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Patricia O'Neill
Patricia O'Neill was a member of the Montgomery County Board of Education in Maryland, representing District 3. O'Neill assumed office in 1998. O'Neill left office on September 14, 2021.
O'Neill ran for re-election to the Montgomery County Board of Education to represent District 3 in Maryland. O'Neill won in the general election on November 6, 2018.
O'Neill completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2018. Click here to read the survey answers.
O'Neill passed away on September 14, 2021.[1]
Biography
O'Neill earned a bachelor's degree in social science from Southern Methodist University. She was a member of the Walt Whitman PTA prior to joining the school board. O'Neill and her husband had two children who graduated from district schools.[2]
Elections
2018
General election
General election for Montgomery County Board of Education District 3
Incumbent Patricia O'Neill defeated Lynn Amano in the general election for Montgomery County Board of Education District 3 on November 6, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Patricia O'Neill (Nonpartisan)  | 62.7 | 180,433 |
 | Lynn Amano (Nonpartisan) | 36.6 | 105,409 | |
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.7 | 1,954 | ||
| Total votes: 287,796 (100.00% precincts reporting) | |||
| = 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. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Nonpartisan primary election
Nonpartisan primary for Montgomery County Board of Education District 3
Incumbent Patricia O'Neill and Lynn Amano defeated Laura Simon in the primary for Montgomery County Board of Education District 3 on June 26, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Patricia O'Neill (Nonpartisan) | 60.0 | 73,220 |
| ✔ | | Lynn Amano (Nonpartisan) | 23.7 | 28,926 |
| Laura Simon (Nonpartisan) | 16.3 | 19,861 | ||
| Total votes: 122,007 | |||
| = 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. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Campaign themes
2018
Ballotpedia survey responses
- See also: Ballotpedia's candidate surveys
Patricia O'Neill participated in Ballotpedia's candidate survey on September 20, 2018. The survey questions appear in bold, and Patricia O'Neill's responses follow below.[3]
What would be your top three priorities, if elected?
| “ | Opportnity/achievement gap.
Aging and overcrowded schools. Providing a a healthy safe, and secure place to learn and teach.[4][5] |
” |
What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about? Why?
| “ | Our MCPS policies must be based on equity. They must support student achievement. They need to be relevant to the twenty first century.Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; invalid names, e.g. too many[5]
|
” |
Ballotpedia also asked the candidate a series of optional questions. Patricia O'Neill answered the following:
Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow and why?
| “ | Ruth Bader Ginsburg. She is a trailblazer. She has paved the way for my daughters and I to thrive. I had the opportunity to meet her when she was the speaker at one of our graduations.[5] | ” |
| “ | Commonsense!! They must always do their homework. Analyze with your brain and believe in your heart.[5] | ” |
| “ | After twenty years on the Board of Education, I bring experience, knowledge and wisdom. I believe in the power of public education.[5] | ” |
| “ | The Board is the voice of the public. They provide governance and oversight.[5] | ” |
| “ | She was a dedicated public servant. She worked on behalf of all children.[5] | ” |
| “ | I love Thanksgiving. Our whole family is together.[5] | ” |
| “ | We must continue to put our children first, invest in our staff to deliver top quality instruction and engage with our families to support student success.[5] | ” |
| “ | Over the years I have worked closely with other elected leaders. I am honored to be endorsed by County Executive Ike Leggett, County Council Mebers, Riemer, Navarro, and Katz. I have also been endorsed by many member of the Montgomery County Delegation.[5] | ” |
| “ | I will continue to meet with parents and be out in the community.[5] | ” |
| “ | Yes. Our staff should reflect the diversity of our student body. We have been recruiting in new places. We hired 20 teachers from Puerto Rico. We need to grow teachers from our supporting services staff. We need to provide supports for our diverse staff.[5] | ” |
| “ | Money is a huge obstacle. We need to work with other elected leaders to have the resources we need.We need to stay focused on our core values and strategic plan.[5] | ” |
| “ | Children should have a year's progress for a year's seat time. We must focus on data to meet the needs of ech child. Teachers need to learn to use data to adjust instruction.[5] | ” |
| “ | Students must master the basics of reading and math. They need to learn critical thinking skills., how to analyze information and teamwork.[5] | ” |
| “ | Students need to have the opportunities to explore different subject areas and pathways.[5] | ” |
| “ | Students need to be exposed to carrer and technical education earlier, beginning in middle school.[5] | ” |
| “ | We should use a zero based budgeting approach in our central office. We need to evaluate programs for what is working and eliminate programs that are not.[5] | ” |
| “ | We need to look at best practices in other districts. Constantly change and modify.[5] | ” |
| “ | We need to increase the number of counselors, psychologists, and ppws. We must provide more support for staff through employee assistance.[5] | ” |
| “ | Technology will continue to increase its role as a tool.[5] | ” |
2014
Judy Docca ran against Kristin C. Trible in the November 4, 2014, general election. District 3 incumbent Patricia O'Neill sought re-election against Laurie Halverson. Newcomer Larry E. Edmonds ran against board member Mike Durso for the District 5 seat. The at-large race started with a primary election on June 24, 2014, featuring newcomers Edward Amatetti, Shebra Evans, Merry Eisner-Heidorn and Jill Ortman-Fouse. Evans and Ortman-Fouse advanced to the general election on November 4, 2014.
