scientist, I bring a mix of skills and experience that is reflective of our community. I am a a proven consensus builder and will continue to bring varying opinions and differences together for collective decisions. 6. What do you see as the opportunities and threats facing the DeKalb school system? The District along with many other public school systems across Georgia and the nation have had to deal with budget cuts and diminishing revenues. These cuts in funding and revenue have posed a major threat to the DeKalb County School District resulting in furlough days for teachers and other employees as well as a reduction in services and operations. However, in strained economic times such as these, it is an opportunity for the district to review how dollars are allocated. It is will also be important to ensure that future budgets place the dollars closest to where student instruction is occurring in the classroom. We have an opportunity to reprioritize our financial goals for supporting teachers and students. 7. Describe the achievement gap in this district. What causes it? What can be done? Based on the data I have reviewed, the achievement gap in the DeKalb school district is largely impacted by the economic stratification of our children in the district. We have to ensure that all students have equal access to resources and opportunity. One size does not fit all so programs and services need to be provided based on need. We have to ensure that federal and state dollars are used wisely and impact the students at the classroom level. 8. The next school board will likely be tasked with selecting a new superintendent. What will you look for in a candidate? The superintendent candidate should have a clear vision for improving academic achievement and the graduation rate. They must be an instructional leader, effective communicator, a good listener, and ready to make hard decisions. They must be able to work with the members of the board, parents and stakeholders, and the business community. 9. What is your experience with reviewing complicated budgets? How will you approach the district’s budgetary process from a policy perspective? While working as a Fisheries Biologist with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, I was responsible for reviewing research budgets that impacted environmental policy. . Having the ability to analyze budget data is part of my skill set, but it is also important to require performance data and metrics to support the request for expending funds. I will approach the budgetary process ensuring we are following all board policies for budget development. It is important to know the state funding formulas as well as the local revenue streams. Public board discussions are critical in setting the budget priorities for the superintendent and ensuring the community and stakeholder input is included for final decisions. 10. What needs to be done to ensure the district regains full accreditation, without probation, and what is the role of the board in ensuring DCSD remains in excellent standings with SACS? The district is no longer on probation and has been elevated to accredited warned. It will be important for the board to operate at a high governance and effective leadership level. We must continue to invest in board training and board development. We must operate at a high level of ethics and when necessary hold each accountable for our behavior. Our role is to set policy, expectations and goals. Ensuring that the superintendent is accountable for the day to day operations of the school district in the areas of fiscal management and academic improvement will be of the utmost importance in maintaining a good relationship with SACS.[9] |
” |
| —It's For Them questionnaire (2014)[5] | ||
Recent news
This section links to a Google news search for the term "Michael + Erwin + DeKalb + County + School + District"
See also
- DeKalb County School District, Georgia
- DeKalb County School District elections (2014)
- DeKalb County School District elections (2016)
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Governor Nathan Deal - Office of the Governor, "Deal names new members of DeKalb County school board," March 13, 2013
- ↑ CBS Atlanta, "Governor Deal Suspends DeKalb School Board Members," February 25, 2013
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 90.1 WABE, "DeKalb School Board District 3 - Michael Erwin (Incumbent)," accessed July 15, 2014
- ↑ Decaturish.com, "Extra laps – Runoff in DeKalb School Board race," May 21, 2014
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 It's For Them - DeKalb, "Candidate Name: Michael Erwin," accessed July 15, 2014
- ↑ Georgia Secretary of State, "Qualifying Candidate Information," accessed April 18, 2016
- ↑ The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, "Big slate of candidates for crucial school board election," March 7, 2014
- ↑ DeKalb County, "Individual Campaign Contribution Disclosure Reports," accessed May 28, 2014
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ Michael Erwin - Board of Education, "The Issues," accessed July 15, 2014
| 2016 DeKalb County School District Elections | |
| DeKalb County, Georgia | |
| Election date: | May 24, 2016 |
| Candidates: | District 1: Incumbent, Stan Jester District 3: Incumbent, Michael Erwin |
| Important information: | What was at stake? |
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