Paige Rohman
Paige Rohman was a candidate for at-large representative on the Bloomington Public Schools school board in Minnesota. Rohman was defeated in the at-large general election on November 7, 2017.
Rohman participated in Ballotpedia's 2017 school board candidate survey. Click here to read his responses.
Rohman previously ran for a seat on the board and was defeated in the general election on November 3, 2015.
Biography
Rohman earned a bachelor's degree in elementary education and a master's degree in student development and higher education administration. His work experience includes serving as an assistant to the vice president for university services at the University of Minnesota.[1][2]
Elections
2017
Four of the seven seats on the Bloomington Public Schools school board in Minnesota were up for nonpartisan general election on November 7, 2017. Incumbents Tom Bennett, Jim Sorum, and Dawn Steigauf won re-election to their seats. Newcomer Beth Beebe also won a seat. Challengers John Moravec, Julie Morse, Michael Poke, Paige Rohman, Dan Stirratt, Jane Stoa, and Marcia Sytsma were defeated in the election.[3]
Results
| Bloomington Public Schools, At-large General Election, 4-year terms, 2017 |
||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
 Tom Bennett Incumbent |
13.29% | 5,473 |
| Dawn Steigauf Incumbent |
12.03% | 4,955 |
| Beth Beebe |
11.94% | 4,919 |
| Jim Sorum Incumbent |
11.35% | 4,674 |
| John Moravec | 10.87% | 4,478 |
| Dan Stirratt | 8.78% | 3,616 |
| Paige Rohman | 7.42% | 3,055 |
| Marcia Sytsma | 6.55% | 2,697 |
| Michael Poke | 6.42% | 2,646 |
| Jane Stoa | 5.68% | 2,338 |
| Julie Morse | 5.23% | 2,156 |
| Write-in votes | 0.46% | 189 |
| Total Votes | 41,196 | |
| Source: Bloomington Public Schools, "Minutes Of The Regular Meeting Of The School Board Independent School District 271," November 13, 2017 | ||
Funding
Rohman reported $2,575.00 in contributions and $2,456.97 in expenditures to the Bloomington Public Schools, which left his campaign with $118.03 on hand in the election.[4]
2015
The election in Bloomington featured three of the seven seats on the board up for general election on November 3, 2015.
The seats of incumbents Maureen Bartolotta, Dick Bergstrom, and Nelly Korman were up for election. All three incumbents filed to run for re-election. They defeated challengers Michael Poke, Nicole Robinson, Paige Rohman, and Carmelisa Scott for the three at-large seats.
Results
| Bloomington Public Schools, At-Large, General Election, 2015 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
| Nelly Korman Incumbent |
22.3% | 4,052 |
| Maureen Bartolotta Incumbent |
20.3% | 3,686 |
| Dick Bergstrom Incumbent |
19.3% | 3,506 |
| Paige Rohman | 13.0% | 2,359 |
| Nicole Robinson | 9.8% | 1,772 |
| Michael Poke | 9.6% | 1,749 |
| Carmelisa Scott | 5.2% | 936 |
| Write-in votes | 0.58% | 106 |
| Total Votes | 18,166 | |
| Source: Office of the Minnesota Secretary of State, "Local Results in Hennepin County," accessed November 4, 2015 These election results are not official and will be updated when certified results are available. You can submit certified results by contacting us. |
||
Funding
The Bloomington Public Schools administration does not publish and freely disclose school board candidate campaign finance reports. If you have any information regarding the campaign finance disclosures in this race, please contact the school board elections team at editor@ballotpedia.org.
Endorsements
Rohman received endorsements from Bloomington City Council members Tim Busse and Andrew Carlson, as well as Bloomington Chamber of Commerce President Maureen Scallen Failor.[2]
Campaign themes
2017
Ballotpedia survey responses
Paige Rohman participated in Ballotpedia's 2017 survey of school board candidates.[5] In response to the question "What do you hope to achieve if elected to the school board?" the candidate stated on September 25, 2017:
| “ | I have several hopes as a member of the school board, but primarily I would work to build and maintain trust. Trust with community members who we are asking to continue funding our schools. Trust with teachers and staff who would like to be more involved in decision making. And trust with students and parents so that they know our schools are always a safe place for everyone.[6][7] | ” |
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 Minnesota. |
| Education on the ballot |
| Issue importance ranking | |
|---|---|
| Candidate's ranking | Issue |
| Balancing or maintaining the district's budget | |
| Closing the achievement gap | |
| Improving relations with teachers | |
| Improving post-secondary readiness | |
| Improving education for special needs students | |
| Expanding arts education | |
| Expanding school choice options | |
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.) |
|---|
| No. |
| 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 defer to school board decisions in most cases. |
| Are standardized tests an accurate metric of student achievement? |
| No. |
| 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. Put them on a probationary period while they seek to improve. Set up a mentorship program for the underperforming teacher with a more experienced teacher in the district. |
| Should teachers receive merit pay? |
| Yes. |
| Should the state give money to private schools through a voucher system or scholarship program? |
| No. |
| How should expulsion be used in the district? |
| Expulsion should be used for only the most egregious violations of policy. |
| What's the most important factor for success in the classroom: student-teacher ratio, the curriculum, teachers, parent involvement or school administration? |
| Teachers. |
Candidate website
Rohman highlighted the following issues on his campaign website:
| “ | REFERENDUM
