As a member of the Board of Education, will you prioritize the closing of these gaps? If so, what will be your approach to this problem?

Five candidates are running for two vacant positions on the New Rochelle Board of Education in elections to be held on Tuesday, May 20.

Board of Education candidates (L to R): Myriam Decime, Elana Jacobs, Jessica Klein, Rosa Rivera-McCutcheon, and Keith Singletary

Among the critical issues in this election are the persistent racial disparities in opportunities, achievement, and disciplinary action in the city’s public schools.  Members of the Board of Education, who serve 5-year terms, will have the responsibility and power to make changes to reduce or eliminate these disparities.

New RoAR News wanted to know how each of the candidates understood this problem, what they intended to do about it if elected, and what qualifications each of them had to address this issue.

On May 3, New RoAR News sent each of the candidates a brief fact sheet on the disparities in our schools, along with three questions for each of them to answer.  All the candidates responded in writing by the deadline of May 9.  This week, we will publish all of their responses.  

To see the fact sheet sent to all the candidates and the questions they were asked, click here. Yesterday, we presented all the candidates’ responses to Question #1. Today, we present the candidates’ replies to Question #2. The candidates’ responses to Question #3 will be posted tomorrow.

Don’t forget to vote on May 20!

Question 2: As a member of the Board of Education, will you prioritize the closing of these gaps? If so, what will be your approach to this problem?

Jessica Klein

Yes, closing these gaps will be among my highest priorities on the Board of Education. My approach will be comprehensive, evidence-based, and centered on equity at all levels of decision-making.

First, I will advocate for implementing regular implicit bias and culturally responsive teaching training for all staff. Research shows these interventions help educators recognize and counter unconscious biases while creating more inclusive learning environments that honor diverse perspectives and experiences.

Second, I support transitioning from punitive disciplinary policies to restorative justice practices and trauma-informed approaches. This shift has proven effective in reducing disproportionate disciplinary actions while fostering supportive learning communities where all students feel valued.

Third, I will champion equitable resource allocation based on student needs. This includes advocating for expanded access to high-quality early childhood education, comprehensive support services, and advanced coursework opportunities for historically underrepresented students.

Finally, I believe accountability is essential. I will push for regular equity audits, measurable equity goals with specific timelines, and transparent reporting on progress. This includes increasing teacher diversity to better reflect our student population, reducing achievement gaps by measurable percentages within defined timeframes, and establishing consequences when equity targets aren’t met. Through these focused approaches, we can create lasting change in our district.

Rosa Rivera-McCutchen

As the parent of children of color who currently and previously attended New Rochelle schools (and in alignment with my ethic of care for all children) my commitment to closing opportunity gaps is deeply personal and unwavering. It has grown over decades of work in education—as a teacher, professor, and researcher—focused on disrupting systemic disparities. These inequities did not emerge overnight, and they will not be dismantled overnight. Yet the urgency is undeniable. Our students cannot afford to wait.

If elected, I will prioritize closing gaps as central to the district’s work, leveraging the existing resources and data the NRCSD has gathered over the years to support meaningful change. For example, as the high school phases out some of the honors track courses, I would advocate leveraging the expertise of the effective educators within the school to lead curriculum development, differentiated supports and professional learning so that every classroom challenges every student even without an honors designation.

This is not about assigning blame, but about taking shared responsibility for creating systems that affirm the brilliance and potential of every child in New Rochelle. It is our moral and civic obligation to act with both urgency and care.

Keith Singletary

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Accountability Enforcer:  We continue to see the same test scores & outcomes for students, year-after-year.   I will:

• Encourage the Superintendent Reynolds to invest in measurable programming
• Monitor, examine and communicate outcomes and results

It is time to see some improvement in our district’s numbers and help more students achieve success.  The numbers may not tell the whole story, but they do give us relevant information to consider.  We cannot keep accepting the same/declining results without pushing change.

• Let the Data Guide:  Year-after-year schools in our district are cited disproportionality in our rates of suspension for African-American boys in special education at ALMS and NRHS.  I would also request an audit of special education programming for this subgroup and any others that are not meeting with success.  Determining and plugging holes in instruction for our learners should help strengthen our entire system overall.  
• Mandatory Anti Bias Training (all staff):  All staff members should undergo mandatory Anti-Bias Training to ensure they can better understand all the students they serve. 
• Restorative Practices:  Formal restorative practices training should also be expanded to all schools to take a more collaborative and relationship-building approach to working with students and families.  

Myriam Decime

Absolutely! The number one priority, as outlined in my platform, is education.  Parents send children to school to be educated. When you provide a loving, nurturing, education institution for all students to thrive, you have provided the key to a safe, healthy environment for learning, growth, success, joy.  First set the tone, the mindset that education is a priority.  We will be the best, expect the best and deliver the best to our children, family and staff. All children will be ready for Algebra and Living environment by at least the 8th grade, because that is the true demarcation, in our district, that sets students on a true path to take advantage of all the wonderful advance placement courses to earn a Highschool degree that gives children maximum options for their next level of education and to successfully transition to adulthood. Students will be PAVE ready by 9th grade. Cost benefit/ need for Campus, long term suspension at library will be assessed & modified to better educate.  All student achievements highlighted regularly.  Gift Scientific TI-graphing calculator to fifth grade graduates, cause we believe in you & mastering this tool is required for advance math/science. 

Elana Jacob  

Yes, addressing achievement and discipline disparities will be a top priority for me.

First, I will focus on data-informed policy development. As outlined in the NYS School Boards Association guidelines, a key responsibility of the Board is to “set the direction of the school district to achieve the highest student performance.” I will advocate for regular equity audits that examine achievement patterns, discipline data, and resource allocation. 

Second, I will fulfill the Board’s responsibility to “provide rigorous accountability for student achievement results” by establishing equity metrics with the superintendent. These would include targets for reducing achievement gaps, increasing representation in advanced courses, and decreasing disproportionate discipline incidents – with reporting to monitor progress.  

Third, I will work to align our budget process with equity priorities, ensuring resources are distributed to address opportunity gaps. This includes supporting targeted professional development, expanded academic support programs, and culturally responsive curriculum.  

Finally, I will leverage the Board’s role in creating strategic partnerships with community stakeholders to engage diverse voices in our decision-making processes. The history of Lincoln School reminds us that achieving educational equity requires authentic engagement, particularly with families historically excluded from district conversations.