School Board Candidate District 7: Travis Williamson

This is part of a series on all the school board candidates. To see all the candidates and learn more about them, click here. Travis Williamson is running against three other candidates, Nora Rupert, Jim Lansing and Russell Kaufman to replace retiring school board member Bob Parks in District 7. Williamson submitted his own bio.

Born and raised in Pompano, Travis Williamson attended Broward Public Schools. During his time at Ely High School he received the Silver Cord for Outstanding Community Service, was a recipient of the National Science Merit Award, was inducted into the National Honor Society and graduated in the top 10% of his class.  He was also selected by his peers countywide to represent the 250,000 students of Broward County as the Assistant Student Advisor to the School Board.  In that capacity, he was able to bring forth problems experienced by students in the school system publicly.  He lobbied extensively to relieve school overcrowding and took part in traveling to Tallahassee to report these issues to then Governor Jeb Bush.

Williamson graduated in 2003 from Florida Atlantic University with Honors and degrees in Business Administration and Marketing Management.  Today, Williamson is Administrative Vice President of B & R Industries, Inc., Vice President of Scorpion Investment Corporation, and the Financial Manager for four other family owned companies.

Williamson is married to wife, Erin, and has two sons, Devin, 4 and Hunter, 2.  Devin will be the third generation of his family to attend McNab Elementary School beginning next year.

Williamson has participated in international community service projects, and has a firm understanding of ethnic and cultural diversity through extensive travel domestically and abroad.  He is a member of First Baptist Church of Pompano Beach.

Facebook

http://www.winwithwilliamson.com/

Campaign finance reports: http://browardsoe.org/CFElectionFilings.aspx?elect_id=89&office_id=191&cand_id=1545

1) In under 200 words, why are you running for the School Board?

Travis R. Williamson was born and raised in Broward County and is a proud graduate of the Broward Public School system. Williamson stands out in the District 7 race as being the only candidate that has had Broward School Board experience, through his service as a student advisor to the board and also the only with a financial management background, Travis can use this experience to put our children and schools back on track to success during these most difficult times.   Travis has been recognized locally and internationally for his dedication, involvement and commitment community service. This experience and his values, coupled with his love and dedication to children, make him the most qualified choice for Broward School Board, District 7.

2) If you could, what would you change and why? How would you fund it?

The system is top heavy with administration both in schools and at the school board level.  It is not necessary to have four to five assistant principals in each High School.  Additionally, some of the departments at the school board level could be merged, thereby allowing for resource sharing.  Additionally, used as a last resort, the voters of Broward County should be given the option of a 1 cents tax or millage increase to solely support the public education system.  Although unfavorable, they should be allowed to vote this up or down.  Lastly, the widespread empty promises of funding for education from the state lottery and local gambling slots should be called out to ensure that those promises are fulfilled.

3) What are your past, and current affiliations, with any school board committee, council, group, PAC, association or any other possible roles within the school system? Who appointed you to those positions? How long?

1990-Present           Obtained an in depth knowledge and understanding of ethnic and cultural diversity while traveling in 14 countries and 42 states.

1997-1998               School Board of Broward County, Florida Assistant Student Advisor

1998                         Recognized by Government of Honduras for  San Pedro Sula, Honduras traveling and providing assistance to

orphanages within their country.

1998-1999 South Pompano Civic Association Director

2000                          Completed Guardianship Training Guardianship Education Palm Beach County Bar Association

2003                          Recognized as an IA Certified New Orleans, La.

Landscape Irrigation Auditor

2003-Present           Written Water Savings Irrigation Grants for Municipalities which have been approved.

2008-2010 Exchange Club of Pompano Beach Member

2008-Present            Pompano Charter Amendment Advisory Board Appointee

2008-Present           Coalition for Ethical Government Chairman

2009-Present South Pompano Civic Association Director

4) How long have you lived in Broward County? Did you go to school here? Where, if any, do your children go to school?

Travis was born in Broward County and is a lifetime resident.  He attended and graduated from Blanche Ely High School in 1998, under the leadership of Dr. Earlene Smiley who has also endorsed Mr. Williamson.  He has two children, Hunter, 2, and Devin, 4, who will be the third generation of Williamson’s family McNab Elementary School next year and the fourth generation to attend public school in District 7.

5) The budget crisis in Broward schools has been a big issue in the community. Have you read the upcoming budget? Past budgets? What is your financial background to review these documents accurately?

Understanding and approving a budget is critical qualification needed in this election.  As a financial manager himself for four corporations, Mr. Williamson has the hands on experience of reading, understanding and formulating a budget that meets the needs of the children in Broward County.  Additionally Williamson’s two business degrees further his qualifications of this undertaking.

6) How would you address the cuts being made in the Broward district? What would you keep, and what would you cut? Any pet projects? Why?

During the uncertain economic times that we face, it is critical to keep the children’s basic needs, and table the wants.  Children need basic intellectual building skills such as arts, physical education, and music.  These activities build creativity, enhance intellectual capacity and promote individualism.  In contrast, it is imperative that we save on capital expenditures and request that the Florida Legislature introduce and pass legislation that would allow for these saving and unused funds to be transferred to the general fund.  These non-necessity capital improvements are items such as new stadiums and parking lots.  Once again, I am not against these items, but timing of these expenditures is everything.  When the going gets tough, we must use these funds in the classroom.

