Phelesha Hamilton
Phelesha Hamilton was a candidate for District 6 representative on the Dallas Independent School District school board in Texas. Hamilton was defeated in the by-district general election on May 6, 2017.
Hamilton participated in Ballotpedia's 2017 school board candidate survey. Click here to read her responses.
Elections
2017
Three of the nine seats on the Dallas Independent School District board of trustees in Texas were up for general election on May 6, 2017. In District 2, Lori Kirkpatrick and incumbent Dustin Marshall defeated Richard Young, but neither of them received a majority of the vote. Because of this, they faced off in a runoff election on June 10, 2017, where Marshall defeated Kirkpatrick to retain his seat on the board. In District 6, incumbent Joyce Foreman defeated challenger Phelesha Hamilton. Because District 8 incumbent Miguel Solis was the only candidate to file for that seat, the race was canceled. Solis won re-election by default.[1][2][3][4]
Results
| Dallas Independent School District, District 6 General Election, 3-year term, 2017 |
||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
 Joyce Foreman Incumbent |
87.25% | 4,051 |
| Phelesha Hamilton | 12.75% | 592 |
| Total Votes | 4,643 | |
| Source: Dallas County Elections, "2017 Joint Election," accessed September 20, 2017 | ||
Finanzierung
Hamilton reported no contributions or expenditures to the Dallas Independent School District as of April 24, 2017.[5]
Campaign themes
2017
Ballotpedia survey responses
Phelesha Hamilton participated in Ballotpedia's 2017 survey of school board candidates.[6] In response to the question "What do you hope to achieve if elected to the school board?" the candidate stated on April 18, 2017:
| " | I hope to achieve accurate ratings for campus through student achievement by providing betters substitute teachers for our classroom.[7][8] | ” |
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 Texas. |
| Education on the ballot |
| Issue importance ranking | |
|---|---|
| Candidate's ranking | Issue |
| Closing the achievement gap | |
| Balancing or maintaining the district's budget | |
| Improving relations with teachers | |
| Improving education for special needs students | |
| Improving post-secondary readiness | |
| Expanding school choice options | |
| Expanding arts education | |
| " | N/A[8] | ” |
| —Phelesha Hamilton (April 18, 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.) |
|---|
| No. Expansion opportunities for school district is the reason. No new charter schools should be approved based on the every growing educational intuitions that School district empower to improve. |
| 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. |
| Are standardized tests an accurate metric of student achievement? |
| Yes. Yes standardized test critique readiness based on accurate data. |
| 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? |
| Offer additional training options. Offer additional training options. |
| Should teachers receive merit pay? |
| No. Teachers should not receive merit pay to improve. |
| Should the state give money to private schools through a voucher system or scholarship program? |
| No. Schools have not been distributed the performance assets to create a voucher system. |
| How should expulsion be used in the district? |
| Expulsion should be used in the district as a parent conference concern. |
| What's the most important factor for success in the classroom: student-teacher ratio, the curriculum, teachers, parent involvement or school administration? |
| School administration Students achievement Teacher are prepared to maintain healthy learning environments at the expense of learning objectives through demonstration while school administration are to delegate policy relations. |
The Dallas Morning News survey
Hamilton participated in the following survey conducted by The Dallas Morning News. The questions provided by The Dallas Morning News appear bolded, and Hamilton's responses follow below.
Why are you running for this office, and why should voters choose you over your opponent(s)?
| " | Dallas Morning News, 'We Need Better Substitutes in our schools' Interned in 2008 for DallasISD Student Transfer Office. 'Possing no more threats to the Student transfer office.' Addressing literacy; as a retention builder, in the classroom; management techniques used to diversify learning is something the sub office is already doing; Recent cant of YesIamABeliever Group nonprofit school also known as Kid Brain, Read2Believe's Animated Teach Reading by Author Trustee Candidate Phelesha Hamilton in using literacy to empower kids of all ages to assume responsibility of educating kids, build retention, catering to No Child Let Behind; having equipped substitute teachers in intercity classes will better prepare our students for STAAR. Tory Willis sub-supervisor addresses such issues that are known. This is DBA Phelesha Hamilton nonprofit Author and CEO for YesIamABeliever Group, a Candidate for District 6.[8] | ” |
| —Phelesha Hamilton (2017)[9] | ||
If elected, what two issues would you give the most attention and resources?
| " | Retention problems involving classroom managements as it relates to substitute teachers. Teacher Evaluation techniques to better reprimand substitutes.[8] | ” |
| —Phelesha Hamilton (2017)[9] | ||
For non-incumbent trustees: Have you attended any school board meetings? If so, what have you learned about how a board member can be effective?
