Burbank Unified School District elections (2015)
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Three seats on the Burbank Unified School District Board of Education were up for general election on April 14, 2015. A primary election was held on February 24, 2015.[1]
Incumbents Dave Kemp and Ted Bunch did not file to run for re-election, leaving incumbent Roberta Grande Reynolds to run against the following five challengers in the primary election: Armond Aghakhanian, Steve Ferguson, Vahe Hovanessian, Gregory Sousa and Jesse Tangkhpanya.[2] Grande, Aghakhanian, Ferguson and Sousa received the most votes in the primary election. Grande and Ferguson received more than 50 percent of the total ballots cast in the election, which allowed them to win their seats to the board outright. Aghakhanian and Sousa advanced to the general election on April 14, 2015, where Aghakhanian defeated Sousa to win a seat on the board.[3][4][5][6]
During this election season, the district was searching for a new superintendent since Jan Britz announced she would retire from the position after the 2014-2015 school year. Candidates discussed the relationship of the school board and superintendent in a candidate forum prior to the primary election. Other topics discussed included the implementation of Common Core standards, vocational training and the board's relationship with the Burbank Teachers Association.
About the district
Burbank Unified School District is located in the city of Burbank, which resides in Los Angeles County in southern California. Burbank was home to 104,709 residents in 2013, according to the United States Census Bureau.[7] During the 2011-2012 school year, Burbank Unified School District was the 96th-largest school district by enrollment in California and served 16,670 students.[8]
Demographics
Burbank outperformed the rest of California in terms of higher education achievement in 2013. The United States Census Bureau found that 37.5 percent of city residents aged 25 years and older had attained a bachelor's degree, compared to 30.7 percent for California as a whole. The median household income for Burbank was $66,240 , compared to $61,094 for the entire state. The percentage of people below poverty level was 9.4 percent, compared to 15.9 percent statewide.[7]
| Racial Demographics, 2010[7] | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Race | Burbank (%) | California (%) | |
| White | 72.7 | 57.6 | |
| Black or African American | 2.5 | 6.2 | |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.5 | 1.0 | |
| Asian | 11.6 | 13.0 | |
| Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander | 0.1 | 0.4 | |
| Two or more races | 4.8 | 4.9 | |
| Hispanic or Latino | 24.5 | 37.6 | |
Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here.
Voter and candidate information
The Burbank Unified School District Board of Education consists of five at-large members elected to four-year terms. A primary election was held on February 24, 2015, and the general election was held on April 14, 2015. Candidates could win a seat outright in the primary election if they received at least 50 percent of the total ballots cast in the election.[5] Two seats were up for election in 2013, and three seats were up for election in 2015.[2][9]
School board candidates had to file for this election with the Burbank City Clerk's Office by December 1, 2014. Those wishing to run as a write-in candidate had until February 10, 2015, to file. To vote in the primary election, voters had to register by February 9, 2015, and to vote in the general election, voters had to register by March 30, 2015.[10][11]
Elections
2015
Candidates
At-large
- Roberta Grande Reynolds
- Incumbent
- Graduate, California State University at Northridge and the University of Southern California
- Pharmacist
- Steve Ferguson
- Student, Northeastern University
- Communications consultant
Candidates who advanced to general election:
- Armond Aghakhanian
- Graduate, California State University at Northridge, Woodbury University and Pepperdine University
- Educator, Woodbury University
- Gregory Sousa
- Graduate, Allan Hancock College and UWLA School of Law
- Student, University of Alabama School of Law
Candidates defeated in primary:
- Vahe Hovanessian
- Graduate, University of California at Los Angeles and San Fernando Valley College of Law at the University of La Verne
- Attorney
- Jesse Tangkhpanya
- Labor relations representative, California School Employees Association
- Labor relations consultant, Milo Digital
Election results
General election
| Burbank Unified School District, At-Large General Election, 4-year term, 2015 |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Nonpartisan |  Armond Aghakhanian |
53.6% | 5,321 | |
| Nonpartisan | Gregory Sousa | 46.4% | 4,602 | |
| Total Votes | 9,923 | |||
| Source: Burbank City Clerk's Office, "General election cavass of returns," accessed April 28, 2015 | ||||
Primary election
| Burbank Unified School District, At-Large Primary Election, 4-year term, 2015 |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Nonpartisan | Roberta Grande Reynolds Incumbent |
24.3% | 5,362 | |
| Nonpartisan | Steve Ferguson |
23.1% | 5,107 | |
| Nonpartisan | Armond Aghakhanian |
16.8% | 3,710 | |
| Nonpartisan | Gregory Sousa |
13.8% | 3,049 | |
| Nonpartisan | Vahe Hovanessian | 13.5% | 2,971 | |
| Nonpartisan | Jesse Tangkhpanya | 8.5% | 1,886 | |
| Total Votes | 22,085 | |||
| Source: Burbank City Clerk's Office, "Final Results are Tabulated for Burbank’s 2015 Primary Nominating Election," accessed March 9, 2015 | ||||
Endorsements
The Burbank Teachers Association endorsed incumbent Roberta Grande Reynolds and challengers Armond Aghakhanian and Steve Ferguson.[12] Both Reynolds and Ferguson were also endorsed by the California School Employee Association of Burbank and the Burbank chapter of the Armenian National Committee of America. Aghakhanian and challenger Vahe Hovanessian also received the endorsement of the Burbank chapter of the Armenian National Committee of America, and challenger Jesse Tangkhpanya received the endorsement of the California School Employee Association of Burbank.[13]
The Los Angeles County Democratic Party endorsed Aghakhanian, Ferguson and Tangkhpanya.[14] The Burbank Democratic Club also endorsed Aghakhanian and Tangkhpanya.[15] Tangkhpanya was further endorsed by the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor.[13]
Burbank Mayor David Gordon endorsed Ferguson and Hovanessian.[16][17] Burbank Unified School District Board of Education Members Ted Bunch, Dave Kemp and Charlene Tabet endorsed Aghakhanian and Hovanessian.[13]
Aghakhanian was also endorsed by the Burbank Leader.[18]
Additional endorsements:
- A list of Aghakhanian's additional endorsements can be found here.