7) How would you work to alleviate problems with the Broward Teacher’s Union which has been extremely vocal in its displeasure with the current school board? How would you work to get past the mediation of issues?

A top priority of Travis Williamson if elected is to focus on putting children and education first. To accomplish this we must refocus on education’s core business of teaching and learning while reinforcing the need to expand students intellectual capacity. It is quite evident that our community is displeased with the FCAT and in order to rectify this we must be considerate of each child’s individualism by advocating student achievement based on a range of measures and not just a single standardized test. Likewise, the path to this success is based upon a transparent relationship between the School Board and our community, teachers and labor management groups that can lead us to solidifying efforts to advance teacher quality, lift student achievement and improve schools.

The Broward Sheriff’s Office is also looking at budget cuts, which could get rid of some school resource officers. How would you continue to look at addressing parent’s concerns about safety in our public schools?

Our school system is grossly inadequate in its ability to protect our students and teachers using its current Special Investigative Unit (School Resource Officer) structure. With only 18 School Resource Officers to facilitate the safety of 288 schools, 255,000 students and 15,716 teachers we must act to ensure that our school environment is adequately protected. Additionally the costs associated with these services have became a political nightmare of “who pays for what” for police agencies and municipalities. To remedy this, the School Board must bear the cost and burden of forming its own campus police force that has the ability to provide for this much needed resource. This “campus police system” would mirror the programs of much of the public university systems across this state.

9) What priority do you put on what is considered extras (anything non-FCAT related generally)? How would you look to fund it?

The Travis R. Williamson Campaign focuses on critical issues that face our system including putting children and education first, fiscal responsibility, transparency and accountability.

10) How would you reach out into the community to build creative ideas to educate students while working with local businesses?

First, the customer service of the school system must be improved in order to build a stronger relationship with the surrounding community and parents.  Likewise, many local businesses and students would benefit from school to career partnerships in which students would have the ability to partake in hands on career training within local participating businesses.  This would prepare many students that do not intend to go to college, real world experience that would be marketable after graduating.

11) What is your perspective on the various boundary issues, such as Cooper City, and other concerns about overbuilding while schools on the east have more space? What is your stance on boundary concerns and their impacts on communities?

Boundary issues are very emotional and it is difficult for school board members to weigh the emotion of the parents against all of the above issues.  School Board members were elected to make these tough decisions and I believe preserving and maintaining community of interest should be the first priority.  If we have consistent feeder patters from Elementary, Middle, and High School, transportation becomes less costly because you are dealing with neighborhood grids.  Over the years the school system has developed ways to voluntarily integrate the schools by designing magnet and innovative schools in minority neighborhoods to attract non-minority students rather than forced bussing.   Although idea had good intentions, even those programs are suffering today as a result of under enrollment.

12) Do you support the constitutional amendment in the November ballot that would relax class-size rules, allowing schools to base class size as a school wide average instead of strict per classroom numbers?

No, because it relaxes class sizes at all levels.  I believe that class sizes should be held steady at current levels within the middle and elementary schools.  The high schools may receive more leeway, and this leeway would then mirror more of college or university education preparation.

13) What companies have made donations to your campaign?

The campaign finance reports may be found at www.browardsoe.org

14) What are your qualifications to help meet the educational needs of the students of Broward County in the 21^st Century?

While pay-for-performance plans typically work in the corporate world, I would be cautious at this time in utilizing this in today’s teaching environment. These type of performance plans are directly correlated with student achivement measurement which I believe we have yet to perfect. Teachers already feel alienated from the system and I believe introducing this now would deepen that divide. However the need for all levels of the public education system to be held accountable is very evident. This accountibility starts at the top…The School Board. It is critical to the success of our school system that we define operating and assessment procedures for both our superintendent and administrative staff. At the school level, it is my strong personal belief that a school is only as successful as it’s leadership. Therefore, principals and their assistants too should be held responsible for their schools achievement.
I believe in teacher accountability, but this cannot be based upon the FCAT or even a single End of Year Course Test. It must be based on the range of measures that follow individual student achievement. This achievement can be further validated by assessing teachers based on action, reaction and outcomes. Together, these defined measures: action, what the teacher did, reaction, how the student responded, and outcome, whether the response led to student learning, would ensure progress at all levels of learning regardless of age, grade, or student achievement level.

15) Obviously residents in Broward have grave concerns about ethics violations. How can you assure us of your morals, ethics and genuine interest in the school board? How will you continue to address this issue with constituents?

As the current chair of the Coalition for Ethical Government, which I have held for two years, I can assure my constituents that I have fought hard to bring reform about by having pushing for all government entities adopt a strong code of ethics and adopt term limits to promote fresh ideas, clean contract negotiations, and promoting accountability to the people.

16) What do you think should be the school system’s focus over the next four years?

I believe it is very important to consistently strive for learning gains at all levels of education.  It bothers me that many students that have graduated from the system require remedial work.  Part of that stagnation is a result of teachers feeling alienated and declining parental involvement as a result of poor customer service and community outreach.  We must not loose sight that each skill taught is a building block that the student will need to master the next set of skills.  When we loose sight of that and focus on “passing” students, we have, by default, set our children up for failure.

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Posted by Andrea Freygang on Aug 13 2010. Filed under Broward County, Elections, Fort Lauderdale, Local news, Schools. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.