| " | I have attended on when Mike Miles were in position of letting go of 4,000 plus employees, I wrote a cover article with the Dallas Weekly on it, did an aired TV interview with Shon Gables right after the board meeting in 2013 sparking immediate attention for me to politic for this seat.[8] | ” |
| —Phelesha Hamilton (2017)[9] | ||
As you look around the country, what innovative ideas would you recommend for improving classroom performance?
| " | Bridging the achievement gaps between home and school, with protest now being a formal way to express thoughts and feelings, give active expressive time to students by way of Kid Brain, Read2Believe's Animated Teach Reading, a vision-reading board, an after-school gesture of kindness for them to learn how to balance their kid brains after the bell rings.[8] | ” |
| —Phelesha Hamilton (2017)[9] | ||
Given the current funding structure, how does Dallas ISD meet the academic needs of its low-income students? Are you willing to ask voters to approve a tax increase to create or expand these programs?
| " | NO comment[8] | ” |
| —Phelesha Hamilton (2017)[9] | ||
How would you assess the district’s efforts to improve graduation rates and increase the number of students prepared for college? What further improvements would you advocate?
| " | N/A[8] | ” |
| —Phelesha Hamilton (2017)[9] | ||
What schools in your trustee district have been particularly effective in getting every child up to grade level in reading and math?
| " | Ronald Mc Nair; Elementary and Atwell; Middle are two schools in particular.[8] | ” |
| —Phelesha Hamilton (2017)[9] | ||
How would you assess Dallas ISD’s current school choice efforts, and what changes, if any, are needed?
| " | Well going back to address the decisions of Brown vs. Board of Education of Topeka Kansas you will find that segregating schools based off race and agendas were deemed unethical, the same with school choice, It may at first seem like a plausible solution to misbehavior and motivation in the end retention will only fall deeper.[8] | ” |
| —Phelesha Hamilton (2017)[9] | ||
What is your view of the Teacher Excellence Initiative?
| " | A great way to reward teachers.[8] | ” |
| —Phelesha Hamilton (2017)[9] | ||
How do you assess Superintendent Michael Hinojosa's tenure since he rejoined the district?
| " | His vision is not as effective as it were the first time.[8] | ” |
| —Phelesha Hamilton (2017)[9] | ||
What resources are lacking in schools in your trustee district? How could the district deliver services in the most cost-effective manner?
| " | Reading literacy programs like Kid Brain, Read2Believe's Animated Teach Reading which in the past has participated in programs with Singing Hills Rec center in your area, Dallas Public Library in your area, Gateway Charter School, and other place throughout the city of Dallas. Taking established partnerships like the Dallas Public Library and place hierarchy, students will be able to get free serviced helped in their areas. DISD turnout rates or their services are low. They offer so much that our students need and will cover classroom instructions outside school hours.[8] | ” |
| —Phelesha Hamilton (2017)[9] | ||
In what ways can DISD’s communications with parents in your trustee district be improved? Likewise, how can parental involvement in your trustee district grow?
| " | Sticking to policy will improve communication with parents. Likewise.[8] | ” |
| —Phelesha Hamilton (2017)[9] | ||
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Dallas Independent School District, "May 6, 2017 General Election Candidates," accessed February 19, 2017
- ↑ Dallas Independent School District, "Feb 23, 2017 - Called Board Meeting Agenda and Notice," accessed March 17, 2017
- ↑ Dallas County Elections, "Unofficial Cumulative Results," accessed May 6, 2017
- ↑ The Dallas Morning News, "Pivotal Dallas ISD trustee race heading for a runoff," May 6, 2017
- ↑ Dallas Independent School District, "Election Campaign Finance Reports - Phelesha Hamilton," accessed April 24, 2017
- ↑ Note: The candidate's answers have been reproduced here verbatim without edits or corrections by Ballotpedia.
- ↑ Ballotpedia School Board Candidate Survey, 2017, "Phelesha Hamilton's responses," April 18, 2017
- ↑ 8.00 8.01 8.02 8.03 8.04 8.05 8.06 8.07 8.08 8.09 8.10 8.11 8.12 8.13 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ 9.00 9.01 9.02 9.03 9.04 9.05 9.06 9.07 9.08 9.09 9.10 9.11 The Dallas Morning News, "Voter Guide: Dallas ISD, District 6," accessed April 14, 2017
| Dallas Independent School District elections in 2017 | |
| Dallas County, Texas | |
| Election date: | May 6, 2017 |
| Candidates: | District 2: • Incumbent, Dustin Marshall • Lori Kirkpatrick • Richard Young District 6: • Incumbent, Joyce Foreman • Phelesha Hamilton District 8: • Incumbent, Miguel Solis |
| Important information: | What was at stake? • Additional elections on the ballot • Key deadlines |
