Catered Education, Empowers Youth!
A Generation of Choice and Change
I’M LARRY T. PRETLOW II; I’M A 21 YEAR-OLD, NATIVE WASHINGTONIAN FROM THE RIVER TERRACE COMMUNITY OF WARD 7. I CURRENTLY MAINTAIN MY OWN RESIDENCY IN THE CONGRESS HEIGHTS COMMUNITY OF WARD 8.
I’M THE SON OF A MILITARY VETERAN AND RETIRED DCPS TEACHER, MY MOTHER TAUGHT SCHOOL FOR NEARLY 23 YEARS BEFORE SHE RETIRED LAST YEAR. SHE ALSO HOMESCHOOLED ME.
CURRENTLY IM EARNING MY 4-YEAR DEGREE IN INFORMATION SYSTEMS AT STRAYER UNIVERSITY HERE IN WASHINGTON, D.C. I WAS MOST RECENTLY EMPLOYED BY THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA GOVERNMENT AS A WEB OPERATOR FOR THE OFFICE OF THE CHIEF TECHNOLOGY OFFICER.
I’VE SERVED AS A SITE MANAGER AT HART MIDDLE SCHOOL IN 2009 FOR DCPS BEATIFICATION DAY.
LAST YEAR I WAS A CANDIDATE FOR AN ADVISORY NEIGHBORHOOD COMMISSIONER SEAT AND I’M ALSO A FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE NATIONAL YOUTH RIGHTS ASSOCIATION.
IN JANUARY 2011 I DECLARED MY CANDIDACY AND SERVICE FOR THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION SEAT TO REPRESENT, ADVOCATE AND TO TAKE ACTION ON BEHALF OF THE WARD 8 COMMUNITIES.
I’M CONFIDENT THAT I WILL EXECUTE THE DUTIES OF THIS OFFICE FAITHFULLY AND BE A PROACTIVE VOICE IN MOVING OUR EDUCATION SYSTEM FORWARD.
ON APRIL 21, 2011 THE DCPS CHANCELLOR KAYA HENDERSON AND I WILL MEET TO DISCUSS HOW WE WILL WORK TOGETHER CONTINUING EDUCATION REFORM, IF I’M ELECTED TO THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION.
I BELIEVE THAT A CATERED EDUCATION EMPOWERS OUR YOUTH! IF WE RESHAPE AND RESTRUCTURE OUR EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM TO FIT OUR STUDENTS AND THEIR REAL-TIME ACADEMIC NEEDS, WE CAN INCREASE THE HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION RATE AND REDUCE TRUANCY ACROSS THE CITY. WE NEED COMMUNITY SCHOOLS THAT CATER TO ITS STUDENTS.
USING THE COMMON CORE STANDARDS INITIATIVE FOR ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS AND MATHEMATICS FOR GRADES K-12 WE CAN SURVEY & TEST STUDENTS TO BUILD COMMUNITY-BASED CURRICULA TO BUILD STUDENT PROFICIENCY IN WEAK ACADEMIC AREAS. STUDENTS, TEACHERS AND PARENTS WILL KNOW WHAT STUDENTS ARE EXPECTED TO LEARN BASED ON THEIR REAL-TIME NEEDS.
I DO NOT SUPPORT STANDARDIZED TESTING ACROSS THE CITY. STUDENTS IN WARD 8 SHOULD NOT BE EXPECTED TO PASS A TEST THAT STUDENTS IN A WARD WITH BETTER SCHOOLS, PROGRAMS AND PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT ARE EXPECTED TO PASS.
OUR STUDENTS WHO DON’T ATTEND SCHOOL REGULAR WILL TELL YOU THAT THEY DON’T GO TO SCHOOL BECAUSE TEACHERS AREN’T TEACHING WHAT THEY WANT TO LEARN OR THINGS THEY WILL EVER USE. WE HAVE TO TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION AND BUILD AN EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM WHERE STUDENTS CAN NO LONGER HAVE THAT EXCUSE FOR NOT ATTENDING SCHOOL.
WE NEED TO REVISIT OUR CURRICULUM TO IMPLEMENT VOCATIONAL SKILLS TRAINING AND LICENSING FOR OUR STUDENTS WHO SEEK EMPLOYMENT WHILE ATTENDING SCHOOL AND THOSE WHO WANT TO WORK AFTER GRADUATING HIGH SCHOOL. WE MUST BUILD PARTNERSHIPS WITH LOCAL BUSINESSES TO PROVIDE STUDENTS WITH EXPERIENCED FILED INSTRUCTION AND GUIDANCE.
WE NEED A PERFORMING ARTS SCHOOL AND PROGRAMS IN WARD 8 TO ENCOURAGE, DEVELOP AND CATAPULT OUR TALENTED AND GIFTED STUDENTS.
WE NEED TO OFFER THE CHOICE OF A COLLEGE PREPARATORY EDUCATION IN ORDER TO CATER TO STUDENTS WHO HAVE ALREADY MADE THE DECISION TO ATTEND COLLEGE AND TO ENCOURAGE THOSE WHO ONLY NEED THAT SLIGHT PUSH FORWARD. WE MUST EDUCATE STUDENTS THAT COLLEGE IS A LONG-TERM FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY OF STUDENT LOANS AND A TRANSCRIPT THAT WILL FOLLOW THEM FOR THE REST OF THEIR LIVES. THE DECISION TO ATTEND COLLEGE SHOULD NEVER BE TAKEN LIGHTLY OR BY FORCE.
I SUPPORT THE CONSIDERATION OF A PROGRESSIVE YOUTH CURFEW TO KEEP STUDENTS OFF THE STREETS AND AT HOME PREPARING FOR THE NEXT SCHOOL DAY.
I SUPPORT CHARTER SCHOOLS AS AN ALTERNATIVE BECAUSE I BELIEVE IN STUDENTS AND PARENTS HAVING THE RIGHT TO CHOOSE BETWEEN SCHOOLS AND EDUCATION CURRICULUMS. BUT I DO NOT SUPPORT CHARTER SCHOOLS BEING ALLOWED TO DROP A STUDENT AND RETAIN FUNDING FROM DCPS.
THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION AS A ROLE OF SUPERVISION OVER CHARTER SCHOOLS ENSURES THAT ANY DECLARED EDUCATIONAL AGENCY/INSTITUTION IN THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA ARE PROVIDING STUDENTS WITH QUALITY EDUCATION THAT PREPARES THEM FOR THE REAL-WORLD.
WE NEED PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT WORKSHOPS TO SHAPE PROACTIVE PARENTS WHO REINFORCE LESSONS AND THE USE OF EDUCATIONAL SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE.
OUR STUDENTS ARE NO LONGER MOTIVATED BY THE PHRASE ‘YOU HAVE TO HAVE A DIPLOMA’ THEY ARE AWARE OF THE OPTIONS AFTER THEIR TIME TO ATTEND SCHOOL HAS COME AND GONE AND WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE OFFERING OPTIONS THAT EMPOWER THEM TO LEARN AND OBTAIN THEIR HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA DURING THEIR TIME TO ATTEND SCHOOL.
I BELIEVE IN OUR STUDENTS FURTHERING THEIR EDUCATION AND BEING WORKFORCE READY.
THIS IS THE GENERATION OF CHOICE AND CHANGE AND WE MUST ACKNOWLEDGE THAT TODAY FOR A PRODUCTIVE TOMORROW!
Official Site: http://www.pretlow4education.com/
