2022 Candidate Profile: Julie Yang For Board Of Education District 3

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, MD — Julie Yang is running in the Nov. 8 general election for the District 3 seat on the Montgomery County Board of Education.

Yang is a former data analyst and college and career counselor for Montgomery County Public Schools. She also spent seven years as a classroom teacher.

In the July primary, Yang was the top vote-getter for the Board of Education District 3 seat. On Nov. 8, she is running against Scott Joftus, who received the second most votes in the primary.

The Montgomery County Board of Education includes five members who are required to reside in a district, two at-large members who can reside anywhere in the county and one student member. The five district members, like the at-large members, are elected county-wide.

Early voting will run from Oct. 27 through Nov. 3. Early voting centers in the county will be open from 7 a.m. until 8 p.m. each day.

Patch asked each of the candidates for the Montgomery County Board of Education for their answers to the same questions. Here are Yang's responses:

Name: Julie Yang

Campaign Website: www.julieyang.org

Age (as of Election Day): 52

Town of Residence: Potomac

Family: Husband: Wen Lee, Physician. 2 Children - Benjamin Lee (Freshman, Vanderbilt University), Isabella Yang (Senior, Washington University in St. Louis)

Education:

M. Ed, Elementary Education

Certification: College Admissions Specialist, American School Counselor Association

The single most pressing issue facing Montgomery County schools is staff shortage and staff morale, and this is what I intend to do about it.

It will take more than business as usual to mitigate staff shortage and morale challenges. Here are my plans:

We should first address drainage of the workforce that supports our MCPS students. Teachers have long voiced their desire to be respected as true partners in our education system. We need to foster a culture of openness. We should involve our staff members in the conversation early in the decision-making process, allow channels for suggestions, questions, and feedback to be addressed at all levels and in a timely fashion.

Secondly, many seasoned staff are experiencing burnout and leaving the profession. Our support for staff should not be limited to new teachers. A comprehensive plan that covers both new and seasoned teaching personnel serves a long-term strategic staffing resources goal. Of concerns are, but not limited to, acquisition, retention, and training. We also need to look at the existing MCPS Employee Assistance Program (EAP) — while it provides mental health support such as virtual counseling, we must reevaluate and reassess whether EAP services are effectively addressing the challenges staff face today. These programs must be staff-focused, or else run the risk of failing to serve their stated purposes.

On a larger scope, staff shortage is a national issue that requires a local fix. To mitigate staff shortages, one long-term solution is to build and expand relationships with community partners, to scout for potential new talent in communities which we have not tapped into previously. In the last two years, I have worked with seven local non-profits to sponsor large scale community outreach events that brought in positive results.

With regard to the decline of teacher education programs, there are two potentially promising untapped resources: job sharing and career changers. It is worth exploring arrangements where teachers split the day into morning and afternoon shifts at the elementary level, or take on only half the sessions at the secondary level. This model would not only address classroom staffing flexibility challenges, it will also open up opportunities for professional service positions such as social workers, psychologists and therapists seeking part-time work in the school system.

Currently, job sharing is permitted at MCPS; it is, however, not an option in the hiring process as these professional service positions are advertised as full-time openings only.

Additionally, we must tap into those people seeking career transitions. We may explore collaborations with higher education institutes such as University of Shady Grove or University of Maryland to provide teaching certification for interested career changers. With tuition incentives and a built-in service component, it is possible to attract career changers with backgrounds in science, technology, and arts into the MCPS system. Hawaii has such a program that has been implemented successfully and can serve as a model for us.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidate seeking this post?

I will be the People’s Voice on the Board. I plan to devote myself fulltime to the position and will be present in the community at all times. As a school system, MCPS has a Superintendent (and significant central and local staff to carry out the mission and objectives of the BOE. Board oversight is crucial with a three billion budget and 23,000 employees.

All residents get to vote for all Board of Education members. Board members should therefore be the eyes and ears for the system; they should represent the will and the voice of the people. I will diligently look into all proposals and reports from the school system, and will ensure the system’s transparency and accountability to the public.

My focus is Montgomery County. I am running to serve on the County’s Board of Education. I bring to the Board of Education nearly 20 years of experience as an educator, initially as a classroom teacher, then as a career and college counselor, and a community leader for MCPS students of underrepresented groups. I have hands-on experiences directly and intimately serving students and parents within the public school system. A proud mother of two MCPS graduates, I have also led educational efforts outside of the system as a PTA Leader and an advocate for underrepresented populations. Building bridges and addressing gaps for special education and minority students have been a key aspect of my community work. Because of my immigrant background and experiences learning English as a second language, I am well connected with students and families who experience linguistic, cultural and economic challenges in Montgomery County.

From my extensive background of working across elementary, middle and high schools within MCPS, I understand the nuances of navigating the complex school system. I will bring to the Board my established relationships with the MCPS community, the County government, non-profit entities, advocates and community groups, all of which key to improving the services and operations of our school system, to developing school policies, enhancing our school district’s budget and to better meet the needs of everyone involved in the County’s public education.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform.

I am as well committed to the following:

• Increasing mental health support to our students by making mental health issue a standing agenda item at the Board and as part of the Special Populations Committee.
• Expanding future career and job opportunities by connecting and exposing our students to various career pathways.
• Preparing students for the 21st-century job market by expanding Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts & Math (STEAM) learning and career and technology programs in schools.
• Providing universal, early-childhood education to ensure our children are prepared and ready to learn in school.

How would you recommend mitigating any learning loss by students during the COVID-19 pandemic?

• We need to exploit all tools and means to help mitigate the learning loss. In-person/on-line tutoring, Saturday, summer schools and the Credit Recovery option in high school are all needed.
• We need to better utilize school hours. Bring rigour and high expectation back into the classroom with individualized support.
• Understand the students’ background and experiences. Provide mental health support or wrap around service for students experiencing hardship.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

I have extensive experiences in improving the prospects and creating new opportunities for all MCPS students and the MCPS community. Some of my accomplishments in this regard include:

• As a college and career counselor, led initiatives such as Career Seminar Series, College Nights and the Opportunity Knocks Career Fair to support students’ future success in careers and academic
• As a PTA Leader, successfully advocated for funding to bring English as a Second Language (ESL) classes directly to Churchill High School.
• As a special education advocate, founded the Village Initiative, which served to connect special education families with non-profits and school services.
• Collaborating with minority groups, such as the Latino, Asian and African American Student Achievement Action Groups and Chambers of Commerce, to diversify MCPS staffing, foster culturally sensitive teaching, and set legislative agendas on minority education issues.

You can learn more about me by visiting JulieYang.org.

Why should voters trust you?

For decades, I have been a resident of the County, a public education teacher and counselor, a parent of children from MCPS, and a volunteer for many education-related activities. I am Education by training and trade. Serving on the Board of Education will allow me the opportunity to work on the many MCPS issues that remain to be resolved, or can be improved. I have proven to be a bridge builder that connects communities and brings people together. I am known for being able to ask hard questions, disagree without being adversarial, generate innovative solutions and secure consensus.

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

I am the only candidate in the Board of Education District 3 race that has received endorsements from 24 elected officials at the state and local level. During the primary, I won commandingly, with 60% of the vote in a 3-way race, which amounts to over 84,000 votes.

RELATED: 2022 Montgomery County General Election: Candidate Guide, How To Vote