Natalie Beyer, candidate for Durham school board
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Candidates for Durham County School Board, District 4
Candidates in the nonpartisan Durham County School Board race will be elected to four district seats and two consolidated district seats, based on where they live in the county. District 3 candidates are incumbent Natalie Beyer and challengers Valarie Jarvis and Myca Jeter. Get to know the candidates in our 2022 Voter Guide.
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Name: Natalie Beyer
Email: NatalieBeyerforDurham@gmail.com
Political party: Democrat
Date of birth: 54
Campaign website: NatalieBeyer.com
Occupation and employer: Board member, Durham Public Schools
Education: Master’s of Healthcare Administration, UNC-Chapel Hill School of Public Health; B.A. in Behavioral Science & English, Rice University, Houston, Texas
Have you run for elected office before? Yes. Durham Board of Election, District 4, Won 2010-2014, 2014-2018, 2018-Present
Please list highlights of your civic involvement:
Community and church volunteer; Founder & Board Member, Public Schools First NC; Member, School Health Advisory Committee; Member, Homeless Services Advisory Committee; Member, Food Security Task Force; Member, NC School of Science & Math Alumni Board; Member, Project Graduation; Chair, Ministry Coordinating Committee; Court-appointed Guardian ad Lite
Who are your top three campaign contributors? John & Natalie Beyer, Steve Schewel, Catherine Jones
What are your top three priorities for Durham Public Schools?
Building excellent schools (strong principals and experienced educators and staff in state of the art school facilities that are the first, best choice); building equitable schools (focused on meeting the specialized needs of the whole child with empowered, trained, caring professionals); and building innovative schools (working with the Durham community, including students and parents, so that every Durham Public School is creative, joyful, welcoming, nurturing and supporting children for their future goals).
What does DPS do well? In what areas does it need to improve?
Durham Public Schools is a reflection of our community. With our community, DPS developed a strong strategic plan (available on our website) that focuses our district innovations. Our schools are staffed by dedicated, caring and creative professionals. Our district offers strong community schools and options for specialized programs for students to explore diverse interests. DPS partners with local universities like NCCU, Duke and UNC to train professional educators and principals. With strong support from Durham County, we hire additional instructional assistants, counselors, school nurses and support staff. We have strong partnerships with local non-profits, faith communities and volunteers. The pandemic has been incredibly challenging, especially for students and families in Durham. As we continue to recover, it is critical that we rebuild trust and relationships with students and families and add tutoring and counseling supports to help our community heal and thrive.
What about your life experience makes you the best person for the school board?
I grew up in Durham and attended Pearsontown, Little River, Bragtown, Carrington and Northern. As a parent, I volunteer a lot and want every school in our district to be an excellent, caring school for every child. I believe that public schools are the heart of our community and I advocate for our students every day. I have been honored to serve on the Durham school board for three terms and served on the strategic planning committee. Since then our district has made focused, steady progress and our graduation rates are at an all time high. I am deeply rooted in our community and known for asking thoughtful questions and being responsive to constituents. I have a lot of institutional memory and will advocate for what students, families and staff need. I have a Master’s Degree in Public Health which has been helpful as our board has navigated challenging decisions during the pandemic. We still have a lot of work to do and I would be honored to continue to serve.
How should the school board evaluate the superintendent and make that process more transparent?
One of the most important responsibilities of a school board member is hiring and evaluation of the superintendent. During my service, I have worked with five superintendents and helped develop the evaluation instrument the Durham board uses for annual evaluation. While these are confidential personnel matters, it is critical that the board reflects the concerns and values of the Durham community. Our evaluation process includes two sections; the first is based on data on student achievement and detailed in the DPS Strategic Plan, and the second includes qualitative measures. I believe there is always room for improvement and the board always provides written goals for professional growth based on stakeholder feedback. Feedback from superintendent evaluations are shared by board members in public comments.
Should anti-racism education be taught in the schools, and is DPS doing an adequate job teaching Black history?
We live in the most incredible democracy, based on shared values of equality and freedom. American history is complex and unfortunately includes the shameful reality of slavery, genocide and sexism. Our children are brilliant and capable of learning complex issues at school, at home and in the community. When we know better, we do better. We teach our children honestly and accurately to learn from the strengths and harms of our past. We can always do better teaching Black history throughout the school year, even the deep history from Durham and North Carolina.
What strategies would you advocate to raise the academic achievement of Black boys in the school system?
Nationally the achievement of Black boys is not where we want, and we are working to support students as a focus of our strategic plan. We know every child is capable and DPS sets high expectations for our students. Standardized test scores are not the best reflection of student achievement. Too often this data is used to stigmatize schools and students rather than to support them. We have recruited a diverse staff so that students see leaders who look like them. We are budgeting so Durham leads the state in teacher pay. We are recruiting more Black male educators and strengthening mentorship programs. Most schools have developed “We Are Kings” programs to support students beyond the classroom. We are partnering with families through our Family Academy and giving them resources to support their children. We offer tutoring and free summer enrichment. We are teaching students to learn from mistakes. We have added counselors, social workers and offer free counseling for students.
How can DPS reverse enrollment losses and de facto segregation in its schools?
Prior to the pandemic, with the leadership of our board and our superintendent, Dr. Mubenga, our district was growing — both in student achievement and enrollment. With our focused strategic plan, we will resume this growth by becoming the first, best choice for every student. We are working to share information with families about the amazing people and programs in our schools. We are showcasing the excellence of community schools using social media and technology to communicate with families. Our new parent ambassadors will be equipped to correct misinformation and rumors while sharing concerns about re-segregation and the impact of privatization on our community schools. We will share our successes and challenges honestly. As we better communicate and share information and innovations, our community will choose to join and trust Durham Public Schools.
How can DPS better support teachers and other staff and reduce turnover?
I helped draft the strategic plan for Durham Public Schools. It has a goal to “attract and retain outstanding educators and staff” and reduce teacher turnover. Before the pandemic, DPS was on track to meet this goal. The pandemic disrupted labor markets nationally. We need to listen to teachers and staff in order to address their specific concerns. Starting teacher salaries in NC have not kept up with other college-educated professions. This year’s budget request will bring Durham teachers and staff up to the highest salaries in the state. I advocate that starting pay in DPS to $17/hr. Our students, families and educators want a dedicated, outstanding principal in every school and to be respected as professionals. They want customized training to better support their students. Parent and community volunteers can help educators with struggling students. I have advocated for a dedicated corps of experienced DPS substitute teachers to cover maternity and extended medical leaves.
Describe one idea you would like the school board to consider even though it might not be universally popular.
I would like our board to work with our Durham delegation in the North Carolina General Assembly and the board of a local charter school in order to draft a local bill enabling our school district to govern an existing charter school. This is the way the majority of charter schools across the country operate and should in NC too. It would be more accountable and transparent to taxpayers due to elected representation. If this pilot were successful, the charter school would operate more like a DPS magnet school with free transportation, free breakfast and lunch, and all the services students require.
How can DPS partner with charter schools or learn from their examples?
Durham Public Schools is already partnering with several local charter schools by providing healthy meals for their students. There are also opportunities for shared collaborative training sessions and sharing of best practices between DPS and local charter schools. I worked with a former colleague and charter school representatives to draft “Our Vision of Public Education in Durham: Quality Schools for All Children”. This vision statement was approved by the Durham Board of Education but never by the boards of any charter schools in Durham. I look forward to continuing these collaborations.
This story was originally published April 27, 2022 at 8:48 AM.