Results
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonpartisan |  Patricia O'Neill Incumbent |
62.7% | 114,569 | |
| Nonpartisan | Laurie Halverson | 37% | 67,615 | |
| Nonpartisan | Write-in votes | 0.4% | 648 | |
| Total Votes | 182,832 | |||
| Source: Maryland State Board of Elections, "Unofficial Results for the 2014 Gubernatorial General Election," accessed November 4, 2014 | ||||
Funding
O'Neill had not reported any contributions or expenditures to the Maryland State Board of Elections as of June 6, 2014.[6]
Endorsements
O'Neill was endorsed by The Washington Post, The Gazette, the Montgomery County Education Association (MCEA), the Montgomery County Public Schools Retirees Association, Inc., the Maryland and Montgomery County branches of the National Organization for Women PAC, SEIU, the African-American Democratic Club of Montgomery County, CASA in Action, Coalition of Asian Pacific American Democrats of Maryland and the Hispanic Democratic Club of Montgomery County. She was also endorsed by the following individuals:[7]
- Dr. Alan Cheung, former board member
- Reginald Felton, former board member
- Sidney Katz, mayor of Gaithersburg
- Jeffrey Slavin, mayor of Somerset
- Ike Leggett, Montgomery County Executive
- Nancy Navarro, Montgomery County Councilmember
- Craig Rice, Montgomery County Council President
- John McCarthy, Montgomery County State's Attorney
- Delegate Charles Barkely (D-39)
- Delegate Al Carr (D-18)
- Delegate Bonnie Cullison (D-19)
- Delegate Kathleen Dumais (D-15)
- Delegate Sheila Hixson (D-20)
- Sen. Brian Frosh (D-16)
- Delegate Ana Sol Gutierrez (D-18)
- Delegate Anne Kaiser (D-14)
- Delegate Ariana Kelly (D-16)
- Sen. Nancy King (D-39)
- Delegate Benjamin Kramer (D-19)
- Delegate Susan Lee (D-16)
- Delegate Eric Luedtke (D-14)
- Sen. Richard Madaleno (D-18)
- Sen. Roger Manno (D-19)
- Delegate Aruna Miller (D-15)
- Delegate Jeff Waldstreicher (D-18)
- Delegate Craig Zucker (D-14)
- Attorney General Doug Gansler (D)
- Marc Korman, Democratic candidate for House of Delegates District 16
- Former U.S. Sen. Joseph D. Tydings
- Former U.S. Rep. Albert R. Wynn
- Former Delegate Henry Heller (D-19)
- Former Delegate Herman Taylor, II (D-14)
- Mike Knapp, former Montgomery County Councilmember
2010
| Montgomery County Public Schools, District 3 General Election, 4-year term, 2010 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Nonpartisan | Patricia O'Neill Incumbent |
67.4% | 129,450 | |
| Nonpartisan | Karen S. Smith | 32.2% | 61,788 | |
| Nonpartisan | Write-in votes | 0.4% | 712 | |
| Total Votes | 191,950 | |||
| Source: Montgomery County, "Election Summary Report," November 22, 2010 | ||||
Campaign themes
2014
O'Neill provided the following statement on her campaign website:
| “ | What would be your top priorities if you are re-elected to the Montgomery County Board of Education?
I am proud to have helped oversee one of the most successful school reforms in the nation. Montgomery County Public Schools is a national model because we have always put our students first, invested in our staff to deliver top quality instruction and engaged with our families to support student success. I want to continue working to ensure that all of our students are college or career ready the day they cross the graduation stage. We must continue to spend our limited resources wisely so that every school has what it needs to serve our families. It is critical that we continue to have experience and wisdom on the school board. Why should people vote for you instead of your opponent? We need experience and wisdom on the school board, especially at this critical time in education. I can provide the leadership to ensure that MCPS remains one of the best school districts in America. I am an experienced and dedicated leader running for my fifth term on the Board of Education. I have served the Board as President four times and Vice President five times and also served as President of the Maryland Association of Boards of Education and co-chair of the Washington Area Boards of Education. What’s the most pressing capital need for Montgomery County Public Schools? How should the district pay for it? There is not a single pressing need, but many pressing needs. Our schools are growing by 2,500 students a year, and we need to make sure that we can accommodate this growth. We have a $600 million shortfall in funding at this point, so we really need the state to step in and help us find a solution, much the way it did for Baltimore City. Even if our capital budget were fully funded this year, 40 percent of our buildings will be overcrowded by 2019. In addition, we have to deal with the maintenance and upkeep of our buildings. For example, we have a backlog of $160 million in HVAC projects that need to be scheduled.[5] |
” |
| —Patricia O'Neill's campaign website (2014)[8] | ||
What was at stake?
