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BOE Candidate Focus: Cherylann Perry

By Steve Goode

October 19, 2009

Here's the fourth of our BOE Candidate Focus series.

Cherylann Perry, of the Parents Choice slate.

Age: 53

Neighborhood: Near St. Francis Hospital

Family: Married with three children

Profession: Retired LPN

Years in the city: 53

The most pressing educational issue affecting city students is reading.

More and more children are passed on from grade to grade at low reading levels without identifying whether or not he/she has a learning disability. Throughout the district we have many children with behavioral problems. When this happens we cannot provide the child and the parent with the proper tools to help them succeed.

Schools need to assess whether a child has a learning disability as early as preschool. By identifying the child's learning disability early on, the child will then be able to work on overcoming his/her disability.

The district needs to provide schools the necessary special education resources and staff to be able to meet the individualized education plan for each child that has a disability, and teachers should be trained to be able to identify the difference between children with learning disabilities and children with behavioral issues.