Michael Radcliffe is running for school director in the Rose Tree Media School District, located in Delaware County. He is a registered Republican and works as a regional manager at a national restoration company.

Why are you running for school board? 

I am a lifelong resident of this community, and I spend just about every spare minute coaching and leading kids in some capacity. As my kids mature, I will be taking a step back from that and want to give back to the rest of the students in the district. Our current board is under one guise of leadership and has lost a true bipartisan perspective. There is currently not a way to engage in constructive discussions with opposing views that discuss what is best for our students. In the last few years, test scores have declined, spending has increased, and it seems as if there are no answers to that cycle. I want to be a voice that encourages thought when making decisions about our children and their future.

What are the most important issues facing your district? 

Taxes are continually on the rise in spite of a working surplus. There is no transparency from both a fiscal and educational nature. There needs to be accountability restored to the board that makes the decisions for our tax paying community.

What is your professional background/experience? What skills would you bring to the board?

I have been in management for fifteen years, primarily in the restoration and construction field. My responsibilities include personnel and managing the profit and loss, both of which are vital to a school director role.

Have you run for political office previously? Have you been politically active?

I have not run for office but have stayed current on politics since graduating from Penn State in 2002.

Are you running with other candidates?

Yes, I am running on a slate with four other candidates. We have been endorsed by the Make the Right Things Happen committee.

What is the most important role of the school board in your opinion? 

The school board should advocate for every student that walks the halls. There will be hard decisions when it comes to budget and curriculum, but the end goal is to provide the best possible education.

We contacted the Democratic and Republican committees in Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Lancaster, Lehigh, and Montgomery counties and asked them to share the questions with their school director candidates. Broad + Liberty will post the responses throughout the summer to assist voters in learning about the candidates running in their district. The series is open to any school director on the ballot in November. Please contact barosica@broadandliberty.com for more information.

Broad + Liberty is a nonprofit media endeavor dedicated to sharing voices and stories that are shut out of other media outlets. @BroadAndLiberty