Office and district sought: State Board of Education representative, 4th Congressional District
Name: Tom Griggs
Party affiliation: Democrat
Website: www.tomgriggsSBE.com
E-mail: tomgriggs@riverrock.org
Age: 53
Last degree earned: Ph.D. in teacher education, University of Toronto
Occupation: Associate Professor, Foundations of Education and Bilingual/ESL Education, University of Northern Colorado
Hobbies: Baseball, live music performances, films, theater, cultural events in general
Family: Single father of two children: Sara, age 14, and Beau, age 8.
How long have you lived in Colorado? Six and a half years; Where did you live before? San Jose, Calif.
Last book read: “The Davinci Code”
Civic Involvement: Past president, Colorado Association for Bilingual Education; former member, Poudre School District District Advisory Board; member, American Educational Research Association; member, Association of Teacher Educators; classroom and school volunteer, Poudre School District
Major endorsements: Colorado Association of School Executives, Colorado Education Association, Colorado Federation of Teachers
Why are you running?: To ensure that the voices of all those who have a stake in public education policy – including parents – are heard at the State Board level.
What are the top three challenges facing Colorado or the institution you seek to represent?
(1) We must provide schools and districts the support they need to succeed.
(2)We must ensure that the Colorado Student Assessment Program is measuring the skills young people need to succeed in an ever-changing and challenging global economy.
(3) We must demand that our great state has the schools it deserves – as good any in the country and, furthermore, as any in the world.
Does the State Board of Education provide leadership that is relevant to its stakeholders – parents, public schools, charters, teachers, administrators and other groups?
No. The Board has been handicapped for four years by a split in its members’ educational philosophies. One example is adequately reviewing the commissioner’s performance.
Describe what the Board should be focusing on to ensure all public school students are graduating from high school with a solid education.
Enhancement of teaching and professional development is the most effective way to ensure high school graduates’ success, as is better tailoring instruction to students’ needs.
Describe how you have impacted the education of Colorado students.
As a UNC faculty member in Teacher Education, I have developed and implemented programs that improve instruction and educational quality for thousands of Colorado students.
