How I Voted

March 2025:
  1. I voted to approve the Construction Contract Change Order for the new Grace Hopper Center.
  2. I voted to approve the FY26 budget presented at this meeting as the School Board's Proposed Budget. The final FY26 budget is to be approved in May. You can read my comments about the proposed budget here. 

February 2025:
  1. I voted to approve the school year calendars for 2026-2027 and 2027-2028.
  2. I also voted to approve certain PreK resource adoptions.

January 2025:
  1. I voted to approve revisions to School Board Policy B-6 School Board Policy Process, C-2.1 Board/Superintendent Relationship, D-10.30 Purchasing-School Board Approval Required on Construction and Non-Construction Contracts, and E-6 Food and Nutrition Services and Amendments to School Board Policy G-2.14 Employment. 
  2. I also voted to approve the recommended uses of carry forward funds identified in the closeout from the FY24 budget in FY25. 

December 2024:
  1. I voted to approve the 2025-26 Secondary Program of Studies.
  2. I voted to approve new School Board Policy J-30 Student Use of Personal Electronic Devices. You can read my comments in support of this policy here. 

November 2024:
  1. I voted to approve the Carlin Springs Kitchen Construction Contract Award and Budget. 
  2. I voted to approve the Barrett Elementary Kitchen Construction Contract Award and Budget. 

October 2024:
  1. I voted to approve revisions to School Board Policies A-5 Arlington Public Schools Priorities, A-6.31 Program Evaluation, B-2.1.33
    School Board Liaison, B-4 School Board Meetings, and C-1 Goals.
  2. I voted to approve a Deed of Temporary Easement and Construction Agreement and Deed of Easement at Kenmore Middle School.
  3. I voted to approve the FY26 School Board Budget Direction. 
  4. I voted to approve the 2025 School Board Legislative Package. 

September 2024:
  1. I voted to approve the 2024-25 Internal Audit Work Plan.
  2. I voted to approve the Wakefield HS 9th Grade Immersion textbook adoption.
  3. I voted to approve revisions to School Board Policies B-3.6.37 Electronic Participation in School Board Advisory Committee Meetings and B-4.4 Electronic Participation in Meetings by Individual Members. I also voted to approve changes to School Board Policy E-3.30 Building and Grounds Management. 

August 2024: 
  1. I voted to approve a construction contract change order for The Heights Phase II.

July 2024:
  1. I voted in favor of electing myself to be the 2024-25 School Board Chair and to elect Bethany Zecher Sutton as Vice Chair.
  2. I voted to modify the 2024-25 school year calendar so that APS educators would have two additional days to complete the Virginia Literacy Act require trainings.
  3. I voted to approve a construction contract to renovate the Drew Elementary School kitchen.
  4. I voted to approve a prevailing wage resolution for Arlington Public Schools.

June 2024:
  1. I voted to approve the FY25 School Board Proposed Budget. 
  2. I voted to approve the Barcroft Elementary Emergency Procurement Construction Contract Award for roof replacement.
  3. I voted to approve a Deed of Easement at Langston Brown High School and Community Center.
  4. I voted to approve the Spanish Language and Social Studies Resource Adoption.
  5. I voted to approve the 2024-2030 APS Strategic Plan.
  6. I voted in favor of an amendment that would have capped our debt service payment growth to no more than 1% each year beginning in FY27. You can read my comments in favor of this amendment here. I voted against the FY25-34 APS Capital Improvement Plan. You can read my comments about the CIP here. 

May 2024:
  1. I voted to approve the Career Center Construction Contract Award. You can read my comments about this vote HERE. 
  2. I voted to approve the Escuela Key Roof Replacement Contract. 
  3. ​I voted to approve the Career Center Name Change.
  4. I voted to approve the Proposed VSBA Legislative Positions. 
  5. I voted to approve changes to Policy I-3 Religious Exemption to Compulsory Attendance.
  6. I voted to approve changes to Policy M-2 Foreign Exchange Student Programs. 
  7. I voted to approve changes to Policy I-10.30 Support for Student Wellness. 

April 2024:​​
  1. I voted to approve the School Board's Proposed FY25 Budget. 
  2. I voted to approve the License Agreement at 3108 Columbia Pike. 
  3. I voted to approve changes to Policy B-2.1.31 Actions of School Board Members, Policy B-2.1.32 Conduct of School Board Members, and Policy B-2.6.1 Conflict of Interests. 
  4. I voted to approve changes to Policy D-1.30 Finance and Management Services Goals.
  5. I voted to approve changes to Policy I-7.5 Adult Community Education. 
  6. I voted to approve changes to Policy I-11.6.33 Award of Credit. 
  7. I voted to approve changes to Policy J-10.1.3 Return-to-Learn Plans for Students Experiencing Traumatic Brain Injury or Other Medical or Psychological Illness. 

