L. James "Jim" Ristas
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During the 1980’s and 1990’s, Jim served on the Windsor Board of Education and on the Windsor Town Council. He later served on the Town Council’s specially formed Citizen’s Committee that evaluated Windsor’s government and school operations, and more recently he served on the Capital Improvements Committee that annually reviews and comments on the Town Manager’s proposed Capital Improvements Program.
Jim has always had a keen interest in education. He has closely followed and thus has a long term perspective on education-related reports such as the Connecticut State Department of Education’s School District Profile and Education Report and the Connecticut Schools Report Cards, as well as the College Board’s SAT Suite of Assessments Program Results, College and Career Readiness Benchmarks for SAT, and the SAT Annual Report for Connecticut.
Jim is a candidate for the Board of Education for two main reasons. First, as a recent retiree, he has the time to re-dedicate himself to bettering Windsor’s school system. Second, and more importantly, he intends to improve our system by presenting an objective, data driven viewpoint to counter many of the Democrat endorsed, subjective, “feel good” policies and practices that have led to system-wide declining academic performance.
As an example, for the 2017-2018 school year, the Windsor per pupil spending for all students was 12% higher than the state average, but the per cent of high school students reaching the college readiness benchmark on the SAT test was 21% lower than the state average. The 2018-2019 average SAT scores for Windsor were both down significantly, (2017-2018 ELA 503; 2018 -2019 ELA 489 and 2017-2018 MATH 482; 2018-2019 MATH 467) with a likely further negative deviation from state average when those figures become available.
Jim has always had a keen interest in education. He has closely followed and thus has a long term perspective on education-related reports such as the Connecticut State Department of Education’s School District Profile and Education Report and the Connecticut Schools Report Cards, as well as the College Board’s SAT Suite of Assessments Program Results, College and Career Readiness Benchmarks for SAT, and the SAT Annual Report for Connecticut.
Jim is a candidate for the Board of Education for two main reasons. First, as a recent retiree, he has the time to re-dedicate himself to bettering Windsor’s school system. Second, and more importantly, he intends to improve our system by presenting an objective, data driven viewpoint to counter many of the Democrat endorsed, subjective, “feel good” policies and practices that have led to system-wide declining academic performance.
As an example, for the 2017-2018 school year, the Windsor per pupil spending for all students was 12% higher than the state average, but the per cent of high school students reaching the college readiness benchmark on the SAT test was 21% lower than the state average. The 2018-2019 average SAT scores for Windsor were both down significantly, (2017-2018 ELA 503; 2018 -2019 ELA 489 and 2017-2018 MATH 482; 2018-2019 MATH 467) with a likely further negative deviation from state average when those figures become available.
THE REPUBLICAN CANDIDATES
However, a turnaround and other improvements are not likely unless all five Republic Board of Education candidates are elected. Republicans must gain a majority to make significant changes.
THE REPUBLICAN PLATFORM
A Republican majority would work toward implementing the following
SUPPORTING ARTICLES AND LINKS
https://www.manhattan-institute.org/new-report-proves-trump-right-rescind-obama-era-school-discipline-policies
https://abcnews.go.com/amp/GMA/Family/stop-making-excuses-open-letter-teachers-parents/story?id=64995793&__twitter_impression=true
http://digitaledition.courant.com/infinity/article_share.aspx?guid=a6b52158-eb99-472c-8871-0791d50c29cc
https://www.manhattan-institute.org/issues-2020-us-public-school-spending-teachers-pay
However, a turnaround and other improvements are not likely unless all five Republic Board of Education candidates are elected. Republicans must gain a majority to make significant changes.
THE REPUBLICAN PLATFORM
A Republican majority would work toward implementing the following
- A more disciplined learning environment
- Defined and enforced standards for promotion
- Report card grades instead of progress reports at the elementary school level.
- Leveled instruction classes throughout all grades
- Increased authority to teachers in matters of student discipline, and simplified procedures for teacher reporting of infractions.
- Four academic levels at the high school, to include a community college level, four year competitive college level, honors level, and a high honors level.
- Board run expulsion hearings
- Strict enforcement of residency requirements
- Social promotion
- Avoiding performance grades at the elementary level
- Disruptive students remain in regular classroom
- Watered-down college prep courses
- Grade inflation
- Low expectations for Honor Roll
SUPPORTING ARTICLES AND LINKS
https://www.manhattan-institute.org/new-report-proves-trump-right-rescind-obama-era-school-discipline-policies
https://abcnews.go.com/amp/GMA/Family/stop-making-excuses-open-letter-teachers-parents/story?id=64995793&__twitter_impression=true
http://digitaledition.courant.com/infinity/article_share.aspx?guid=a6b52158-eb99-472c-8871-0791d50c29cc
https://www.manhattan-institute.org/issues-2020-us-public-school-spending-teachers-pay
Paid for by the Windsor Republican Town Committee
James Durant, Treasurer
James Durant, Treasurer