ECC School Board

Name: Angela Erickson

Website: angelaerickson.me

Email address: ericksonforschoolboard@gmail.com

Home community and how long have you lived in your community:

Chanhassen; over 10 years

Previous leadership experience:

ECCS School Board member and treasurer, 2020-present; SW Metro Intermediate School District 288 Board member, 2022-present; chair, District 112 Foundation Board of Directors, 2015-19; various committee, council, and task force leadership roles.

In what community, state, or national organizations have you been involved? 

Association for the Study of Higher Education, 2021-present; Council for the Advancement and Support of Education, 2016 – present; National Association of College Admission Counselors, 2014-16; Minnesota Association of College Admission Counselors, 2014-16; American Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese, 2012-14; Minnesota Council on the Teaching of Language and Culture, 2011-14; American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages, 2007-14; American Association of Applied Linguistics, 2006-14; Modern Language Association, 2003-14.

How have you prepared to serve well in this office: 

From managing significant budgets, developing and stewarding strategic plans, engaging in equity work, and evaluating complex programs and initiatives, I am a visionary leader, a dynamic communicator, and an empathetic listener with a strong track record of collaboration to maximize innovation, efficiency and impact. As a former educator, I am well versed in theory and practice around student success and assessment and have been able to bring that expertise to the board table to offer feedback on how to refine data-driven decision-making across the system. Finally, as an incumbent running for reelection, I have direct experience serving in this role and understand the critical work of diligent oversight of ECCS policy and budgets.

What do you see as the top three priorities for the school district today and how would you address these? 

1. Consistent investment in our schools: Studies show that community investment in public schools is linked to upward economic mobility and increases in self-worth and good decision-making in young people. We must continue to anticipate needs and identify strategic investment opportunities, demonstrate the return on investment of taxpayer resources, and maintain trust of the community as responsible financial stewards.

2. Communication and relationship building: Proactive, consistent communication from district leadership is a cornerstone of accountability and trust. Maintaining open lines of communication and developing creative solutions to ensure community members throughout the district have the information they need to remain informed is more important than ever.

3. Increased sophistication in data-driven decision-making: Closing achievement gaps, improving outcomes, and rectifying systems that perpetuate educational injustice are laudable goals. We have a fantastic opportunity to accelerate our improvements in student learning and development by using increasingly nuanced data to drive our decision-making.

What differentiates you from the other candidate(s)?

While I am not the only candidate with a background in education, I am the candidate with the most extensive background in assessment and evaluation of student learning (both my MA and MS degrees are related to outcomes assessment). This background, combined with significant leadership experience in multiple roles that include personnel and budgetary oversight, make my background and preparation unique among the candidates and an ideal fit for the role.

What is your stance on the current curriculum? If or what changes are necessary?

I am encouraged by the recent shift toward literacy instruction that focuses on the science of reading and look forward to seeing the long-term results of that curricular adaptation in our district and others. I am also pleased with the progress we have made in ECCS to create stronger curricular alignment across our middle schools. With a system distributed across many buildings, it is important that we are maintaining consistently high standards and sharing knowledge about what is working from building to building so that we adapt to the needs of our specific learners and cultural realities in the area.

What would be your approach to managing the school district’s budget effectively?

Generally speaking, I favor continued investment in our classrooms through both personnel and programs, while continuing to think creatively about lean spending and efficiencies across our administrative functions. That said, planning and anticipation are incredibly important as leaders attempt to communicate needs and challenges based on both the factors they can control and those they cannot. Funding formulas and shifting expectations at the legislative level create impacts that cannot always be anticipated, but maintaining open lines of communication across the system regarding what’s most effective, what we can afford to discontinue, and what additional costs may be coming is important.

Do you favor cellphone restrictions in schools, and if so, what restrictions?

I do believe there are benefits to limiting access to phone use during the school day. Cellphones are a time and energy suck for everyone, and the impact on young peoples’ mental health is well documented. Not only does limiting access reduce distraction and encourage sustained focus on academic tasks, it also encourages live, human-to-human interaction in the classroom to develop and maintain relationships with classmates and staff. At the same time, since behavior regarding cellphone use is deeply ingrained in our culture, it is important to monitor closely both the benefits and potential limitations of any restrictions/regulations and make shifts to policy and practice as needed.

Even though school districts now have the statutory authority to renew operating levies without voter approval, should the board have the voters decide? Why?

While I can understand the arguments on both sides of this conversation, I personally consider the charge of the School Board and its duties to serve the best interests of the district and its students in my calculus. For me, this means doing what I can to provide consistent and predictable funding, particularly when it is funding that has been previously affirmed by voters. Managing an election requires resources to execute, both in human capital and in monetary expenses, and given the statistics regarding the incredibly strong renewal rate, it may be the most fiscally responsible decision in many cases. That said, ensuring that we have opportunities to receive input from our community members and are responsive to the needs and interests of our constituents is important, in addition to maintaining transparency in how resources are used to support learning across the district.

Should our superintendent be contractually responsible for metrics such as enrollment, test scores, and the district’s financial condition? Why or why not?

While I believe wholeheartedly in accountability for leadership, I think it is important to set goals and then assess performance based on their role and what they can be reasonably expected to impact directly through their work. In the case of the superintendent, their primary duties center around building the architecture of the district required for the system to thrive, serving as the figurehead and lead for culture development and expectation setting, and serving as an important bridge between the district and communities. More specifically, enrollment figures can be impacted by many, many factors that are fully outside the superintendent’s control (i.e. birth rates, new construction rates), as can test scores (i.e. student preparation and attendance, opt out rate).

With regard to the district’s financial standing, while I do not feel it is appropriate to find any of these elements as part of a contract that outlines terms of employment in the education industry, given that a superintendent is charged with the day-to-day management of the district’s budget, I could certainly see performance evaluation related to fiscal stewardship.

Where do you see the School District in the next five to 10 years?

I am optimistic and excited about the direction of our school district. I see Eastern Carver County Schools as a district of choice in the area that is a source of pride for our area. I see the district delivering vocational exploration, college preparation, rigorous learning, and personal growth for all learners while continuing to adapt and respond to the needs of our learners, families and community members.

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