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Meet
Jonathan
Jonathan Briggs has dedicated his life to improving education for children
and families, first as a classroom teacher and now as an education policy
expert and advocate.
Jon’s career in education includes time served as an
Education Program Specialist with the US Department of Education. He served
as an Acting Legislative Assistant in the office of Congresswoman Marcia L.
Fudge where he focused on education, as well as healthcare, job creation and
civil rights.
He has also served in the Deputy Mayor of Education’s office in
Washington D.C. in 2017, working on the Safe Passage Program to ensure
that all young people feel safe before, during, and after school, as part of the
program's commitment to youth safety.
Throughout Jon’s career he has stood up for the most vulnerable and advocated for the most effective policies to help
students and schools succeed, and he plans to bring that same focus and
attention to Prince George’s County public schools.
PRIORITIES
Jonathan is committed to serving the students and community of Prince George County as your School Board member.
Strengthening Family &
Community Engagement
When schools, families, and communities come together on behalf of students, they are more successful and the entire community benefits. School systems can deploy many strategies to engage parents as educational partners, including implementing school policies that recognize and engage parents and caregivers as full educational partners, sharing information on evidence-based practices to support in-school learning at home; providing information in easily accessible, digestible, and culturally-affirming ways; and engaging parents in goal-setting and school-based decision making.
School Infrastructure Improvements
When school districts invest in their school infrastructure, it can have significant benefits on students’ sense of belonging in their school building. To ensure these kinds of learning environments are accessible to all students and communities, school infrastructure needs must be addressed, including creating safe and positive learning environments; comprehensive student support systems that work to remove barriers to learning across the continuum of home and school, and addressing outdated and unsafe conditions in school buildings. We must ensure that all students grow up receiving a transformational education, and that starts with unprecedented investments in school infrastructure. This includes investments in human capital needs such as high quality professional learning, instructional materials, and connectivity access; and a strong, supported, and diverse education workforce.
Addressing Student Mental Health
Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, 70% of public schools have reported an increase in the percentage of their students seeking mental health services. Our school district needs to invest in additional mental health supports, integrate social-emotional learning practices into school curriculum and engage with external mental health organizations, as well as embed wellness checks within daily lessons, or assign a wellness coach to each student. This also includes investing in more school counselors, psychologists and social workers to ensure that every child is able to have their mental health needs addressed.
State & Federal Funding Opportunities
Underfunded public schools have long been an issue for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC), low-income and rural school districts. Recently, the federal government released historic levels of funding through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) that allow school districts to address a plethora of school needs. As these dollars start to flow to states and local governments, including school districts, we need to ensure that our school district and schools are aware of these opportunities and taking advantage of them to close the funding gap that persists.