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>>> WELCOME TO NORFOLK PERSPECTIVES.
I HAVE SENATOR KENNETH COOPER ALEXAN TK*E R.
HOW'S IT GOING? >> GREAT.
HOW ARE YOU? >> I WANT TO CALL YOU KENNY.
IT'S BEEN AN EVENTFUL YEAR FOR YOU BECAUSE YOU MADE A
SIGNIFICANT CHANGE. WAS IT AS SIGNIFICANT AS WE
THINK IT WAS? ONLY FROM THE HOUSE TO THE
SENATE. IT WAS A SIGNIFICANT CHANGE.
MY PREDECESSOR WAS YVONNE MILLER WHO SERVED IN THE HOUSE OF
DELEGATES AS WELL AS THE STATE SENATE AND ALSO A COLLEGE
PROFESSOR SO I HAD SOME BIG SHOES TO FILL.
AND I DID THE BEST I CAN TO LIVE UP TO HER LEGACY AND ALL THE
WORK THAT SHE DID IN THE COMMUNITY.
>> SO YOU HAVE SPECIAL ELECTIONS AFTER LABOR DAY IT'S JANUARY SO
YOU MUST BE GOING TO RICHMOND. YOU HAVE BEEN DOING IT FOR TEN
YEARS. HOW DIFFERENT WAS IT THIS
JANUARY VERSUS THE JANUARY THE YEAR BEFORE?
>> THE EXPECTATIONS. THERE WERE ONLY 40 SENATE TO, 20
REPUBLICAN, 20 DEMOCRATS SO EVERY VOTE IS TARGETED OR
SCORED. EVERY BUDGET ITEM THAT YOU PUT
IN IS SIGNIFICANT. THERE ARE A LOT OF DEMANDS FOR 18
YOUR TIME FROM AGENCIES AS WELL AS LOCAL GOVERNMENT BECAUSE YOU
HAVE THE 20/20 SPLIT. SO YOU CAN'T AFFORD TO BE
ABSENT. YOU CAN'T AFFORD TO BE LATE.
YOU CAN'T AFFORD TO BE OUT OF YOUR SEAT BECAUSE ONE VOTE WILL
MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE ITEM. >> NOW THE LEVEL OF
CONVERSATION. IS IT DIFFERENT?
>> YES. IT'S MORE OF A SENIOR BODY.
SENATE IS ON A FOUR-YEAR COLLECTION CYCLE.
EVERY TWO YEARS YOU GET A NEW GROUP OF LEGISLATORS FROM AROUND
THE STATE. THE SENATE EVERY FOUR YEARS AND
THE AVERAGE AGE IS PROBABLY ABOUT 60 YEARS OLD.
>> YOU ARE A YOUNGSTER. SO IN OTHER WORDS IF YOU WERE IN
A STATE YOU WILL BE SITTING ON THE SOFA WONDERING HOW YOU WILL
RUN THE NEXT TIME AND NOW YOU WILL TAKE MORE OF A BREATH AND
LONG TERM. >> YOU CAN DRILL DOWN IN PUBLIC
POLICY. YOU CAN LOOK AT TRENDS, MORE
RESEARCH, MORE ANALYTICAL AS YOU CONTINUE TO LOOK AT DEMOGRAPHICS
AND YOU DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THE NEXT ELECTION.
EDUCATION, TRANSPORTATION, SOME OF THE LONG TERM INFRASTRUCTURE
DECISIONS CAN BE MADE AND YOU HAVE MAYBE MORE TIME TO REALLY
DO A THOROUGH INVESTIGATION AND ALSOLE PROPOSE PUBLIC POLICY
THAT'S GOING TO BE SIGNIFICANT AND LIKELY PASS INSTEAD OF
PUTTING OUT A SOUND BITE OR JUST PUTTING OUT A FEELER.
YOU REALLY HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY PUT FORTH SOMETHING THAT'S GOING
TO BE SIGNIFICANT. >>> WHEN YOU'RE A STATE 19
DELEGATE, HOW MUCH? >> I ONLY COVERED THE CITY OF
NORFOLK. >> PIECE OF CAKE.
