Ohio State Board of Education District 6 Candidates: Michael L. Collins, Kristen McKinley, John P. Stacy

State Board of Education District 6 covers the Columbus region.

It includes most of Franklin County as well as all of Delaware and Knox counties.

Because the district’s boundaries have changed, two current elected Board of Education members are both running for the seat along with a newcomer. Michael L. Collins, a marketing executive who currently represents central and southwestern Ohio (except for Franklin County); Kristen McKinley, a lawyer who currently represents Franklin County; and nonprofit group executive director John P. Stacy are all running for the District 6 seat.

To create this voters guide, StateImpact Ohio posed a set of questions to every state Board of Education candidate. We sent the same survey to every state Board of Education candidate. Candidate responses were limited to 200 words.

[View Full Ohio State Board of Education Voters Guide - All Districts]

Michael L. Collins

Kristen McKinley

John P. Stacy

Courtesy of Michael L. Collins

Courtesy of Kristen McKinley

Courtesy of John P. Stacy
Age 62 42 45
Campaign website View View View
Social media accounts Facebook, Twitter Facebook, Twitter –
Education BS, Education, Miami University; MA, Education, Ball State University Juris Doctorate 1993, BA Economics 1991 Masters of Science, Marketing and Communications
Experience 1) Education: 4 years-city school district; 3 years-Ohio Department of Education; 3 years-CEFP-National Center on Educational Planning2) Business Owner: 30 years: founder and publisher, Ohio Runner and Ohio Golfer Magazines; founder and Executive Director, Running Network and Golf Network;3)Executive Director: Columbus Marathon, Red, White & BOOM!, First Night Columbus, WaterFire Columbus; Co-Founder, Columbus Race for the Cure; Event efforts resulting in the creating over a $100Mil. in Economic Impact for Central Ohio since 1986.

4) Public Service: Vice-Chair and Chair, Westerville Parks & Recreation Board, Member and President of Westerville Board of Education, Community Sevice Award Recepient, Westerville Chamber of Commerce; Member and Committee Chair, State Board of Education

 I am a labor, employment and litigation attorney that has represented school employees for the past 11 years. During that time, I have interacted with Superintendents, Treasurers, Business Managers, School Boards, Teachers and school employees across the state.For the past four years I have represented District 6 on the State Board of Education. During that time, I have engaged with the schools within District 6 to become more aware of what, if any, issues exist and how state policy impacts them. Executive Director, Autism Society of Ohio (2012 to Present), Executive Director, St John Learning Center (2010 to Present), Adjunct Faculty Member, University of Phoenix (2009 to Present), Executive Committee, Buckeye Charter School Boards, Inc (2009 to Present) ~ Professional association of charter school board membersSchool Board, Great Western Academy & Academy of Columbus Charter Schools (2006 to Present)

Policy Aide, Ohio House of Representative (1987 to 1997, 2000 to 2007) – including two years as senior aide to House Education Committee Chairman (2001 to 2002) where I served as his designee to the State Board of Education.

Recreational Aide, Ohio School For the Deaf (1989 to 1992)
Which party are you a registered member of? I’ve been a registered Independent and Democrat. Independent and Democrat Republican
Michael L. Collins Kristen McKinley John P. Stacy
Why are you running for state Board of Education? 1) To continue my professional and personal commitment to Public Education, as well as my specific work and leadership on the State Board of Education over the past 4 years.2) To bring the perspectives of children, parents educators and community members to the framing and implementation of Ohio’s educational agenda for the future.3) To bring a voice of reason and to remove political agendas from the building of Ohio’s educational system for the future.

4) To continue my work in formulating and influencing educational policy for the ultimate benefit of children, parents, educators and the economic future of our state.

5) To ensure development, implementation and consistant application of accountability systems in all educational environments that receive public dollars