March 2024:
  1. I voted to approve the Firearms Safety Resolution.
  2. I voted to deny the appeal in Grievance number SY2023-24-1.

February 2024:
  1. I voted to approve the APS request to the Virginia Department of Education for approval of an Alternative Accreditation Plan for the Arlington Community High School.
  2. I voted to approve funding required for the installation of a new HVAC unit for the Wakefield High School Pool. 

January 2024:
  1. I voted to approve the Complete Streets Memorandum of Agreement between APS and Arlington County at the Career Center Campus. 
  2. I voted to approve the five resolutions related to use of budget savings and additional county revenue by fund. 

December 2023:
  1.  I voted to approve the 2024-25 and 2025-26 proposed school year calendars.
  2. I voted to approve the APS Strategic Plan Foundations.
  3. I voted to approve construction contract awards for a secure vestibule and office relocation at Claremont Elementary and a kitchen renovation at Randolph Elementary.
  4. I voted against the School Board 2025-2034 Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) Direction and an amendment made to the main motion. You can read my comments here.

​November 2023:
  1. I voted to approve deeds of easement at Cardinal Elementary (for the County stormwater facility) and at Kenmore Middle School (for an ART bus shelter).
  2. I voted to approve the 2024 Legislative Package.
  3. I voted to approve revisions to School Board Policy I-7.1.8 Family Life Education.
  4. I voted to approve the 2024-25 APS Middle and High School Programs of Studies.

October 2023:
  1. I voted to approve revisions to School Board Policies I-11.1 Family and Community Engagement and J-2.1 Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.
  2. I made a motion to amend the 2023-24 APS Internal Audit Work Plan to include and prioritize an audit of the 2022-23 APS Health Insurance Procurement Process and related communication to APS staff. You can read the text of the amendment and my comments in support of it here. 
  3. I voted to approve the FY25 School Board Budget Direction. 

September 2023:
  1. I voted to approve an amended version of a new APS Calendar Policy. You can read my comments about the calendar policy here.
  2. I voted to approve revisions to School Board Policy J‐8.3.8.31 Food Service‐Vending Machines.
  3. I voted to approve a Deed of Temporary Easement for Williamsburg Middle School Athletic Fields and a Deed of Temporary Easement for Washington-Liberty High School Stadium.
  4. I voted to approve the Third Amendment to Deed of Lease at Highland Holdings - Parking for Career Center Campus.
  5. I voted to adopt new Statistics textbooks for secondary math. 

​August 2023:
  1. I voted to amend School Board Policies B.6.37 Electronic Participation in School Board Advisory Committee Meetings; B-4.4 Electronic Participation in Meetings by Individual Members; and J-5.3.1 Homeless Education Services.
  2. I voted to adopt new secondary math texts and other math resources for the 2023-24 school year.

July 2023​
  1. I voted to approve a new four-year contract for APS Superintendent Dr. Francisco Duran.

June 2023
  1. I voted to approve the contract for external consultants to audit APS's existing facilities over the summer and produce recommendations (to be shared in September) re: how APS should prioritize the long-term renovations of its schools.
  2. I voted to approve the contract to purchase new HVAC equipment for the pool on the Wakefield High School campus.

May 2023
  1. I voted to approve the APS FY24 budget. You can read my budget comments here.
  2. I voted to approve the construction contract for Phase 2 work at The Heights campus (HB Woodlawn and the Shriver Program).

April 2023
  1. I voted to approve revisions to School Board Policies F-2 Facilities Goals and I-9.1.5 Exemplary Projects.
  2. I voted to approve the construction contract that will replace the HVAC system at Barcroft Elementary School.

March 2023
  1. I voted to approve revisions to School Board Policy K‐14.1.10.31 School and Police Relations.
  2. I voted to approve revisions to School Board Policies D-1.33 Community Activities Fund, D-1.31 Financial Management-Budget Savings, D-2.30 Financial Management-General, D-2.31 Financial Management-Revenue Sharing, D-2.33 Financial Management-Additional County Revenue, D-2.34 Financial Management-Reserve Funds, D-2.35 Financial Management-Budget Direction, D-2.36 Financial Management-Budget Development, D-9 Internal Audit, and J-14 Student Fees, Fines and Charges.
  3. I voted to approve the Campbell Elementary School Kitchen and Entrance Renovations Construction Contract Award.
  4. I voted to approve revisions  to School Board Policy J‐5.3.30 Admissions.
  5. I voted to approve APS’s participation in a legal Opioid Settlement.
  6. I voted to approve the Montessori Public School of Arlington Playground Relocation Construction Contract Award.
  7. I voted to approve revisions to School Board Policies I-11.5.2.30 High School Credit at the Middle School, J-5.3.1 Homeless Education Services, M-3 Financial Management-Financing Construction and Site Acquisition and M-11 Student ID Badges.
  8. I voted to approve amendments to School Board Policy B-4 School Board Meetings.
  9. I voted to approve the School Board Proposed FY 2024 Budget. Please see my vote commentary here.