>> NO. IT'S VERY DEMANDING BECAUSE OF
OUR INABILITY TO TEBGS -- EXPAND.
NORFOLK HAS A LOT OF DEMANDS AND CHALLENGES BEING ONE OF THE
OLDER CITIES. NOT ONLY THE CITY OF NORFOLK BUT
ONE OF THE CITY OF CHESAPEAKE. >> ONE OF THE NEWER ONES.
50 YEARS OLD THIS YEAR. >> YOU FIND THERE'S LEGISLATION
THAT'S GEARED TOWARD NORFOLK THAN BEING A OLDER CITY VERSUS A
NEWER ONE? >> THERE'S A LOT OF SIMILARITIES
IN NORFOLK BECAUSE WE'RE SO INDEPENDENT.
>> TRANSPORTATION, EDUCATION, PUBLIC SAFETY, THESE ARE SOME OF
THE ISSUES THAT NORFOLK AND CHESAPEAKE SHARE COMMON GOALS
AND LOOKING FOR THE SAME OUTCOMES AS IT COMES TO
CONGESTION RELIEF, BETTER SCHOOLS, BETTER PUBLIC SAFETY
INITIATIVES SO THERE'S A LOT OF SIMILARITYS THE AND A GREAT
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE TWO CITIES.
>>> YOU REALLY ARE TUNED IN TO THEM.
>>> THAT'S WHAT KEEPS YOU GOING BACK.
>> MORE IMPORTANTLY, I'M A CITIZEN LEGISLATURE.
I LIVE AND ACT WITH THE CONSTITUENTS THAT ARE HERE.
^PY'M ONE OF THEM. UNLIKE A PROFESSIONAL LEGISLATOR
WHERE YOU SPEND YOUR WHOLE TIME IN THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.
I WILL MEAN JANUARY OR FEBRUARY AND MARCH AND FOR THE REST OF
THE YOUR MONTHS I'M HERE. I'M IN NORFOLK AND IN 20
CHESAPEAKE. WE HAVE A REPRESENTATIVE
DEMOCRACY. A TRUE DEMOCRACY, ALL THE
VIRGINIAIANS WILL CAST THEIR VOTE.
A REPRESENTATIVE DEMOCRACY YOU ELECT ME AS YOUR REPRESENTATIVE.
I GO TO RICHMOND, CAST VOTES, WEIGH IN ON PUBLIC POLL
CIRCUMSTANCES ELECT JUDGE, CONFIRM THE GOVERNOR'S
APPOINTMENT TO ABOARD VISITORS BUT THEN I RETURN BACK TO WORK
WITH THE CON SIS WANTS FOR THE NEXT GENERAL ASSEMBLY.
>> THE NEXT TIME I SEE YOU ON GRANBURY STREET THAT'S WHAT
YOU'RE THERE FOR. >>> THAT'S WHAT I'M THERE FOR.
>> LET'S TALK ABOUT SCHOOLS AND TRUANCY.
THAT'S YOUR BIG SCORE. >> MY SIGNATURE BILL WAS DEALING
WITH TRUE -- TRUE WANCY. I LOOK AT THE PLAN.
THERE ARE 134 DIFFERENT SCHOOL DIVISIONS.
ALL 134 ARE DOING DIFFERENT THINGS AS IT RELATES TO TRUANCY
AND CHRONIC ABSENTEEISM. IT'S NOT UNTIL A STUDENT IS
ABSENT FIVE TIMES IS WHEN A PRINCIPAL ACTUALLY MAKE CONTACT
WITH THE FAMILY. BY TELEPHONE AND ALL THEY HAVE TO SAY IS MADE
AN EFFORT. A REASONABLE EFFORT TO GET THAT
STUDENT BACK IN THE TO INSTRUCTION.
UNACCEPTIBLE IT WASN'T UNTIL THE SIXTH ABSENT THAT THEY ACTUALLY
DID SOMETHING THAT WAS MORE AGGRESSIVE.
