Jones believes transparency equals accountability Shevrin Jones is the representative for the 101st district in the Florida House of Representatives, which is in southeastern Broward County. He was elected in 2012, and has always had a special focus on education.
One thing he believes in is the power of choice that parents should have in deciding how and where their kids are being educated. But as a legislator, he knows there are limits. “How far can we take that?” he asks. “Is there any way that choice in education reform can continue to run in tandem with the public school system? I believe they both can. There are a lot of smart people sitting around the table who can create a system to where both can function simultaneously.”
Shev also believes that transparency fosters accountability. When students, parents and members of the community know what is going on in their schools on a daily basis, as opposed to just getting reports of standardized test results once or twice a year, then educators and students alike are accountable for educational outcomes.
Shev is working toward positive change for the citizens of his district. That is why he ran for office. “If you want to change something, you can’t complain about it,” he says. “You need to put your stake in the game to be able to do that. And so, I ran.”
Further Reading
- Tampa Bay Times – Gradebook podcast: Florida Rep. Shevrin Jones, ranking Democrat on the House Education Committee
- HuffPo – Small Town Principal Pushes for Accountability
- Miami Herald – Dade and Broward schools see improvement on state test scores
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