Name: Sonja Azim
Campaign website: sonjaforourschools.com
Date and place of birth: April 2, 1972, born in Washington, D.C.
On a scale of 1 to 5 (with 5 the highest), rate the job performance of Superintendent Howard Hepburn, emphasizing his strengths and weaknesses.
I would rate the Superintendent’s job performance as a 3.5.
Strengths include:
Dr. Hepburn has brought steady leadership after several years of administrative instability.
Dr. Hepburn has brought improved academic performance to Broward County Public Schools by helping to raise all school grades with no “D” or “F” schools along with the school district being an “A” district for the third year in a row.
Dr. Hepburn has championed closing achievement gaps, expanding access to advanced coursework, career and technical education, and improving school safety.
Dr. Hepburn has been willing to review and revise some proposals after public feedback.
Dr. Hepburn has been planning for long-term changes in the district, while dealing with declining enrollment with the “Redefining Our Schools” initiative.
Criticisms include:
Dr. Hepburn has had to close schools and consolidate others due to declining enrollment, even though some families were against the consolidations and closures of neighborhood schools. The community’s concerns include worrying about transportation and disruptions for students.
Dr. Hepburn has had to face declining enrollment reducing state funding; which directly impacts staffing. The staff reductions have been scrutinized about whether enough administrative costs and positions are being cut.
Dr. Hepburn has struggled with the issue of teacher pay, as unions have been advocating for larger salary increases and greater investment in classroom resources to be a budget priority.
Dr. Hepburn has had some issues with communication while some people believe the district should be clearer in explaining the rationale behind boundary changes and school consolidation plans.
Dr. Hepburn has dealt with some criticism and controversy about the mismanagement of the referendum monies paid to upper-level district staff.
The Broward school district received an “A” grade for the third straight year for student academic performance. Who deserves the most credit for this?
I believe that the credit for being an “A” school district should go to multiple groups.
The students performed well on several aspects of testing, career and technical education, advanced courses in college, AICE/Cambridge, AP, industry certifications, and more.
The teachers must be credited with teaching and preparing the students to perform with excellence in class and on exams.
School administration must be given credit for creating a supportive learning environment, guiding teachers and support staff in their efforts to provide excellent instruction to students along with the necessary resources to help students excel.
District leadership must be given credit for providing leadership in setting district level initiatives, priorities, and supporting schools.
Voters will decide whether to extend a school property tax increase. If it passes, the School Board will allocate 90 percent of the money for raises for teachers and school-based staff. Do you agree or disagree with this decision and why?
I absolutely support the decision to have the bulk of the money to go to our teachers. Unfortunately, our teachers are severely underpaid landing Florida in the very last spot in teacher compensation in the entire country. Many of our teachers are struggling to make ends meet just to survive. This is a travesty and an injustice to our educators.
Will you vote for or against the tax extension and why?
Yes, I will certainly vote for the tax extension. Without this tax extension, our educators will continue to struggle to earn a livable wage. Even with this tax extension, some educators will still find it difficult to make ends meet due to the extremely high cost of living in Broward. Many of our educators are one critical incident away from bankruptcy or a catastrophic financial outcome.
A series of fiscal missteps in the past year has placed the school board and the administration on the defensive. How well has the district responded to these controversies?
The district has responded to the controversies and has put some protective measures in place so that this does not happen again. However, there are many people that still feel unsatisfied with the district’s response and solution to the mismanagement of funds, especially in these tumultuous financial times for the school district.
One such controversy involved using past referendum money to pay large bonuses to highly-paid administrators. Should those who received bonuses have been required to refund the money? Why or why not?
I believe that the staff that received the referendum money should be responsible for repayment of these funds. The repayment could be made over time and not in one lump sum; I believe this is fair. Any other overpayments made in the district are required to be paid back, why not this one. This would be a gesture of good faith and accountability shown by the school board to help earn back the trust of the community and families.
To reduce a financial deficit, the board approved a reorganization plan that critics say is unfair because it eliminates front-line positions while leaving bureaucratic jobs largely untouched. Do you agree or disagree with this criticism and why?
I agree with this criticism. I believe that we are too top heavy with highly paid administrative personnel at the district level. If the lower-level positions are cut at such a significant level, then the administrative side should be as well.
The school board has voted to close six underenrolled schools to save money. Do you think the district should close more schools or not, and why?
I would hate to see more of our schools close, and I would like to see us try to exhaust every other option before closing more schools. Closing school should be a last resort, especially considering the schools that were closed disproportionately affect our lower socio-economic students and areas.
List in reverse chronological order each college or university attended, with years of attendance.
Barry University – 2012 –2014
Towson State University – 1990 – 1997
List in reverse chronological order your work history for the past 15 years.
Broward County Public Schools – District Trainer in Safety & Security 2021 – Current
Renaissance Charter School of Plantation – Dean of Students; Special Education Director: Teacher – 2011 – 2021
Broward County Public Schools – Special Education Teacher – 2007 – 2011 (left due to district wide layoff)
Why should voters elect you instead of your opponent(s)?
I can offer a unique perspective on how the district operates as a parent and community member, as a Special Education classroom teacher, as a Special Education Director and as a current district administrator Broward County Schools in Safety and Security
I believe that “people are people” not numbers on a spreadsheet and they must be considered when making decisions, they are not just accounting problem to solve
I believe that we can accomplish more together rather than apart, I unite people not polarize them
I believe that we need to approach what is happening with the school district with a scalpel, not an axe and consider all possible options before closing more schools
I believe in creating a pathway and game plan to achieve our goals, not grandstanding and conjecture with the things that people want to hear
What in your life experience best qualifies you to serve as a school board member?
Again, I believe my unique perspective on how the district operates as a parent and community member, as a Special Education classroom teacher, as a Special Education Director and as a current district administrator Broward County Schools in Safety and Security. I can bring some much-needed insight to the school board with direct school related experience as a consideration.
Have you ever been a party to a lawsuit, including bankruptcy or foreclosure? If so, provide details of the case and disposition.
No, I have not.
Have you ever been charged or convicted of a felony or misdemeanor, including an adjudication of guilt withheld? If so, provide charges, dates and terms of sentence.
No, I have not.