SOP WHEY DID THIS YEAR, I SAID AFTER THE FIRST ABSENCE WE NEED
SOME WRITTEN STRATEGIES. LET'S GIVE THEM AN INSTRUCTION
AND WE KNOW AS SOON AS WE ARE IN THE INSTRUCTION THEY WILL LAG. 21
HIND AND WILL PROBABLY FAIL AND PROBABLY DROP OUT.
LET'S BE MORE AGGRESSIVE AND GETTING THOSE STUDENTS BACK IN
SCHOOL AND SO THAT'S THE FIRST BILL THAT PASSED.
NOW, WE HAVE TO HAVE WRITTEN STRATEGIES RIGHT AT THE TOP.
AFTER THE WRITTEN STRATEGIES DON'T WORK, AFTER TESTIFY SIXTH
ABSENCE WE BRING IN THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT, COMMUNITY SERVICES,
SOCIAL SERVICES, WE BRING IN A FAMILY ASSESSMENT FAMILY TEAM TO
BRING THAT STUDENT BACK IN INSTRUCTION.
>>> LET'S TALK ON A PERSONAL LEVEL HERE.
I REMEMBER GROWING UP THE ONE TIME WENT TO MY MOM AND SAID
THERE'S SENIOR SKIP DAY CAN YOU WRITE ME A NOTE.
IT DIDN'T GO OVER BIG. IF I DIDN'T HAVE A FEVER I HAD
TO GO TO SCHOOL. YOU RELATED TO THAT.
IS THE BURDEN ON THE SCHOOL OR ON THE PARENT?
>> FIRST OF ALL, EVERY STUDENT WHO IS SCHOOL AGE MUST GO TO
SCHOOL. IT'S LAW.
EVERY PARENT MUST SEND THEIR CHILD TOLL SCHOOL AND EVERY
SCHOOL MUST ENSURE THAT A STUDENT WHO'S ENROLLED THAT THEY
ARE IN THAT CLASSROOM SO THERE ARE RESPONSIBILITIES THAT WE
ALWAYS SHARE. >> IT DOESN'T SOUND LIKE IT'S
NEITHER OR. >> THE LAST THING YOU WANT TO DO
IS GET THE COURT INVOLVED OR GET THE POLICE INVOLVED.
THAT'S WHY WE ARE TRYING TO MAKE PARENTS OR GUARDIANS OR THOSE
PERSONS THAT ARE IN CHARGE OF SUPER VISION TO MAKE SURE THAT
THEY DO THEIR JOB AND MAKE SURE THAT THEIR SCHOOL AGE CHILDREN 22
ARE THERE AND THE STUDENTS HAVE AN ONLY OBLIGATION TO GO TO
SCHOOL. THE STUDENT HAVES A
RESPONSIBILITY AND THE SCHOOL HAS A RESPONSIBILITY NOT TO WAIT
UNTIL THE LAST MINUTE BEFORE A STUDENT HAS BEEN GONE 6 OR 7
DAYS BEFORE THEY DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.
BOB, THE INTERESTING THING ABOUT THIS BILL IS THIS PLANNING TEAM,
THIS ASSESSMENT TEAM THAT WE PUT IN PLACE, THEY MUST REPORT
WITHIN NO LATER THAN 15 DAYS WITH A PLAN OF GETTING THEIR
STUDENT BACK IN TO INSTRUCTION. YOU CAN'T DELAY.
YOU CAN'T PROLONG. YOU HAVE 15 DAYS TO GET THAT
STUDENT BACK IN INSTRUCTION WITH ALL THE RESOURCES.
ALL THE HELP. ALL THE ASSISTANCE AND ALL THE
PROGRAMS THAT WILL HELP THEIR STUDENT BE SUCCESSFUL AND THAT
LAGGED BEHIND TO FAIL OR DROP OUT.
>> THE CLOCK IS TICKING NO MATTER WHAT..
>>> IF YOU'RE NOT THERE YOU CAN'T LEARN.
