Ahmed Ragab
Age: 33
Education:M.S. in Project Management from Saint Mary's University of Minnesota, M.A. in Health and Human Services Administration from Saint Mary's University of Minnesota
Occupation:Sr. Program Coordinator-Mayo Clinic
Political experience:none
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Community involvement:Mentoring university students; Tutoring high school students; Providing assistance to new immigrant families; Supporting individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities; Providing job and career mentoring; Public education advocate.
Endorsements:Rochester Education Association (REA)
What would be your top three priorities?
1. Equity in education.
2. Quality of Education
3. Community engagement.
1. What are your thoughts on the possible expansion of the 45/15 schedule?
The school district surveyed parents recently and the Post-Bulletin reported a 30 percent response rate. I think the 45/15 schedule could benefit some of our children but implementing the schedule district wide will have negative effects. At this time, we do not have enough evidence directly linking the implementation of the 45/15 schedule and improved achievement. I am not in support of a district wide 45/15 schedule expansion given the limited support from the community and educators.
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2. What are your thoughts on the possibility of the school board increasing the school district levy by 9 percent in 2017 to bring in about $4.4 million more in property tax dollars than this year's $49.5 million?
I am in support of funding programs that bring value to the district and positively impacts our kids. However, without any supporting data as to the value of the different programs we currently fund, I am compelled to not support the school district levy.
3. What will you do as a school board member to address the finding of disparate discipline between students of color and white students in the district?
• Engagement: Engaging parents, educators, and professionals from the community in the conversation to come up with solutions that work.
• Benchmarking: Benchmarking with school districts successful in addressing similar challenges.
• Policies and Procedures:
— Eliminating the school-to-prison pipeline.
— Creating policies and procedures that protect every child.
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— Promoting a safe working environment for our staff.
— Promoting a culture of accountability.
— Engaging our educators in the decision making process.
• Training and Resources:
— Supporting cultural awareness training for parents, students, teachers, administrators, and district employees.
— Developing a training program to improve communication between educators and parents.
• Transparency: Promoting transparency with parents, teachers, and the community as a whole.
