Sarasota County School Board District 2: Liz Barker

Age: 40

Occupation: Stay-at-home mom

Sarasota County residency: Since 2021

Describe, specifically, what you see as the primary role and functions of the school board?

The role of the school board is to set policies that meet the needs of our unique community, hire a superintendent to enact those policies, and engage the public in providing feedback to inform decision-making. The school board works within the confines of federal and state law to provide the best possible educational outcomes for our students locally.

Why are you running for office?

I’ve spent my adult life focused on my career as an educator and my role as a mother. Politics were never part of the equation. That changed when my daughter came home from school one afternoon and told me that she had just helped her 6th grade English teacher pack up their classroom library. For me, this is deeply personal. My family relies on Sarasota County Schools to provide a high quality education to our four children. We cannot afford to allow personally and politically motivated school board members to continue to divide our community, waste resources, and distract from our shared goals.

Have you ever run for public office before? If so, for what office?

No.

Why are you more qualified than your opponent?

As a former school psychologist and parent of students currently attending our public schools, I provide unique insight into the challenges we face, as well as a deeply personal investment in the quality of our schools. Parents should have input in educational decision-making, which makes it all the more egregious that none of our current board members have students attending our public schools. In addition to bringing this crucial perspective, I also have areas of expertise in exceptional student education, cognitive assessment, mental health, school wide behavioral supports, and evidence-based instructional practices.

Do you have any children in any public or private elementary, middle or high school? If so, what school(s)?

My husband and I are proud parents to four children in Sarasota County Public Schools. We have incoming kindergarten and third grade students at Lakeview Elementary School, where I serve as the president of the PTO. We also have an incoming 6th grade student at Sarasota Middle School, and an incoming 8th grade student at Pine View.

What are the top three issues facing Sarasota’s public schools, and how should they be addressed?

Loss of funding - our public schools must be fully funded in order to provide the excellent education this community demands. The sunsetting of federal Covid Relief Funds, loss of state funding to the newly expanded statewide universal voucher program, and unrestrained spending by our school board have all taken a toll on our budget. We are currently in the midst of a hiring freeze and construction projects are on hold in high growth areas like North Port. Most importantly we have made substantial cuts to instructional positions, but those cuts are not being shared publicly. Addressing these losses will require transparent fiscal accountability.

Political distractions - divisive and harmful rhetoric by our current school board majority has created a climate of chaos and eroded the trust the community places in our elected leaders. We need leaders who make decisions based on data, not on political talking points.

Teacher morale and retention - It’s widely reported that teacher pay remains at an all-time low across the state. Additionally, in a survey conducted last year, 83% of SCS teachers reported feeling unsupported by the current school board majority and 68% feared retaliation by the school board if they voiced their concerns. What has the current board done to address this? The teachers I talk with say nothing has changed.

What grade would you give Superintendent Terrence Connor — A to F … and why? 

Superintendent Connor has shown a remarkable ability to demonstrate student-centered leadership despite the distractions and divisiveness of our current school board. His “Every Opportunity 2030” Strategic Plan is ambitious, student-centered, and continues the tradition of excellence laid out by our former superintendent, Dr. Asplen.

Having said that, teachers and administrators are working double-time to adjust to the new priorities and management structure. We must be prepared for those stressors to manifest in teacher retention. Despite leadership changes and the chaos within the district, credit is due to our incredible instructional staff for maintaining our level of service to students.

In terms of strategic planning, I give Mr. Connor an A. With regard to teacher and administration morale, there may be opportunities for growth.

What grade would you give the school board for managing the district’s tax dollars — A to F … Why?

F - Our current school board majority, led by Chair Karen Rose, have not been good stewards of our tax dollars. The firing of our highly effective superintendent, Dr. Asplen, came with a price tag of over $500,000. The mysterious redistricting effort by Mrs. Rose cost another $40,000.

For the first time in recent history, enrollment in Sarasota County Schools is predicted to drop next school year. This puts our school district, local economy, and home values in an incredibly precarious situation. Yet this board appears eager to spend our tax dollars on political battles.

Why is this board unconcerned with the imminent shortfalls we face? I have yet to see a plan to address these shortfalls.

What would you change to improve the district’s fiscal management?

The face of education is changing in the state of Florida whether we agree with those changes or not. Declining student enrollment in traditional public schools, loss of federal funds and unrestrained spending by this board are setting our district up for some serious challenges. How the board responds to these challenges in the next four years is critical. Public education remains a state constitutional edict. What it looks like is up to us. The board needs to show more fiscal restraint, more transparency in the budgeting process and most importantly, include taxpayers in the conversation about spending priorities.

Rebuilding trust with our community requires full transparency and an explanation of how we spend tax dollars. The quality of public schools are inextricably intertwined with our quality of life and with property values.

Good schools are good for business.

What would be your priorities if elected?

Empower Families: As a mother of four children in our public schools, I know first-hand how important it is for students to have access to a fact-based, high quality education in a safe environment. Parents have the right to be meaningfully involved in their children’s learning, beyond stacks of permission slips.

Student-centered decision-making: As a former school psychologist, I’d like to see our school board shift its focus back to student success, rather than on politically and personally motivated agendas that waste time and resources. We should be investing that time in innovative solutions to early education, evidence-based instructional practices, and career exploration.

Elevate our Educators: Our board is responsible to advocate with the state to ensure that we can pay our teachers a living wage so that they can afford to live where they teach and continue to provide the highest level of instruction to our students.

Engage our Community: More than ever, taxpayers and parents are paying attention to education. What an incredible opportunity to put our collective experience, skills and

energy to work. But we need to have honest conversations about where we are and where we are going. I think Sarasota County is the perfect community to envision what this new public educational landscape looks like. I think we can create a model for the rest of the state and country, with the right leaders. I hope to be one of those leaders.

What is your position on the state’s school choice laws?

We are blessed in Sarasota County to have many high-quality choices including public schools, charter schools, and private schools. Every parent has the right to choose which environment best meets the needs of their children. My concern is for the students who have disabilities or who require additional services. Private schools are not required to accept or service these students. My focus remains on the families who choose to send their children to our public schools, including my family.

How should the board’s 'public to be heard' part of the school board meetings be changed — or not changed at all? Why?

The public comment section of our school board meetings is an opportunity to engage this community in a constructive way. Listen to what the community is asking for, and then as a board come together to address the concerns. Ignoring the comments won’t reassure parents, students or the community. In order to address these pressing issues, the board must regain the public’s trust by putting aside partisan politics. A spirit of compromise and compassion, rather than a dismissive approach, would bring a much-needed sense of calm to meetings.

What is your response and position on the U.S. Department of Education's April rule changes to Title IX?

Title IX prohibits sexual harassment and discrimination in any educational program or activity that receives federal funding. The definition of what qualifies as discrimination based on sex has been expanded to include “sex stereotypes, sex characteristics, pregnancy or related conditions, sexual orientation, and gender identity.” These new regulations merely apply the reasoning of the 2020 Supreme Court ruling, Bostock vs. Clayton County. Ultimately, it does not matter whether I agree with this guidance. The board’s job is not to interpret law, the board's job is to comply with the law. This is why it is critical for the board to get advice from the school board attorney. It could be a costly mistake to not allow him to fully advise the board, and then circumvent the advice he was able to give.