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| Affiliation | Republican |
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| Name | Jeff Cabot |
| Address | 258 Winthrop Road
Columbus, Ohio , United States |
| Email | None |
| Website | [Link] |
| Born |
00, 1947
(77 years)
|
| Contributor | Thomas Walker |
| Last Modifed | Thomas Walker
Oct 09, 2007 12:17am |
| Tags |
Caucasian - Married -
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| Info | Age: 60
Residence: 258 Winthrop Road, Columbus
Web site: CabotforSchoolBoard.com
Occupation: attorney in private practice, former Franklin County administrator and city of Columbus legislative analyst
Education: bachelor's in business administration and master's in public administration, Ohio State University; law degree, Capital University
Experience: school-board member since 2002; Communities In Schools board member, mentor and math tutor at Whetstone High School; Columbus Metropolitan Club Program Committee member
Family: married
Religion: does not practice an organized religion
Why he's running
The success of Columbus Public Schools is the most important factor in the success and future of central Ohio. I think it is the most important job in town.
Have you run for public office before? When?
Lost 1982 bid for state representative, won school board races in 2001 and 2003.
What are the three biggest issues?
(1) The system of funding. We rely on a tax base that is not permitted to grow with inflation, so we have to return to the ballot frequently just to keep up with inflation.
(2) Academic achievement. We have to continue to improve academic performance and set high standards for our students.
(3) Nonacademic barriers to our students. We are increasingly becoming the school district for poor students, with all the challenges that come from living in poverty. We must find ways to augment the supports that upper- and middle-class families take for granted, but that are missing in too many of our student's lives.
What makes you the best candidate to address those issues?
I have over six years of experience serving on the Columbus school board, and over 30 years of experience in public administration. I have also tutored high-school students since 1994.
Continued improvement in academic achievement and graduation rates. Continued responsible financial management of the district's resources.
Financial issues
Should the Columbus school district continue to hold spending increases to 3 percent a year?
No. But we should promise to make the next levy last for a specified period of time. I would recommend 4 years.
In what areas should the district reduce spending? In what areas should it invest more money?
We should continue to be as efficient as possible, always looking for more cost-effective ways to deliver our services. Having said that, over 80 percent of our cost is in salaries and benefits. We should invest in more time in school, restoring the eighth period that was cut, lengthening the school day, perhaps lengthening the school year. And we should invest in early-childhood education, to better prepare our students for kindergarten.
The district might ask taxpayers to approve an operating levy and a bond issue in the next couple of years. Should the district seek these and should they be on the same ballot?
Yes, the district promised that the operating levy would last four years. I support an operating levy in November 2008. We must also ask for authority to issue bonds to continue the master facilities plan soon. I would consider combining those issues in 2008.
Did the district close the right number of schools, too many or too few? Should closed schools be sold or should the district keep those properties for future use?
With guidance from our Facilities Master Plan Revision Committee, I believe that we closed the right number of schools. We will need to continue to review our facility capacity yearly. I believe that we should maintain the closed schools until our master facilities plan is completed for use as “swing space” while other buildings are being replaced or remodeled. When we know the total needs of the district, we should work with the neighborhoods involved to find appropriate re-use of the excess buildings and sell them.
Should nonclassroom operations, such as food services and busing, be privatized?
All options should be considered for the efficient operations of the district. However, food service and busing are integral components of our educational mission and must be treated as such. And I do not believe that those who provide food for our students and drive them to school should do so without receiving fair pay including health and retirement benefits.
Climate/competitive issues
How can the district improve student discipline? Would uniforms help, and should they be mandated?
We improve student discipline by having clear and fair rules for behavior, by enforcing those rules fairly and evenly, and by involving student leaders in setting proper examples and climates. I believe that the Positive Behavioral Intervention Supports (PBIS) system recently introduced in Columbus Public Schools will be helpful. I do not believe that uniforms make a difference, and I would not mandate uniforms. I do support individual schools making a community decision to mandate uniforms as part of our system of school choice.
How can the district better compete with charter schools?
By embracing the concept of customers and customer service. We have a much broader and deeper curriculum and extra-curricular offerings than charter schools. Most parents and students leave for charters because they feel their needs are not being met. We need to understand that each interaction with our families is a customer contact. Once we do, natural word of mouth advertising will take care of the rest.
Should the district create more alternative programs and/or charter schools? What kind?
Sure. We have many successful models and programs within our system. We should replicate the best of them, and we should partner with or copy other successful programs.
Do residents trust Columbus City Schools? What should the district do to improve its public image?
Most of those that know us trust us. We need to understand that we are no longer a monopoly, that our students and families have alternatives. As we treat our students and parents as customers, listen to what they are telling us, and give them the high quality educational options that they are seeking, word of mouth will take care of our public image.
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