School Board At-Large Candidates Want Independent Audit

The Fairfax County School Board elections are sure to have an impact on the County's public school system. Three at-large seats are in contention in the November elections (the rest are uncontested), and six of the seven at-large candidates back an independent audit of the public school system, according to the Washington Post.

So, how does a cash-strapped school system with a $2.2 billion budget increase employee compensation, reduce class sizes and meet state and federal benchmarks? Most likely by cutting central office positions. 

"We have to go systematically and surgically through things," candidate Lolita I. Mancheno-Smoak told the Post, adding that such an audit would trim about $330 million throughout the system, which happens to be about equivalent to the central office's budget. "It gets a little painful because folks don't want to hear that some of their programs need to be shut down, but if that's what it takes, that's what we need to do."

The At-Large Candidates

Patch has interviewed each at-large candidate and most candidates participated in a standardized Q&A outlining their positions. Links to profiles and the Q&As are below. 

Sheree A. Brown-Kaplan (, )

Lin-Dai Y. Kendall ()

Lolita I. Mancheno-Smoak (, )

Ryan L. McElveen (, )

Ilryong Moon (, )

Steven M. F. Stuban (, )

Theodore J. "Ted" Velkoff (, )