Steve Smylie
Steve Smylie was the Zone 3 representative on the West Ada School District school board in Idaho. He was appointed to the board on June 9, 2016, to replace Carol Sayles after she was ousted from the board in a recall election on May 17, 2016.[1] Smylie resigned from his position on the school board on October 27, 2020. [2]
Smylie participated in Ballotpedia's 2017 school board candidate survey. Click here to read his responses.
Smylie sought another term in the general election on May 16, 2017, but the election was canceled due to lack of opposition. He won re-election that year by default.[3]
Smylie was included in a recall effort against all five members of the West Ada board of trustees in 2020. Click here to read more about that effort.
Elections
2017
Two of the five seats on the West Ada School District board of trustees were supposed to be up for by-district general election on May 16, 2017, but the election was canceled due to lack of opposition. Incumbents Ed Klopfenstein and Steve Smylie—the only candidates who filed to run in the election—were automatically re-elected to the Zone 1 and 3 seats, respectively.[3][4]
Results
This election was canceled due to lack of opposition. Incumbent Steve Smylie was re-elected by default.[3]
Campaign themes
2017
Ballotpedia survey responses
Steve Smylie 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 May 3, 2017:
| “ | To be about the business of educating children in one of the best districts in the state. I bring a lifetime of experience in education, government, and community to this position. This combined with dedicated colleagues on the board each with unique qualifications, a wonderfully supportive community, and most important, an outstanding staff will continue to serve the patrons well. We have challenges ahead. Together, we will meet them.[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 Idaho. |
| Education on the ballot |
| Issue importance ranking | |
|---|---|
| Candidate's ranking | Issue |
| Balancing or maintaining the district's budget | |
| Improving relations with teachers | |
| Improving post-secondary readiness | |
| Improving education for special needs students | |
| Closing the achievement gap | |
| Expanding arts education | |
| Expanding school choice options | |
| “ | Balancing the budget, maintaining excellent relations with all staff, and improving educational opportunities for ALL students are my priorities.[7] | ” |
| —Steve Smylie (May 3, 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. But they must meet strict criteria. West Ada is one of the most choice friendly districts in the nation. Every one of our 38,000+ students have access to STEM, fine arts, and alternative academies. We offer vocational tracks, international baccalaureate, advanced placement, and opportunities to gain concurrent college credit. In addition, the district has two independently run charter schools. |
| 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. State leadership is a fact of life, and in certain cases, absolutely necessary. Micromanagement in evaluations, personnel, and other local issues, isn't. |
| Are standardized tests an accurate metric of student achievement? |
| No. They are one metric of student achievement, but by no means the only one. Every good teacher knows that test scores are important, but not exclusive. In evaluating progress, one must include participation, effort, daily work, community engagement, alternative evaluations like portfolios or projects, and other factors. Why policy makers can't figure that one out baffles me. Standardized tests are always going to be with us, but savvy leaders know that it is the bigger picture that really matters. |
| 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? |
| Set up a mentorship program for the underperforming teacher with a more experienced teacher in the district. |
| Should teachers receive merit pay? |
| No. Research would indicate that "pay for performance" schemes don't really improve student achievement. A teacher who works with special needs or high risk students, for example, is almost guaranteed to have lower scores. Teachers who teach fine arts, travel between buildings, coach, and a dozen other things that have great value, don't get proper consideration either. Better to use things like getting national board certification, willing to mentor, and involvement in school leadership in adding to teacher pay. |
| Should the state give money to private schools through a voucher system or scholarship program? |
| No. They violate Idaho's Constitution and tend to discriminate against poor, minority, and special needs children. It is like telling people "the state is giving you $4000 to buy a new car." Those who already can afford one, cheer, it just got cheaper. Meanwhile the poor, who can't afford a new car in the first place, don't get enough. It's a scheme to allow those with means to have state supported religious or private academies where their children don't have to deal with those "undesirable" students. Public education is supposed to be open to all without discrimination. |
| How should expulsion be used in the district? |
| Only as a last resort. Better to use placement in alternative academies, expanded resource officer programs, and effective intervention at the building level. |
| What's the most important factor for success in the classroom: student-teacher ratio, the curriculum, teachers, parent involvement or school administration? |
| Teachers All these matter! Parental involvement, outstanding administrative leadership, solid curriculum, and opportunities for meaningful student/teacher interaction are vital pieces in the puzzle! You can't have one without the others! |
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Idaho Ed News, "West Ada Fills Final Open School Board Seat," June 9, 2016
- ↑ "KTVB.com," "Vice Chairman of West Ada School Board Scheduled to Resign in The Boards Next Meeting," accessed November 10, 2020.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Idaho Statesman, "West Ada schools won’t have May trustee elections for lack of challengers," April 5, 2017
- ↑ Abbey Smith, “Email communication with Eric Exline, West Ada School District," March 22, 2017
- ↑ Note: The candidate's answers have been reproduced here verbatim without edits or corrections by Ballotpedia.
- ↑ Ballotpedia School Board Candidate Survey, 2017, "Steve Smylie's responses," May 3, 2017
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
| West Ada School District elections in 2017 | |
| Ada County, Idaho | |
| Election date: | May 16, 2017 |
| Candidates: | Zone 1: • Incumbent, Ed Klopfenstein Zone 3: • Incumbent, Steve Smylie |
| Important information: | What was at stake? • Additional elections on the ballot • Key deadlines |