The most pressing issue affecting our school district's long-term stability is the operating referendum. This 10-year authorization replaces the current, expiring authorization and is also on the November 7 ballot. I encourage all residents to VOTE YES ON THE REFERENDUM regardless of who you choose for the board. Additional details, including a very helpful informational video, can be found at the Yes 4 BPS website. COMMUNICATION District and individual school communication should be frequent, timely, and in many formats. I will pursue communications as a strategic priority for the Board. FINANCE Budgets are complicated, but should reflect our highest priorities. I will steward tax dollars to focus spending on direct mission and maximize return on our citizens' investment. INCLUSION Our diversity is our strength. I will speak up for all of our communities, because our schools and our city should be a place where everyone feels safe, valued, and that they belong. CLASS SIZES Small class sizes are a major advantage for Bloomington schools. I will place a priority on continuing district investments in small class sizes to maintain that advantage. PARTNERSHIP Teachers and support staff bring front-line experience and a wealth of ideas. I will advocate for strengthened partnership between the administration and our staff. LEGACY Bloomington's seniors have built a lasting legacy in our community. I will work to protect and preserve what we have, and stabilize our district for the future.[7] |
” |
| —Paige Rohman (2017)[8] | ||
2015
Rohman completed a survey conducted by The Sun Current:
| “ | Q. Why are you seeking election to the Bloomington Board of Education?
I am seeking a seat on the Bloomington school board because I believe I have a unique combination of skills and abilities that can add real value to the board team. With a bachelor’s degree in elementary education, I am familiar with the rigor of the classroom and the many demands on our teachers. With a master’s degree in student development and higher education administration, I understand how our students need to be prepared for postsecondary education and have a firm grasp on the challenges the leaders of schools face. For the past 11 years I have worked at the University of Minnesota, navigating budget challenges, curriculum oversight, policy development/review, compliance and board governance. I currently work in University Services, which is the operational arm of the university – facilities, public safety, health and auxiliary businesses. The expertise I have developed in my career will add a unique perspective to the board. I am a team player who can see possibilities in places that may not be obvious to others. Q. Are you satisfied with the board’s budget decisions for the 2015-16 school year? The current budget is a sensible one. As the board works to realign the district’s financial framework for the long term, it must act judiciously to balance budgets in the short term. Some level of cuts plus some use of reserve is one tool to provide a bridge to that long-term plan. The board has a lot of work to do in the next few years to finalize a plan, identify financial priorities and communicate those to the community – especially if there is a need for a renewed or increased operating referendum. Working with the city to understand how both the school district and city administration can align their efforts to grow the number of young families living in Bloomington will be an important piece of that plan. Q. What could the district do to better meet the needs of its students? The district should continue to look at its nutrition program to ensure that it not only meets federal requirements, but provides meals with adequate protein that are not high in carbs or sugar. This is especially an issue in the breakfast program, and could have budget implications for the board depending on the recommendation of the food service staff and their advisory board.[7] |
” |
| —Sun Current survey (2015)[1] | ||
Recent news
The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms Paige Rohman Bloomington Public Schools school board. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.
See also
- Bloomington Public Schools, Minnesota
- Bloomington Public Schools elections (2017)
- Bloomington Public Schools elections (2015)
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 The Sun Current, "Bloomington Board of Education candidate profiles," October 24, 2015
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Vote Paige Rohman for Bloomington School Board, "Home," accessed October 25, 2015
- ↑ Minnesota Secretary of State, "Candidate Filings: 2017 Municipal and School District Elections," accessed August 16, 2017
- ↑ Bloomington Public Schools, "2017 Campaign Financial Report," accessed December 11, 2017
- ↑ Note: The candidate's answers have been reproduced here verbatim without edits or corrections by Ballotpedia.
- ↑ Ballotpedia School Board Candidate Survey, 2017, "Paige Rohman's responses," September 25, 2017
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ Paige for School Board, "Issues," accessed October 26, 2017
| Bloomington Public Schools elections in 2017 | |
| Hennepin County, Minnesota | |
| Election date: | November 7, 2017 |
| Candidates: | At-large: • Incumbent, Tom Bennett • Incumbent, Jim Sorum • Incumbent, Dawn Steigauf • Beth Beebe • John Moravec • Julie Morse • Michael Poke • Paige Rohman • Dan Stirratt • Jane Stoa • Marcia Sytsma |
| Important information: | What's at stake? • Additional elections on the ballot • Key deadlines |
| 2015 Bloomington Public Schools Elections | |
| Hennepin County, Minnesota | |
| Election date: | November 3, 2015 |
| Candidates: | At-large: • Incumbent, Maureen Bartolotta • Incumbent, Dick Bergstrom • Incumbent, Nelly Korman • Michael Poke • Nicole Robinson • Paige Rohman • Carmelisa Scott |
| Important information: | Key deadlines • Additional elections on the ballot |
