James L. Raney
Office Sought: School Board At-Large
Age: 62
Residence: Franconia.
Education: BA, psychology, Ohio University; PhD, psychology, Vanderbilt University.
Occupation: Senior management analyst, Defense Department; retired Army major.
Web site:http://www.jimraney.com
E-mail address: jimraney@verizon.net
Offices and positions held: Board member/secretary, Manchester Crossing Homeowners Association; member, Lee District Barbara Varon Volunteer Award Selection Committee; past member, Providence District Character Counts! Task Force; member/past president, NOVA Toastmasters Club; past area governor, Toastmasters District 27; member, Franconia United Methodist Church, American Psychological Association.
Why should voters elect you?
"I will make our local public school system more effective, efficient and accountable for results, while also taking excellent care of our students and employees."
What do you think is the most urgent problem facing your jurisdiction?
"Increasing political pressures to 'do more with less' in public education due to competing needs (transportation, health care, tax relief, etc.), coupled with high turnover of teachers and administrators and increasing numbers of students with limited English proficiency and other learning challenges, will require more effective and efficient use of resources. The 'achievement gap' of minority students and students from low-income families is a continuing issue that needs more attention. Drugs, gangs, guns, student absenteeism, behavior, discipline and dropouts remain important concerns. Another challenge is achieving the proper balance of resource allocations for mainstream, advanced, alternative, special and adult education."
What is your plan to address the traffic problems in Virginia?
First, I will work to optimize school start (bell) times. Bell schedules affect students' safety and achievement, their parents' commutes and child care needs, the school system's transportation, facility, and staffing requirements, and the community at large. Setting bell schedules must take into account traffic congestion patterns, availability of buses and drivers, school boundaries and utilization, and effects of changing the bus schedules and the parent and staff commuting patterns on traffic congestion. I will support an affordable change that will increase students' safety and achievement and decrease traffic congestion. Second, I will work to establish a "living wage" policy for school employees. All staff should earn a living wage adequate to support themselves in the communities that they serve--without a need for public welfare or private charity. As a result, more employees will be able to live in Fairfax County and thus reduce their commutes, thereby reducing traffic congestion.
Do you think current policies governing growth & development in your area are too restrictive, not restrictive enough or just right?
just right
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