Matthew Rehm: Candidate profile

Bio

Name: Matthew Rehm

City: Mundelein

Office sought: D75 School Board

Age: 50

Family: Married, three children

Occupation: Program Manager

Education: BS Illinois State University

Civic involvement: School Board

Previous elected offices held: Two terms School Board Member

Incumbent? Yes. If yes, when were you first elected? 2011

Website: N/A

Facebook: N/A

Twitter: N/A

Issue questions

What are the most important issues facing your district and how do you intend to address them?

While Mundelein tax rates and district revenues increase, scores decrease. This is uniformly seen across the 250-plus Chicagoland communities, the higher the property tax rate, the lower the test scores. As a current board member I see a real lack of accountability for academic results or understanding where funds should be used to make an impact. Mundelein and D75 are already on the wrong end of this 'tax to score' equation. Our next step will tell the community which direction the district and village are going. I have set out a path to better accountability which should only serve to improve understanding of what truly drives where we achieve and where we fail. Acknowledging where we fail is the only way to ensure we adapt and grow effectively. This can be done with

decades old techniques that require no additional net funding.

How satisfied are you that your school district is adequately preparing students for the next stage in their lives, whether it be from elementary into high school or high school into college or full-time employment? What changes, if any, do you think need to be made?

It's hubris to believe a board can gauge their impact on life success across a district. We can impact math, reading, writing and science readiness. Families are best at gauging and developing their child's long term success. Interests and talent within a household can range across STEM, arts, sports, gaming, entrepreneurship, etc. Volunteer organizations like The STEAM Foundation and PTO are more adept at meeting unique interests because they reflect interests of families. Teachers heavily participate in these efforts. This is credit to their profession and the value they bring. It is important to reflect that the funds supporting local groups are raised voluntarily from the community. Public bodies like a school district don't make money, we only get funds by taxing/extracting

dollars from home and business owners. Directly stated, when we levy more taxes, we compete against the same pocketbook funds these volunteer efforts seek. Again, these organizations are more nimble and efficient at supporting diverse interests than any board. Boards should be held accountable to improving math, reading and science scores, and understanding what drives them. We should be effective partners in projecting unmet needs that community members and organizations are often eager to fill.

What budgetary issues will your district have to confront during the next four years and what measures do you support to address them? If you believe cuts are necessary, be specific about programs and expenses that should be considered for reduction or elimination. On the income side, do you support any tax increases? Be specific.

The geography of D75 is effectively full, meaning all long term projections of enrollment should be flat. The district should hold revenue flat. This simple directive should result in two changes. First, it should hold tax rates which should make Mundelein more competitive in attracting businesses and homebuyers. Second, it will require the board and administration to become smarter and more accountable in truly understanding what drives results at a student level. Considering our state scores have been in decline, an assessment of programs that don't make a positive impact should be easy. I believe this is a win-win for Mundelein and our ability to attract families, lower taxes and present to the public well articulated paths to results with clear accountability.

Are you currently employed by or retired from a school district, if so, which one? Is any member of your direct family - spouse, child or child-in-law - employed by the school district where you are seeking a school board seat?

I am not employed or retired from a school district. My wife works part-time as a lunch and recess supervisor at Mechanics Grove School.

As contract talks come up with various school employee groups - teachers, support staff, etc. - what posture should the school board take? Do you believe the district should ask for concessions from its employees, expect employee costs to stay about the same as they are now or provide increases in pay or benefits?

As all boards struggle, we do with a Springfield led system that puts patronage over families and taxpayers. We typically start with a distinct negotiating disadvantage. I see a district that truly appreciates its teachers with market level pay and exceptional benefits. However, we must negotiate through an organization that seems to be less on the teacher's side then the board is. In my eight years on the board, we've negotiated with a body that is regularly ill-prepared in knowing how their employees are compensated and often leaves some of the most in demand teachers underpaid. In the current negotiating model, teachers are treated as a commodity, not as individuals with specific strengths. Old ideas of advanced degrees and class sizes as critical factors are being debunked in every state. Innovative teachers who are both in demand by parents and show a positive impact on a student's learning trajectory should be compensated higher. Artificially limiting size and pay unnecessarily keeps parents from accessing good teachers and limit our ability to reward them as such.

If your district had a superintendent or other administrator nearing retirement, would you support a substantial increase in his or her pay to help boost pension benefits? Why or why not?

Any increase should be heavily incentive based and distinctly measurable. Moves to boost pension benefits only serve to speed up the financial death spiral created with public pensions. The next generation of tax payer, public school student and teacher will be negatively impacted by their routinely inept Springfield representatives and their ability to control their problem. As I mentioned above, public bodies don't make funds available without taking it from taxpayers first. Illinois is losing those taxpayers to neighboring states. Adding taxes to current and future taxpayers left behind only exacerbates the financial problems and population loss. Local districts have a hand in this problem but the beginning and end to Springfield's dine and ditch approach to pensions should be addressed by your elected state representatives.