Karl Frisch Running In Providence District School Board Race: Profile

FAIRFAX, VA — Karl Frisch is a 45-year-old, nonprofit executive who is running for reelection to the be the Providence District's representative on the Fairfax County School Board.

Endorsed by the Fairfax County Democratic Committee, Frisch is running against Tony Sabio, who has been endorsed by the Fairfax County Republican Committee.

Election Day is Nov. 7 in Fairfax County, where registered voters will be casting ballots for candidates running for open seats on the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors and School Board races. In Fairfax County, candidates are running to be chairman of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, sheriff, commonwealth's attorney, and clerk of the court, as well directors for the Soil and Water Conversation District. Voters will also be choosing who will represent them in the Virginia Senate and House of Delegates.

Related: Tony Sabio Running In Providence District School Board Race: Profile

The first absentee ballots for the General Election will be mailed on Friday, Sept. 22, which is also when early voting begins. Early voting will continue through Nov. 4, which is three days before Election Day. More information about about how to register to vote, vote early, request an absentee ballot and find your polling place in Fairfax City, Falls Church and Fairfax County is available online.

Patch invited each of the candidates running in the Providence District race to fill out a questionnaire about their campaign. Patch does not edit the responses of candidates to its election questionnaire. The following are Frisch's responses.

Name

Karl Frisch

Position sought

Fairfax County School Board, Providence District Representative

Age (as of Election Day)

45

Campaign Website

https://karlfrisch.com/

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

My partner of nearly 10 years has been a public school teacher for many years.

Education

Northern Virginia Community College, Associate of Science, Social Science/Political Science Specialization (Summa Cum Laude); University of Virginia, Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies/History and Politics Concentration (Expected Completion 12/23)

Occupation - Please include years of experience

I currently represent Providence District on the Fairfax County School Board. Before joining the Board four years ago, I represented the district in a volunteer capacity on the Citizen’s Committee for Passage of the School Bond, which helped secure $360 million for major school renovation and new construction projects across the county (with nearly $112 million targeting schools attended by Providence District students). Over nearly two decades as a non-profit executive, I have earned a reputation for effective public policy advocacy in our nation’s capital on issues ranging from consumer financial protection and land conservation to student lending and government ethics. Most recently, I served as executive director of Allied Progress, a consumer financial watchdog that sought to protect those targeted by predatory lenders and financial scammers. I also worked as staff for the Committee on Rules in the U.S. House of Representatives, which considers all legislation reported from other policy and fiscal committees to determine the scope of its eventual consideration by the full House.

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office

Fairfax County School Board, Providence District Representative

Why are you seeking elective office?

I am running for School Board to protect Fairfax County’s world-class local public schools from risky, politically motivated attacks so that we can ensure every student has a safe, secure, and inclusive school with exceptional teachers and equitable access to the rigorous academic and enrichment opportunities they need to achieve their full, unique, and limitless potential, whether that is college, a trade, or some other path.

The single most pressing issue facing Providence District is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.

According to standardized testing data from Governor Youngkin’s Department of Education, many of Fairfax County’s schools are seeing reading and math scores on par with pre-pandemic levels. In fact, Fairfax County Public Schools is making faster progress than other school divisions across Virginia in its recovery, and schools within Providence District are a driving force behind this trajectory. That said, we have significant work to do to keep these numbers moving in the right direction and to ensure all families see progress. Targeted interventions are working and must remain a top priority.

While numbers are improving, some populations have demonstrated slower progress – most notably, English language learners, students receiving special education services, students who are Black or Hispanic, and students who are economically disadvantaged – many of these groupings are intersectional. These are the types of achievement and opportunity gaps we saw long before the pandemic. Even if testing data showed a complete recovery to pre-pandemic levels, these often-marginalized communities would still need increased support.

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

Unfortunately, rather than working to strengthen our incredible public schools or helping teachers and parents get our students the support they need, some would rather attack our public schools, make them less safe, and work to take away opportunities for students to learn — even trying to discriminate against some children. We cannot allow a handful of extremists to distract and divide us from what our students need to thrive.

Take the issue of school safety, for example. My Republican Party-endorsed opponent in this race has attacked my work to ban guns from ALL school system properties and ensure parents are informed about their legal obligation to securely store their firearms (important since most gun owners do not securely store their firearms and school shooters usually get their weapons from the homes of family members).

Until 2021, state law did not grant School Boards the ability to prohibit firearms in their non-instructional buildings. This includes places like Gatehouse, where no formal instruction occurs but is filled with educators and frequented by students and their parents. After the law changed, I sponsored the initiative that successfully extended our gun ban from classrooms to all facilities operated by Fairfax County Public Schools.

The last thing we need on the School Board is someone who thinks more guns are a solution to the gun violence epidemic facing our nation’s schools.

On these and other issues, the School Board needs serious leadership — not the knee-jerk extremism offered by my Republican Party-endorsed opponent who has said we shouldn’t be “adding more money” to our schools and that we should instead follow the “Elon Musk method” of massive cuts and layoffs.

After all, a recent report from the bipartisan Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission (JLARC) in Richmond found Virginia’s public schools receive far less funding than neighboring states, costing us billions of dollars in critical funding.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform.

In addition to continuing our focus on targeted academic interventions, my additional priorities include:

Academic Achievement: Increasing access to early childhood education, advanced academics, STEM, and vocational opportunities. Supporting early literacy and advanced math programs.

World-Class Teachers: We have increased staff pay three years in a row and must maintain our focus on competitive wages and benefits to retain and attract world-class educators and staff.

Safe and Inclusive Schools: Doubling down on our work to prevent gun violence, keep schools safe, and ensure all students have an accepting and inclusive learning environment.

College Readiness: Helping students sharpen test-taking skills and strategies to enhance student SAT and ACT performance and expand post-secondary opportunities.

Parental Collaboration: Engaging all parents and caregivers in their child’s education to ensure decisions are not made only by listening to the loudest voices in the room.

Removing Barriers: Addressing the specific educational needs of English language learners, students receiving special education services, and other often marginalized groups.

Student Mental Wellness: Maintaining free mental health support for high school students and providing resources to address these needs among staff and younger students.

Environmental Stewardship: Continuing our work to increase energy efficiency, which already saves the school system nearly $10 million each year – money reinvested in student success.

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

On the School Board, I have championed efforts to address learning loss, close achievement and opportunity gaps, attract and retain world-class educators with increased pay, expand access to advanced academics and other enrichment opportunities, ensure all students have safe and inclusive schools, prevent gun violence, teach accurate history, protect school libraries from censorship, encourage energy conservation and reinvest the savings in student success, and bring additional resources to local schools.

In fact, since 2020, I have helped secure more than $300 million in critical funding for schools attended by Providence District students to pay for major renovation and construction projects, trailer removals and security upgrades, improvements to playgrounds and athletic facilities, and more.

The ACLU, Capital Pride, Faith Alliance for Climate Solutions, Fairfax County Federation of Teachers, and the Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Washington have recognized my public policy work on the School Board with various awards

The best advice ever shared with me was:

When I was first elected, someone suggested I should work to connect with parents and students who do not typically reach out to the School Board to round out my thinking about important issues.

Over the past four years, some of my most meaningful conversations have been with students, parents, and staff who were not expecting my call but had valuable insights to share about our work to ensure every student has a world-class education.

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

I am proudly endorsed by Providence District parents and caregivers, Fairfax County teachers, and the Fairfax County Democratic Committee.