- A list of Ferguson's additional endorsements can be found here.
- A list of Hovanessian's additional endorsements can be found here.
Campaign finance
Candidates received a total of $38,874.95 and spent a total of $33,736.90 as of April 8, 2015, according to the Burbank City Clerk's Office.[19][20][21][22]
Incumbent Roberta Grande Reynolds and challenger Gregory Sousa filed Form 470 to indicate they did not plan to raise or spend more than $1,000 in this election. Because of this, they did not have to file additional campaign finance reports.[23][24]
| Candidate | Contributions | Expenditures | Cash on hand |
|---|---|---|---|
| Roberta Grande Reynolds | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Armond Aghakhanian | $25,425.00 | $21,200.33 | $4,224.67 |
| Steve Ferguson | $4,679.00 | $4,148.68 | $530.32 |
| Vahe Hovanessian | $4,859.00 | $4,821.92 | $37.08 |
| Gregory Sousa | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Jesse Tangkhpanya | $3,911.95 | $3,565.97 | $345.98 |
Past elections
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What was at stake?
2015
In preparation for the primary election on February 24, 2015, the six candidates running for a seat on the Burbank Unified School District Board of Education attended a candidate forum to share their views on education issues with voters. Outside of the election, the district was in the process of searching for a new superintendent.
Issues in the election
Candidates touch on many topics at forum
All six candidates running in the Burbank Unified School District election attended a candidate forum hosted by the League of Women Voters on January 20, 2015. The candidates discussed a range of topics, from the appropriate role of a school board member and the role of vocational training in schools to implementing Common Core and the relationship of the board and the Burbank Teachers Association. The full candidate forum can be watched here.
Role of board member
The candidates were first asked what they thought the appropriate role of board member should be. Though some candidates highlighted different aspects of a board member's role, they were all in agreement that members should focus on setting policy and a vision for the district.
Candidate Steve Ferguson said that a board member cannot do everything, and because of that, a board member must focus on being an administrator and an ambassador. He said as an administrator, the board member must focus on setting a long-term vision for the district, but as an ambassador, a board member must listen, reach out and represent the best of the school district to the community.
Candidate Armond Aghakhanian said part of setting policy for the district was to keep schools on track and to hold the district accountable for teaching students to think critically.
In her remarks on the subject, incumbent Roberta Grande Reynolds emphasized that the role of a board member was to be part of a board, that no individual had power outside of the board. She also said that board members should be advocates for the students to the community.
Candidate Jesse Tangkhpanya agreed with Reynolds. He also said, "Board members really need to be proactive and not reactive. They really need to be seeking out solutions."
Candidate Gregory Sousa agreed with Tangkhpanya that board members should be proactive. He suggested individual board members gather information from district staff so that appropriate policies could be set and problems could be addressed before they had time to worsen.
In his response, candidate Vahe Hovanessian said that in addition to setting policy, the board's responsibility was to hire, evaluate and fire the superintendent. He also said the board was responsible for approving curriculum and textbooks and approving the budget.
District funding
On the subject of what the candidates would choose to do with additional funding for the district, Aghakhanian said he would spend money further preparing teachers in order to ensure students are ready for 21st-century demands. He would also spend money on implementing Common Core and more seriously addressing the safety of students.
Reynolds said she would use additional funds to replace the positions the board has had to cut in recent years. Tangkhpanya agreed that the board should replace those positions, as he said the cuts in the budget put too much work on teachers. He said he would also like to restore students services.