2014
Issues in the district
School board expenses inquiry
Two members of the Montgomery County Board of Education faced criticism in June 2014 for charging hotel stays and over 100 meals to district-issued credit cards. A report produced by NBC Channel 4 in Washington, D.C. found that board member Christopher Barclay had charged many of those meals to the district between 2010 and 2013. Fellow board member Rebecca Smondrowski charged a smaller number of lunches as well as a hotel stay for an education conference, only 30 minutes from the county. The county board does not have restrictions on hotel or lunch expenses, but public reaction to the Channel 4 report led members of a county panel to recommend policy changes. Potential changes included a prohibition on board expenses for local hotel stays and establishing a maximum limit on other expenses.
Smondrowski and Barclay provided the following responses to Channel 4 after publication of the report:
Barclay's response
| “ | On the hotel stays: I am very active on the National School Boards Association’s Council on Urban Boards of Education and Federal Relations Network and attend these conferences regularly. These conferences not only provide me with important information and strategies I can use to be a better Board member, but provide me with a rare opportunity to meet with my colleagues from around the country and share best practices and ideas. These conferences begin very early and our opportunity to network goes late into the evening. Regarding meals/expense: I take my job as a Board member very seriously and work around the clock on behalf of our students. Many of the children and families that live in my district do not have a voice in our county, and I have taken great care to make sure their voices are heard and their needs are met. Sometimes that has meant taking constituents out for a meal to hear their concerns or sitting down for dinner with a community leader to figure out how we can best serve students. That is an important part of what I do as a Board member and I am proud of how I have represented our students in my district and throughout Montgomery County. That being said, I strongly support the work of the ad-hoc committee and look forward to considering their recommendations in the future.[5] |
” |
| —NBC Channel 4 Washington, (2014) | ||
Smondrowski's response
| “ | On the hotel: "I stayed at the conference hotel in Washington, DC because I needed to be there early and it would take up to 1 1/2 hours to get there from my house during rush hour. Also, I spent the evening hours meeting and networking with board members from around the country. It was a great learning experience for me and will ultimately help me be a better and more informed board member here in Montgomery County." On card usage: "I am looking forward to working with my colleagues on the board to discuss in more detail how we should handle expenses related to our duties as elected board members. I am fully supportive of the review we are undertaking and always believe that we should continue to explore ways to be more efficient and effective."[5] |
” |
| —NBC Channel 4 Washington, (2014) | ||
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Montgomery County Public Schools, "A MESSAGE FROM THE BOARD OF EDUCATION ON THE PASSING OF MRS. PATRICIA O'NEILL," September 14, 2021
- ↑ Montgomery County Public Schools, "Patricia O'Neill," accessed May 5, 2014
- ↑ Note: The candidate's answers have been reproduced here verbatim without edits or corrections by Ballotpedia.
- ↑ Ballotpedia's candidate survey, "Patricia O'Neill's responses," September 20, 2018
- ↑ 5.00 5.01 5.02 5.03 5.04 5.05 5.06 5.07 5.08 5.09 5.10 5.11 5.12 5.13 5.14 5.15 5.16 5.17 5.18 5.19 5.20 5.21 5.22 5.23 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ Maryland Campaign Reporting Information System, "View Filed Reports," accessed May 22, 2014
- ↑ Pat O'Neill Board of Education, "Endorsements," accessed October 22, 2014
- ↑ Patricia O'Neill Board of Education, "Q&A with Pat," accessed October 21, 2014
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 NBC Channel 4 Washington, "Montgomery County School Board Scrutinized Over Use of Government-Issued Credit Cards," June 13, 2014
| Montgomery County Public Schools elections in 2018 | |
| Montgomery County, Maryland | |
| Election date: | Primary Election: June 26, 2018 • General Election: November 6, 2018 |
| Candidates: | At-large: • Ryan Arbuckle • Timur Edib • Marwa Omar Ibrahim • Julie Reiley • Brandon Orman Rippeon • John Robertson • Karla Silvestre • Stephen Sugg District 1: • Incumbent, Judy Docca • Maria Blaeuer District 3: • Incumbent, Patricia O'Neill • Lynn Amano • Laura Simon District 5: • Paul Pykosh • Brenda Wolff |
| Important information: | What was at stake? |
