Mark Anthony Cox is running for Anchorage School Board’s Seat B against incumbent Kelly Lessens. We asked each candidate the same five questions and gave them 90 seconds to answer each one. Read the transcript of Cox's answers below and click the play button above to listen to where he stands. Find the rest of the Anchorage municipal election candidates’ Q&A’s here.
1. Why should people vote for you?
Currently, the Anchorage School Board and the school district is in financial duress. It would behoove the city and the community of Anchorage to choose someone with the aptitude in finance and accounting to be one of the many members of the school board to represent the community of Anchorage.
2. What is the single biggest issue facing the Anchorage School District and how would you address it as a school board member?
Okay. Our current Anchorage School Board members are so out of touch with the community of Anchorage wants and needs that it would seem that their decisions are not based upon community input, and therefore this dissonance that we are experiencing as a community with our school district and school board members needs to be solved by electing representation that represents the true community of Anchorage.
3. Is the level of state funding for public schools adequate? Why or why not?
There is a plethora of data that suggests as we continue to increase the amount of money into our current school system that it has not produced for the community the added level of proficiency or retention for graduation. Therefore, in regards to state funding, as much as it would be utilized to increase our funding, it has yet to prove a viable option in increasing proficiency in our students.
4. The district proposed and made massive budget cuts. As a board member, what type of cuts would you be in favor of? Please be specific.
Cuts to our education should not include teachers or students, i.e. classroom activities. Cuts should come from either reduce out-of-classroom administration or departments, as well as an opt-in option for community members to pay into or fundraise for our debt needs.
5. What initiatives would you support to improve student outcomes?
In regards to reading proficiency, early intervention in the formative years of adolescence has proven statistically to aid students in increasing their reading proficiency throughout their K through 12 years. In regard to math and writing, having tutors on site that are accessible throughout the years would improve student outcomes in regards to graduation retention, maintaining our funding for extracurricular activities, including sports and clubs, would increase the graduation retention as well as increase the students ability to want to be a part of the community of Anchorage long-term by having pride in their school and their schooling.
Read the candidate Q&A with Cox's competitor: Kelly Lessens.