Aghakhanian also said he wanted to replace positions in the school district, specifically with the addition of more school counselors. Hovanessian said he would first spend any additional funds on safety. He would then spend funds on increasing student achievement, and Ferguson said that if all other obligations were met, he would spend funding to reduce class size, an issue he said was critical.
Tangkhpanya said that over the last four years the district has over-budgeted and underspent, giving the appearance it had less money than it did. He said as a member of the board he would work to close that gap and ensure the district used all the funds at its disposal.
Common Core
In regards to implementing Common Core standards, Reynolds said that professional development was the main challenge. She said that the standards use a different way of approaching understanding and that there must be communication with parents so they can help their children. She also said a key issue in implementing the standards is technology education as the assessments are computer-based and interactive.
Sousa was also in favor of more direct communication with parents. He suggested the district have a policy that encourages teachers to reach out. One suggestion he had was that teachers send emails to parents weekly, explaining what is being taught and what homework has been assigned.
Vocational training
When asked about the role of vocational training in the district, Ferguson said that the district has to do more. He suggested the district partner with local businesses, apprenticeship programs and unions to provide students with an initial exposure to multiple fields. He said the district should also offer higher courses after that initial exposure to give students more of an understanding in that field. He said the district should partner with local community colleges to allow students to come out of high school with credits toward necessary certifications.
Hovanessian agreed that the district had to offer more in terms of vocational training. He said students should not feel like they have no options if they don't go to college.
Aghakhanian said he would like to create a guaranteed program with universities in the area to provide a seamless transition for students from high school to college. He said additional school counselors could help with the implementation of such a program.
Burbank Teachers Association
On the topic of strengthening the relationship between the board and the Burbank Teachers Association, Hovanessian said he would like to eliminate any lack of communication. He said he would make sure everyone understands how much money is available so there was no distrust in negotiations. He said as a board member he would emphasize transparency, good communication and teamwork.
Reynolds said that the relationship of the board and the teachers union was more than negotiations. She said that the union is a professional association and that communication and listening are key.[25]
Issues in the district
Searching for a new superintendent
After working for 40 years in education, Jan Britz, superintendent of the Burbank Unified School District, retired in July 2015. The school board named Matt Hill as her replacement despite opposition from teachers in April 2015.[26][27]
Britz announced she would be retiring in October 2014. She was named superintendent of the district in May 2012. Prior to taking on that role, she served as the district's assistant superintendent for instructional services. In her 40 years in the education field, she has also worked as a teacher, an assistant principal, a principal and a human resources director.[28][29]
In her role as superintendent, Britz led the district through tough financial times, maintained the district's reputation as a leader in student achievement and passed Measure S, a general obligation bond for technology updates, building renovations and energy efficiency projects.[29]
The Burbank Unified Board of Education advised their hired search firm Leadership Associates to conduct a national search. The board also sought the help of former superintendents in their search. In January 2015, two retired superintendents attended a special board meeting with board members and residents of the district to discuss what the district wants to see in its new leader.[26]
Controversy over new superintendent
On April 16, 2015, the Burbank Unified Board of Education voted unanimously to appoint Matt Hill as its new superintendent, but the process led to one board member abruptly resigning. At the time he accepted the position, Hill worked as the chief strategy officer at the Los Angeles Unified School District. Under the district's former superintendent John Deasy, Hill helped launch two technology initiatives that reportedly caused trouble for LAUSD. According to investigative news accounts, an enrollment system called MiSiS had many glitches throughout the 2014-2015 school year, costing the district millions more than was intended, and an iPad program led to a grand jury investigation.[27]
In the weeks leading up to Hill's appointment, some teachers in the Burbank Unified School District launched a campaign against him. They also attended the board meeting to appoint Hill and criticized the board for their decision. They accused the board of being "bought off" by pro-charter organizations that the teachers said supported Hill. Before the official vote took place, board member Dave Kemp resigned from his post and walked out of the meeting. His seat had been up for election in the spring of 2015, but he had not filed to run. He only had two weeks left in his term when he resigned.[27]
“I am so ashamed of the people I always thought were such good friends and former colleagues, that mean so much to me, that at this time, I can no longer be a part of this,” Kemp said as he presented his handwritten letter of resignation to the meeting.[27]
Board member Larry Applebaum said he was "completely taken by surprise" by Kemp's departure. “What happened was unfortunate but the haranguing was unbearable,” said Applebaum.[27]
After the remaining board members unanimously voted to offer Hill the position, the teachers left the meeting, departing before Hill could sign his contract to officially accept the position.[27]
Key deadlines
The following dates were key deadlines for the Burbank Unified School District election in 2015:[10][11]
| Deadline | Event |
|---|---|
| December 1, 2014 | Last day to file as a candidate |
| December 29, 2014 | First day to file as a write-in candidate |
| January 15, 2015 | Last day to file first pre-primary election campaign expenditure statement |
| February 9, 2015 | Last day to register to vote for the primary election |
| February 10, 2015 | Last day to file as a write-in candidate |
| February 12, 2015 | Last to day file second pre-primary election campaign expenditure statement |
| February 20, 2015 | Last day to file third pre-primary election campaign expenditure statement |
| February 24, 2015 | Primary election date |
| February 27, 2015 | Last day to file general election campaign statement |
| March 30, 2015 | Last day to register to vote for the general election |
| April 2, 2015 | Last day to file first pre-general election campaign expenditure statement |
| April 10, 2015 | Last day to file second pre-general election campaign expenditure statement |
| April 14, 2015 | General election date |
Additional elections on the ballot
- See also: California elections, 2015
The Burbank Unified School District Board of Education election followed the same schedule as the Burbank City Council municipal elections. They both held a primary election on February 24, 2015, and a general election was held on April 14, 2015.[2]
Recent news
The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms Burbank Unified School District California. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.