 I am running for re-election because there is still much work to be done regarding our education system in Ohio. I am currently working on the restraint and seclusion rules, third grade reading guarantee work group, health and physical activity and other projects that I want to complete.Additionally, school attendance and data collection will more than likely be reviewed as a result of the State Auditor investigation. Because of my work as an attorney, I have additional expertise to offer District 6 when  rules and policies are reviewed. I come from a family of nurses, both my parents, my sister, a couple of aunts, several cousins, even my mother-in-law and sister-in-law are nurses. And I think that means that I was conditioned from an early ago to see a need and try to help.I am running because I want to help our schools. I have spent a good part of the past twenty years doing this by working with special needs students at the Ohio School for the Deaf, crafting education public policy as an aide in the Ohio House of Representatives, serving for over six years on the school board of two urban charter schools, working for the past three years as the Executive Director of the St John Learning Center which assists high school drop-outs earn their GED and learning workforce skills, teaching as an adjunct instructor at the largest university in the county and lastly as the Executive Director of the Autism Society where I work with families to help their children received the educational services they need to be productive members of society. I want to uses these experiences to help make Ohio’s schools better.
%nbsp; Michael L. Collins Kristen McKinley John P. Stacy
Why should people vote for you? 1) The and depth and breath of my educational experiences (11 years in the profession, 11 years of actual Board service @ both the local and state levels and leadership roles in all settings) and my clear vision for Ohio’s educational future.2) The foundations of my continuing work on the State Board which include my thorough understanding and commitment to: a) Comprehensive curricula for all children; b) Accountability systems for all educational institutions/organizations receiving public educational dollars; c) Reforming specific educational practices that impact instruction and prepare children for global competition; and, d) Educator appreciation where we recognize and celebrate the vast majority of our educators across the state.3) The collective perspective I bring to this position as both an educator and business owner for the past 40 years. I have spent the last 4 years representing District 6. When it was all of Franklin County, I was accesible to my constituents. After redistricting, I have been accessible to both Delaware and Knox county as they have needed things. If reelected, I will continue to be available by phone, email and in person to anyone desiring to speak about education issues.Additionally, this is a non-partisan office. As such, I firmly believe that this work is about serving the kids and families that are part of the educational system here in Ohio. We must always act to better the education that our children receive so that they can compete on an International level and become workplace ready upon graduation. I hope that people will vote for me because I bring a no nonsense approach to running our schools. Determine a basic standard of knowledge that every student in Ohio must have to be successful, give the local districts clear direction on those standards and get out of their way. I do not want a state Board of Education that is overly prescriptive of how local district do their job. It is up to taxpayers and voters to choose their local school board which oversees their district. The state Board is supposed to be their partner to give them the tools, through the Ohio Department of Education, to be successful. I am a fiscal conservative and believe that local control is best.
%nbsp; Michael L. Collins Kristen McKinley John P. Stacy
How can the state Board of Education improve educational outcomes for Ohio children? 1) Update and upgrade the educational preparation of our educators in our colleges and universities.2) Continue to upgrade our standards and practices that guide instruction and are reflective of the needs, in the upcoming decades that will make our children globally competitive.3) Remove political ideologies from the educational discussion and focus on what is instructionally best for our children.

4) Transform the separation that exists between the State Board and the Legislature to insure the formulation and implementation of educational policy that best serves the children of Ohio.

5) To put forth a real state funding formula that is truly adequate and effective and increases the state’s responsibility for educational funding and reduces the current unfair financial burden on the local property owner.

 The State Board should insure that it is always aware of the best possible research on all issues it addresses. Members of the Board need to be aware of research on both sides of an issue, consider it carefully and make the decision(s) that are in the best interests of Ohio’s children and if elected, their constituents.We must strive to increase parent involvement in the schools so that children have that additional support at home and so that parents understand how to best assist their children in the learning process. Education doesn’t end when they leave the school building.The State Board must also continue to work with teachers,school administrators and local Boards to provide the tools that they need to give our chidren a quality education. Honestly, they can’t. The state Board working with the Governor and Legislature proscribes state proficiency standards but it is up to the local district to implement those standards. The Board through the Ohio Department of Education acts as a referee providing the rules and keeping score of how the various schools do across the state.Having said that one thing that I feel would improve outcomes in Ohio is to restore programs and supports for vocational education. For the past ten to twenty years we have been moving our schools away from career and job training and towards the mistaken belief that the role of our schools is to prepare students for college. Not everyone wants or needs to go to college. We hear about a K-16 system when we should be focusing on a K-12 system that gives students a taste of various career goals. Some will go to college, some to tech schools and some into the workforce. All pathways are equally important to a healthy society and economy. I believe that this will help reduce our student drop-out rate and actually help our economy by having job ready graduates.
Michael L. Collins Kristen McKinley John P. Stacy
What should the state Board of Education do about the problems with school attendance data? 1) Work closely with the State Auditor in the formulation and implementation of data accountability systems that more accurately monitor and efficiently deliver student data in  all areas.2) Comprehensively enforce and continually update the revised accountibility systems that will be forthcoming in 2013.3) Continue to provide transparent reporting systems that keep the public apprised of the success of such systematic changes.

4) Continue to provide and update technical assistance to school districts on the data accountability systems in place now and in the future.