February 2023
  1. I voted to approve revisions to School Board Policies G-1.4 Acceptable Use of Social Media, K-14.1.10.30 Cooperation with Juvenile Court, and K-14.1.10.31 School and Police Relations.
  2. I voted to amend School Board Policy J-5.3.31 Options and Transfers.

January 2023
  1. I voted Yes to approve the 2023-24 Program of Studies.
  2. I voted Yes to approve the construction contract award for kitchen and entrance renovations at Swanson Middle School.
  3. I voted Yes to approve the Superintendent’s recommendation for use of FY22 closeout funds.​

December 2022
  1. I voted Yes to approve the School Board’s Legislative Agenda for the 2023 Virginia General Assembly session.
  2. I voted Yes to approve a change order for Washington Gas related to its work on The Heights building.
  3. I voted Yes to approve a 2023-24 school year calendar that includes a first day of work for staff on August 17 and a first day of school for students on August 28.

November 2022
  1. I voted Yes to approve an update to School Board Policy G-2.32 Prevention of Sexual Misconduct and Abuse to bring it into alignment with Virginia Code.
  2. I voted Yes to approve some new appointments to School Board Advisory Councils.
  3. I voted Yes to approve the Taylor Elementary School and Williamsburg Middle School Entrance Renovations Construction Contract Awards.
  4. I voted Yes to approve the Arlington Career Center Project Architecture and Engineering Fee.
  5. I voted Yes to approve the Fiscal Year 2023 Federal Pandemic Relief Bonus to APS employees (money earmarked for this purpose from the state).​

October 2022
  1. I voted Yes to approve Amendments to School Board Policies G-2.4 Human Relations-Employee-Employer Communications and G-3.2.1 Salary.
  2. I voted Yes to approve the FY24 School Board Budget Direction.
  3. I voted Yes to approve the Deed of Temporary Easement and Construction Agreement at Wakefield High School.
  4. I voted Yes to approve a replacement system for APS Card Access to our buildings.
  5. I voted Yes to approve a Deed of Easement at Kenmore Middle School to enable changes to the traffic signal at Rte 50 and Carlin Springs Rd.
  6. I voted Yes to approve the Arlington School Administrators (ASA) as the Exclusive Representative for the Administrative Personnel Bargaining.
  7. I voted Yes to approve the Arlington Career Center Project Proposed Schematic Design. Because this has been a topic with significant community involvement and interest, I’m sharing the comments I made in support of my vote here.
  8. I voted Yes to approve the Randolph Elementary School Roof Replacement Project.
  9. I voted Yes to approve the Lease Agreement for Temporary Location of Arlington Community High School.

September 2022:
  1. I voted Yes to approve a one-time donation by Amazon/Clark Construction for the Arlington Career Center.
  2. I voted Yes to approve the School Board's 2022-23 priorities.
  3. I voted Yes to approve the Deed of Resubdivision, Vacation, Dedication, and Rededication for Long Branch Elementary.
  4. I voted Yes to approve appointments to School Board Advisory Committees.
  5. I voted Yes to approve revisions to School Board Policies A-3 Nondiscrimination and K-2.5 Internet Privacy.
  6. I voted Yes to approve amendments to School Board Policies B-3.6.30 School Board Advisory Committees and M-15 Aquatics Facilities and Programs, and New School Board Policies D-9.1 Reporting Per Pupil Costs and K-12 Judicial Review.
  7. I voted Yes to approve a religious exemption requested by an Arlington County family.
​
June 2022: 

  1. I voted Yes to approve amendments to the FY23 budget. Amendment was necessary because the General Assembly had just finalized the state appropriation for education.
  2. I voted Yes to approve the resource adoption for English Language Arts grades 6-12.
  3. I voted Yes to approve the amendment to Sun Tribe Solar's Comprehensive Agreement, 01FY18.
  4. I voted Yes to approve the FY 2023-32 Capital Improvement Plan (CIP). You can read the comments I made before the vote here.


May 2022:

  1. I voted Yes to approve the recommendation for new school start times.
  2. I voted Yes to approve the School Board Proposed FY23 Budget.
  3. I voted Yes to approve revisions to School Board Policies I-7.2.2 Gifted Services, I-7-2.7 Homebound Instruction, I-7.4.1.32 School Organizations and Special Activities, and I-8.1 Grouping.
  4. I voted Yes to approve a bundle of School Board Policies governing safety and security that had been tabled since December 2019 (six policies and 12 PIPs).
  5. I voted Yes to approve a change order on the proposed Arlington Career Center schematic design architecture and engineering fee.  
  6. I voted Yes on the School Board's Collective Bargaining Resolution.