See also
| Burbank Unified School District | California | School Boards |
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External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Burbank City Clerk's Office, "Election Information," accessed January 13, 2015
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Burbank City Clerk's Office, "Candidates Information," accessed January 13, 2015
- ↑ Burbank City Clerk's Office, "2015 Election Results," accessed February 24, 2015
- ↑ Burbank Leader, "Reynolds, Ferguson elected to school board," February 25, 2015
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Burbank City Clerk's Office, "Final Results are Tabulated for Burbank’s 2015 Primary Nominating Election," accessed March 9, 2015
- ↑ Burbank City Clerk's Office, "2015 Election Results," accessed April 14, 2015
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 United States Census Bureau, "Burbank, California," accessed June 4, 2015
- ↑ National Center for Education Statistics, "ELSI Table Generator," accessed April 22, 2014
- ↑ Burbank Unified School District, "Meet the Board," accessed January 13, 2015
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 Margaret Koenig, "Email communication with the Burbank City Clerk's Office," December 2, 2014
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 Burbank City Clerk's Office, "Candidates Calendar of Election Events," accessed January 13, 2015
- ↑ My Burbank, "Burbank Teachers Association Endorses Three Candidates," January 6, 2015
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 Burbank Leader, "Candidates win fans in high places," January 27, 2015
- ↑ Los Angeles County Democratic Party, "Endorsements," accessed February 10, 2015
- ↑ Burbank Democratic Club Facebook, "Timeline post from February 2, 2015," accessed February 11, 2015
- ↑ The Burbank Leader, "Burbank Unified school board candidate Steve Ferguson says he's just what the city needs," March 22, 2013
- ↑ Vahe Hovanessian for Burbank School Board 2015, "Vahe's Endorsements," accessed February 11, 2015
- ↑ Burbank Leader, "Endorsement: Burbank school board candidate Armond Aghakhanian," March 14, 2015
- ↑ Burbank City Clerk's Office, "ARMOND AGHAKHANIAN," accessed February 23, 2015
- ↑ Burbank City Clerk's Office, "STEVE FERGUSON," accessed February 23, 2015
- ↑ Burbank City Clerk's Office, "VAHE HOVANESSIAN," accessed February 23, 2015
- ↑ Burbank City Clerk's Office, "JESSE TANGKHPANYA," accessed February 23, 2015
- ↑ Burbank City Clerk's Office, "ROBERTA GRANDE REYNOLDS," accessed February 12, 2015
- ↑ Burbank City Clerk's Office, "GREGORY SOUSA," accessed February 12, 2015
- ↑ City of Burbank Youtube Channel, "League of Women Voters Candidates Forum," January 21, 2015
- ↑ 26.0 26.1 Burbank Leader, "Board holds meeting regarding superintendent search," January 23, 2015
- ↑ 27.0 27.1 27.2 27.3 27.4 27.5 LA School Report, "Matt Hill named Burbank Unified superintendent amid controversy," April 17, 2015
- ↑ MyBurbank.com, "Dr. Jan Britz Announced As New Burbank Schools Superintendent," May 25, 2012
- ↑ 29.0 29.1 MyBurbank.com, "Burbank School Superintendent Jan Britz to Retire," October 16, 2014
| 2015 Burbank Unified School District Elections | |
| Los Angeles County, California | |
| Election date: | Primary election - February 24, 2015 General election - April 14, 2015 |
| Candidates: | At-large: • Incumbent, Roberta Grande Reynolds • Armond Aghakhanian • Steve Ferguson • Vahe Hovanessian • Gregory Sousa • Jesse Tangkhpanya |
| Important information: | What was at stake? • Key deadlines • Additional elections on the ballot |
