Platform for 2024 Election

I thought it would be good to provide a summary of things I believe in.

Alpine School Board Campaign

Mark Clement

District #5

2024

Priorities

• Student Achievement - The most important element here is quality teachers

• Increased Teacher Salaries - Teachers work better when they are reasonably compensated

• Smaller Classes - Studies have shown that smaller classes result in higher student achievement and better teacher satisfaction.

Qualifications

• Listening to input from teachers, parents and students to understand the issues

• Collaborating to find a data driven strategy

• Persuading other board members to adopt a strategy

No board member can make a decision in isolation.  A board member has no power individually, only through the majority of the board.

Ideas

• New School Funding - We currently pay as much as 40% more for buildings if we bond and make payments.  I would like to move towards having the district save up for building projects and avoid the interest.

• Consolidation - As school age populations decline, I want to keep students and teachers together as they move to a new school.

• Legislative Work - I want to help the legislature to catch the vision of increased educational achievement in Utah and then help to support them in getting there.

Principles

• I am committed to moving decision making to the most local level.  Empowering principles and classroom teachers to make decisions for their students results in better outcomes.

• Make deliberate decisions based on data.  I want to invite the public to contribute to a solution and this takes time.

• Be transparent and honest with parents as to what is possible instead of just telling them what they want to hear.

Achievements

• Helped select the best Superintendent and Business Manager in the state

• Helped to create financial information that is easier for the public to understand.

• Helped to keep elementary schools together when consolidation is necessary

Qualifications

• Served as president of the Alpine School Board as we came out of COVID

• President Elect for the Utah School Boards association, serving students throughout the state

• Computer Science Professor at BYU and advocate for STEAM education