Gloucester Township Public Schools Board Candidate: Andrew Lalli

Editor's Note: Gloucester Township Patch will share profiles of each candidate in the Black Horse Pike Regional School District (BHPRSD) and Gloucester Township Public Schools board elections who responded to our request for answers to a handful of queries.

The candidates' responses will be published in their original, unedited form, as they were submitted by the candidates.

A new profile will be published each day this week, through Saturday, beginning at noon.

Today, we feature Gloucester Township Public Schools board candidate Andrew Lalli. Already featured were BHPRSD board President Kevin Bucceroni (Monday) and Vice President Joyce Ellis (Tuesday).

School board elections will be held next Wednesday.

Name: Andrew Lalli

Residence: Millbridge for the last 38 years

Relevant volunteer experience: A LaSalle University graduate, Lalli has served as president and vice president of the Camden County Educational Services Commission; been involved with Mainstage Center for the Arts since its inception in 1989, now serving as company manager, publicist, producer, photographer and house manager; serves as manager for the Harmony Show Choir; is a former Big Brother; and is a member of the Knights of Columbus.

Marital status: Lalli is married. He has two grown daughters and four grandchildren—two attend Loring-Flemming Elementary, two attend Glen Landing Middle.

PATCH: Why are you seeking re-election? How many terms have you served to this point? 
Lalli: I have had the privilege and good fortune to have been elected to numerous terms on the Gloucester Township Board of Education.

PATCH: As a current member of the board, how do you feel the board functions as currently constituted? Where do you see room for improvement?
Lalli: The School Board's function is to make sure that the schools are run well, but not to run the schools. The Board develops policies and is responsible for employing the Superintendent to implement those policies. The Board is responsible for evaluating the effectiveness of the policies and their implementation. It is the Board's duty to maintain fiscal integrity. Moreover, the Board is responsible for establishing, maintaining and evaluating an education program which will provide the opportunity for every student in the school district to receive a quality education. The Board is responsible for establishing two-way communication with the community and the school staff by keeping them informed and being receptive to their advice. I feel that Gloucester Township School Board runs very effectively.

PATCH: Do you feel federal No Child Left Behind legislation places too much emphasis on standardized testing? Please explain your response.
Lalli: The federal No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) is a complex issue. NCLB certainly supports standards-based education reform. A primary criticism asserts that NCLB could reduce effective instruction and student learning, because it may cause states to lower achievement goals and motivate teachers to "teach to the test".  Another criticism is that the Act is unclear in describing what states must do to receive federal funds. The Federal Government has no Constitutional authority in education and is intruding too much into what has traditionally been the domain of the states. Also, NCLB has resulted in unfunded federal mandates, which essentially passes financial problems from the Federal Government to state and local governments. NCLB does place too much emphasis on standardized testing and stringent teacher qualifications. It punishes schools rather than assisting schools.  NCLB groups the students as one instead of individuals. All students are different and there is no way that they all learn the same way. Standardized testing is only one way to determine educational quality, but is not the only way. Unfortunately, these tests tend to measure not what students have been taught in school, but what they bring to school. That is the reason that there is a strong relationship between a school's standardized test scores and the economic and social makeup of that school's student body.

PATCH: New Jersey property owners are fed up with seemingly ever-increasing taxes, already among the highest in the country. The state government has either frozen or minimally increased school aid in recent years. What do you feel school districts, particularly BHPRSD, must do to move forward and provide students with what they need under these constraints?
Lalli: Due to budget constraints, the system of education we are all accustomed to is being challenged and must change. At the same time, we must move forward in the most positive manner possible. How do we continue to give our students the education that they deserve and honor our responsibilities to the public when resources are being cut drastically? It is most certainly one of the most difficult situations of our time. The solutions will be found in determining which cost-cutting measures will have the least impact on educational goals. The commitment and responsibility that I feel for the education of our children will remain in the face of these cuts. Many cost-reducing initiatives have been implemented. Faced with diminished revenue from the state, few programs have been eliminated. There are other ways to fund our school system, aside from on the backs of our residents. I continue to view my service on the School Board as a privilege and an important responsibility. I also continue to be impressed with the excellent administrative team that we have in place, as well as the great staff and teachers. I am committed to improving our schools and equipping our students for success, especially in these challenging times.

PATCH: How do you feel about a charter school opening in the township this fall?
Lalli: While I understand that many people are looking for ways to improve our educational system, I do not necessarily believe that Charter Schools are the answer. Although they receive money from government funds, Charter Schools are not subject to the same rules, regulations and statutes that apply to other public schools, and do not operate under the same constraints. Charter Schools lack the oversight of publicly accountable boards and institutions and often do not receive all of the public funds. Basically, Charter Schools are publicly financed schools that are run by private organizations, which may be for-profit organizations.  Although it can be argued that Charter Schools are designed to bring competition to the administrative side of education, criticism of for-profit involvement with education are pretty clear. If tax dollars are being diverted from the classroom to private shareholders, these dollars are not being spent as intended—on the education of children. Charter Schools are not a way to "repair" the public school system, as many Charter Schools in the country have closed due to failure to achieve their state academic goals as defined in their charters.