>>> IF A STUDENT MISSED ONE DAY OF INSTRUCTION, THAT STUDENT
LAGS BEHIND. >>> THINKING ABOUT MISSING 6 OR
7 OR 8 DAYS IT' ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE FAR STUDENT TO GET
BACK UP TO SPEED OR IT'S GOING TO -- THAT STUDENT END UP
DROPPING OUT OR WORSE, THEY MAY GET EXPELLED BECAUSE THEY MAY
ACT OUT AND THEY END UP GETTING EXPELLED WHEN THEY ARE REALLY
REACHING OUT AND REALLY CRYING FOR HELP.
THIS BILL WILL HOPEFULLY PUT THE SERVICES IN PLACE VERY EARLY.
IT'S INTERVENTION. IT'S EASIER TO PAY ON THIS END 23
THAN TO PAY LATER FOR JUVENILE DI DETENTION OR ADULT
CORRECTIONS IF THAT STUDENT GETS EXPELLED AND END UP COMMITTING A
CRIME. EVERY DOLLAR THAT WE SPEND IN
SPER SREPBGS WE SAVE -- INTERVENTION WE SAVE $7 OR $8 AT
A LATER DATE. THIS THE IS PREVENTIVE.
>> I KNOW THERE'S AN OLD ATTITUDE.
BY THIRD GRADE HOW MANY CLASSROOMS YOU BUILD.
I HAVE TO BRING IT UP. WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN IN
JANUARY? YOU'RE GOING TO GET THE CAR.
YOU TAKE THE TRAIN? >> I WISH.
THE TRAIN DOESN'T GO TO MAIN STREET STATION YET.
AMTRAK LEADS HOVER PARK AND GO TO MAIN STREET STATION.
IT'S JUST A COUPLE BLOCKS. >>> YOU KNOW ANYBODY WITH
CLOUT? >> I KNOW A FEW PEOPLE.
>> COME-ON JANUARY, WHAT'S ON YOUR DOCKET.
>> IT'S MORE WITH EDUCATION. WE HAVE TO CONTINUE FOCUS ON
EDUCATION AND TO ENSURE THAT OUR KIDS, OUR STUDENTS ARE GETTING A
WORLD CLASS EDUCATION. I WOULD LIKE TO REVISIT SOLs
AND A LOT OF OUR TAOEUFRPS AND A -- TEACHERS AND A LOT OF
ADMINISTRATORS ARE COMPLAINING THAT THEY ARE TEACHING THE TEST.
STUDENTS ARE BECOMING MORE ANALYTICAL AND MORE KNOWLEDGE
BASED LEARNING SO THEY CAN COMPETE FOR JOBS THAT ARE GLOBAL
JOBS AND TAKING THE TEST AND TEACHING TO TAKE THE TEST MAY
NOT BE THE BEST USE OF OUR DOLLARS AND THE USE OF OUR
RESOURCES. THEY SHOULD BE THE ASSESSMENTS. 24
WE SHOULD MEASURE AND WE SHOULD HAVE COMMON GOALS AS RELATES TO
INSTRUCTION. AT TEND OF THE DAY WE ARE
PRODUCTION STUDENTS THAT CAN COMPETE WITH STUDENTS FROM AT
LEAST 12 OTHER COUNTRYS THAT WE'RE COMPETING FOR AGAINST
THESE KNOWLEDGE-BASED JOBS. ALSO CAN TRANSPORTATION.
I THINK WE CANNOT OVER LOOK THE MIDTOWN TUNNEL AND THE TOLLS
THAT THEY MAY HAVE WHICH I THINK WILL HAVE A NEGATIVE IMPACT ON
HALF THE ROADS. SO WE SPRAY -- SO WE MAY HAVE TO
REVISIT THAT WHOLE RELATIONSHIP. >> KENNY, I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO
HAVING YOU BACK ON AFTER THE COUNCIL OF U AGENDAS ARE PUT
TOGETHER AND THEN WE'LL TALK. HOW'S THAT?
CAN I SAY SENATOR KENNY? >> THAT'S FINE.
>> THANKS FOR JOINING ME. THANKS FOR JOINING US.
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