April 2022:

  1. I voted Yes to approve APS’s Annual Plan for Special Education. The Annual Plan is a state requirement from the Virginia Department of Education for every school district.
  2. I voted Yes to approve a calendar change, making Monday, May 2 a holiday for Eid rather than Tuesday, May 3.
  3. I voted Yes to approve a construction contract to The Matthews Group, Inc. in the amount of $1,612,114 for renovations to the entranceways to Gunston Middle School. 
  4. I voted Yes to approve the School Board’s Proposed FY23 Budget. You can read the comments I delivered before I voted here.
  5. I voted Yes to approve revisions to School Board Policy I-12 on Evaluation.
  6. I voted Yes to approve revisions to School Board Policy B-4.4 Electronic Participation in Meetings by Individual [School Board] Members.
  7. I voted Yes to approve revisions to School Board Policies B-6.3.30 School Board Advisory Committees, B-6.3.34 School Board Health Advisory Committee, and B-6.3.35 Student Advisory Board.
  8. I made a motion to postpone the School Board’s vote on the Career Center concept designs until immediately following the approval of the Capital Improvement Plan in June. You can read my motion here. Following this unsuccessful motion, I voted No to approve the Career Center revised base and alternative education specifications, revised project requirements, and the direction to staff to begin the schematic design phase. You can read the comments I delivered before I voted here.


March 2022:

  1. I voted Yes to approve the Superintendent's recommendation to shift the APS Dual Language Immersion program in elementary schools from a 50/50 partial immersion model to an 80/20 early full immersion program.
  2. I voted Yes to approve a one-time $1,000 (pre-tax) bonus for eligible full-time staff and pro-rated amounts for part-time and hourly employees, to include Extended Day, Food Service, School-Based Daily Substitutes, and Transportation Trainee employees.
  3. I voted Yes to rescind an earlier School Board direction to undertake a countywide process to manage elementary school enrollment in SY 2022-23 (essentially, no comprehensive elementary school boundary process next fall. Instead, if the September 30 enrollment at any school significantly exceeds its capacity to the extent that cannot be managed in other ways, the Superintendent may bring a recommendation for small boundary adjustment(s) next October.)
  4. I voted yes to approve a set of updated policies related to the Student Code of Conduct, Student Searches and Confiscation of Property, Prohibited Substances, and Leaving School Grounds.
  5. I voted Yes to approve an updated policy on Legal Representation.
  6. I voted Yes to approve a set of updated policies on Standards and Requirements, Curriculum, and Special Education.
  7. I voted Yes to approve an updated policy on Bullying/Harassment Prevention.

February 2022:

  1. I voted Yes to approve revisions (tuning) of the APS Strategic Plan and changes to the policy that governs the development and assessment of the Strategic Plan. I did so after multiple meetings with APS leadership and a comparison against other related documents (like the five-year plan from the Office of Special Education).
  2. I voted Yes to add the course “Music Appreciation: History of Music Genres and Cultural Identities” to the High School Program of Studies.
  3. I voted Yes to approve revisions to School Board Policy I-7.2.9.31 Advanced Classes.
  4. I voted Yes to adopt the Superintendent’s recommendation to pause the Virtual Learning Program during the 2022-23 school year. I did so after numerous meetings with VLP families (as the VLP’s School Board liaison) and APS leadership. I continue to work as the VLP liaison to ensure that these families and students will be supported this school year and next. The comments I made before the vote can be accessed here.​
​
January 2022:
(edited 1/27)

1. I voted Yes to approve the 2022-23 Secondary Program of Studies.
  • Looking ahead to next year, I’d like to understand more about why we require 6th grade Reading for every student, and I’ve set up time with APS staff to talk about this. (My question is whether every 6th grader needs Reading in addition to English class, or whether some students could opt out of Reading and free up space in their schedule for an additional elective course.)
  • I also want to understand more about how teachers can propose and develop brand-new electives, particularly when there’s strong student interest in a particular subject.

2. I voted Yes to approve new policies and policy implementation procedures (PIPs) for early childhood education, English learner education, and acceleration. I voted to approve these new policies after asking questions, meeting with APS staff members, requesting revisions to the EL draft policy and ensuring that the Superintendent’s Advisory Council on Immigrant and Refugee Student Concerns had provided feedback on the EL policy.

3. I voted Yes to approve the Superintendent’s Recommendations about the use of FY21 closeout funds.
  • “Closeout funds” are the money left over from a previous year’s budget that can be put to some other needed use in the current year. For a variety of reasons, this year we have more than $60 million in closeout funds from last school year.
  • Before voting, I met with APS staff before voting to ask questions about how the money was being divided, especially to different financial reserve categories. I also wanted to make sure I understood what this closeout spending might mean for next year’s budget, which APS staff is currently developing.