We began with his family’s experience in the district and his path from science to journalism and corporate communications. I then asked what qualifies him to set education policy. He described involvement as a parent, learning the responsibilities of board service and completing board training.

School safety matters to me as a grandfather. When I pressed him on student and parent accountability, he emphasized conduct policies and a partnership between families and school staff. His definition of safety also included students feeling able to speak to a trusted adult.

Next, I put the performance charts in front of him. My question was how we move from where we are to where we want to be. Recinto did not offer a single intervention. He emphasized culture, using data to learn from what is working and giving the district enough consistency to carry work through.

We also discussed what a communications professional contributes to decisions involving finance, personnel and curriculum, and what it takes to attract and retain teachers. The question for a voter is how that approach translates into progress that can be seen over time.

The achievement charts we discussed

I put these charts in front of each candidate. Select one to read it at full size.

These are the charts supplied for the interviews, which credit MI School Data. Their “District Average” rows are reproduced as printed. The scans do not state an averaging method or student counts, so those rows should not be assumed to be student-weighted district proficiency rates. Different years represent different groups of students; the tables alone do not explain why results changed.

Finally, I asked about preparing students for a workplace in which technical skills matter in many occupations. Recinto described career and technical education, work-based learning and college credit. He also raised an idea for more room in a student’s senior year to explore work or an individual interest.

Looking ahead, he wanted a school culture where students feel safe to be curious, stronger achievement results and a board concentrating on its work. I closed as I did with every candidate: with an opportunity to explain, directly to voters, why he is seeking their support.