|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
Dr. Marta Perez, a 24-year veteran of the Miami-Dade County School Board, is running again for her District 8 seat.
She explained her reasons for wanting to continue to serve.
“There’s so much more that needs to be done,” Dr. Perez said. “We’re at the precipice of many great things. Certainly, parental involvement, getting more parents involved, particularly fathers — having a movement to have more fathers participate. Keeping our students safe, and academic achievement, which is so important to be able to see that our students, although we are a poor district, are able to achieve more great things. That’s what motivates me.”
She also points out that her experience is a factor.
“I think experience is very important at the school district, particularly now, since we have a new superintendant and a lot of new board members,” Dr. Perez said. “You need some people with experience on the board to continue the good work.”
Regarding parental involvement with the school, her views were clear.
“In our public schools our clients are our parents, and we have to be very aware of what parents want,” she said. “And we want to attract students to our schools. As you know, there has been a movement away from public schools, which is very regrettable. People somehow think that they’re going to have a better education in a charter school or private school and that simply is not so, but part of what we have to do is make sure that we are satisfying the needs of parents…what they want us to be able to accomplish for their children.”
When asked what accomplishments she was most proud of, she explained how she had helped bring about change.
“When I was first elected, the school district was a shambles,” Dr. Perez said. “It was the laughing stock of government. We had had a bond referendum and everything was so misspent that the state was threatening to take over our construction department. The business community was saying, ‘what’s happening with our schools?’ In the business community I was the person who pushed to have the Ethics Commission and an inspector general established for the school district. It was an independent office and we were the first in the nation. We won the Magnum Award, the highest award for a school district, because we were able to create that and it made a world of difference in the credibility of the schools.
“When I was first elected, the graduation rate was a little over 50 percent and now it’s 93 percent. Just last week we won an A rating from the state. Only 14 of the 67 counties got an A rating. All of those things have made me feel that my work has been effective and under my leadership things have improved. But I want them to improve even more.”
There are no “D” or “F” schools in District 8. Seven of the top 100 best high schools in the nation are in Miami-Dade. But she says that it’s more than just academic achievement that she has focused on.
“Fortunately our schools, in spite of all the horrible things that are happening around the country, have been safe. We have invested in our police department and in making sure that our schools are safe and secure. Also we have invested in mental health after the pandemic and our programs are reaching out to children who because of the pandemic are suffering from depression and anxiety.”
For information visit www.votemartaperez.com/.