 After receiving the final results of the State Auditor’s investigation, the State Board must take steps to insure that school district’s are honest, accurate and contemporaneous in their reporting of school attendance. The State Board needs to engage with the Department of Education to review the manner in which EMIS data is collected, reported, and substantiated. No school should be permitted to “game the system” to either obtain funding or boost its report card results. To do so, simply hurts all students within its system and teaches them that it is okay to be less than truthful if it is necessary. We must expect our school leaders to lead by example. Our children learn by watching adult behavior. From what I have read in the media it has been a combination of the Ohio Department of Education (ODE) not being clear on how districts should be handling this data in a secure manner that reflects actual student attendance and a few districts abusing this confusion to their advantage.While we wait on the Auditor of State’s final recommendations a couple of ideas that come to mind are:
1) Have ODE issue clear standards and protocols about how student attendance records are to be handled, who can alter them and under what circumstances. Also make it clear that intentional manipulation to alter test scores is illegal and will be punished to the full extent of the law including losing your state pension.  That will put them on the straight and narrow.
2) Get rid of the student id number system and actually track kids by their names and social security numbers. No more confusion about who is where.
3) Have every school report attendance monthly like charter schools do. We live in a highly transitory age with students moving throughout the year. If every school reported monthly it would be easier to track students attendance.
Michael L. Collins Kristen McKinley John P. Stacy
What would you look for in Ohio’s next state superintendent? 1) The characteristics that our next State Superintendent needs to possess include: a) integrity b) charisma c) leadership d) interpersonal strength e) insight f) clear perceptions g) sense  of humor h) sensitivity for both people and the subject, etc…2) The skill sets I want to see include: a) knowledge of both the position and the overall role in Ohio b) educational experience at the highest levels c) comprehensive understanding of the educational, political and social processes that really impact the governance of education in Ohio d) formulation of educational direction that has children’s learning potential as its foundation e) knowledgable and comfortable with the new directions and pressures pushing the global educational agenda f) command of the future trends of education g) positive and substantial state and national reputation, etc… An individual with a diverse background of experiences who is capable of being a team player but advocating for what is best for the students in Ohio. Someone who will not capitulate to the politics in Ohio if it doesn’t serve the needs of the children and families in the schools. Additionally, the next superintendent should be well-respected by the educational and business communities. We need to keep Ohio at the front of national leadership on education policy. Primarily I am looking for someone with integrity, someone who puts kids over an entrenched educational bureaucracy and has experience advocating for parental choice. I would prefer someone with management experience outside the educational arena who brings skills in communicating the goals of the Board of Education to the state legislature and the public at large.
Michael L. Collins Kristen McKinley John P. Stacy
Is there anything else voters should know about you? 1) My love and commitment to my family, including: wife, Julie-Director of Rehabilitation, Grady Hospital; older daughter Megan (and husband Mitch-H. S. teacher and coach)-Director of Development, Ronald McDonald House, Columbus; son, Ryan, H.S. teacher and coach; and younger daughter, Kylie, 6th student.2) My commitment to community, both Westerville and Columbus as exemplified by my contributions to both.3) My commitment to education which is exemplified by my work at all levels and will continue far beyond this service.

4) My strong reverence to God, exemplified by my various levels of participation.

5) My commitment to an active lifestyle, running, cycling, exercise, tennis and golf.

6) My fondness for reading and learning.

 I am a step mother of four kids, three of whom are still attending school. I have lived in Franklin County since relocating to Ohio in 1994. I am a resident of the City of Columbus and Hilliard City Schools. I was born and raised in Pennsylvania, just northeast of Pittsburgh. I attended Indiana University of Pennsylvania where I received my BA in Economics and Ohio Northern where I received my law degree. I have been an attorney for the Ohio Attorney General and Nationwide Insurance, in addition to my present position with the Ohio Association of Public School Employees. I am a proud but weary military spouse after deployments to both Iraq and Afghanistan. Lastly, I couldn’t do all that I do without the support of my husband, Michael and my family. My life has been one of service to help better our state. I will work hard to have an educational system in Ohio that we can point to with pride. One that helps educate the next generation of leaders, craftsmen, and workers. We need to pull together to reverse the slide some of our districts in the state are experiencing. I pledge that I will always put the kids of Ohio first and will be mindful of parental rights to choose the best educational options for their child and of the taxpayer who has to foot the bill. My obligation is to these three groups alone. I am for children… for parents… for taxpayers… for a change. Thank you for your consideration and I appreciate your vote for the state Board of Education.
  • Jenny A.

    I enjoyed reading the candidates’ own words in this side-by-side format. Thank you to StateImpact for organizing this piece, and thank you to all candidates for their responses.

  • http://www.facebook.com/albert.vest Albert Vest

    I prefer Stacy, but must say using social security numbers won’t assure “No more confusion about who is where.” It is too easy to abuse SSNs for identity theft for one thing (also see http://www.faqs.org/faqs/privacy/ssn-faq/). Financial and other industries that have traditionally used SSN’s are gradually changing to use more effective identification keys.