Bensalem Candidate Profile: Scott Endicter For School Director

Scott Endicter is running for School Director in Bensalem:

Age (as of Election Day): 47

Party Affiliation: Democrat

Family: Married to a Bensalem High School graduate for nearly 19 years, with a daughter in Shafer Middle School and a son in Cornwells Elementary School.

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?: No

Education: Bensalem High School Class of '92, MSEE (with Semiconductor Focus) from the University of Houston

Occupation: Semiconductor Design and Test Engineer (22 years)

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office: None

Campaign website:

Facebook: ScottforBensalem
Website:https://www.bensalemdemocraticorg.com/school-board

Why are you seeking elective office?

Having attended school board meetings for years, it is evident that many of the serving members are not taking an active role to improve the state of education in Bensalem. Our school performance and reputation is declining. I wish to help Bensalem schools become a source of pride for Bucks County.

The single most pressing issue facing our (board, district, etc.) is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.

Bensalem is a very diverse community and thus has very diverse challenges when it comes to educating that community. Slumping graduation rates demonstrate the need to boldly address these challenges. From improving outreach to ESL families to finding creative revenue streams to lobbying state legislators for more equitable funding, especially for our special needs students, I will push the board and the administration to do the work necessary to proactively tackle these issues.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

Historically, the majority on the schoolboard seems to have been content to maintain the status quo and let the administration be responsible for any changes and improvements to the district. I will be a voice for those in the community that know that our schools can be better and be a strong advocate for change and opportunity. As a parent of two Bensalem students, and as a Bensalem graduate myself, I know I can create consensus and make these changes happen.

If you are a challenger, in what way has the current board or officeholder failed the community (or district or constituency)

As indicated above, many currently on the current schoolboard have not held the administration to account for lack of planning and communication, or failure to address many of the deficiencies in our school district. Furthermore, they have demonstrated little initiative when it comes to the most important role of our schools - education.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform.

Our platform revolves around fiscal responsibility and long-term planning, communication and transparency, and equity and opportunity in educational excellence. While these sound like separate issues, they are all linked. Bensalem has struggled financially, which led to layoffs of many teachers a support staff. This has led to a decline in already struggling outcomes. Parents frustrated with a lack of communication and plans for improvement take their children to charter schools, which causes our taxes to increase and places a further financial burden on the district. Poor school performance makes Bensalem a less desirable place to live, which leaves a greater tax burden on the current residents and senior citizens. Pennsylvania is in the bottom 10 states with respect to funding education, which means our local taxes pay for a greater percentage of our school budget than 44 other states. We must convince our local legislators of the importance of educational funding reform, as well as take the issue straight to Harrisburg. Nonetheless, the democratic school board members serving since 2017 have driven a number of measures that have kept money in the district in by generating revenue in creative ways, bringing costly special education services in-house rather than outsourcing, and spearheading the launch of a district cyber school to bring back students who have left for other opportunities. I will continue to expand upon those positive efforts as well as place a renewed focus on our at-risk communities to ensure that everybody is benefiting from the opportunities in our schools.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

Throughout my career, my daily routine as an engineer at both small and multi-national companies involved balancing technical innovation and budgetary challenges. From R&D to manufacturing support I have had to work both alone and in large, diverse teams to tackle issues and gain consensus on moving forward. I am used to multi-year budget strategies, regulatory red tape, and the need for effective communication within large organizations. Having been a regular attendee at many school board and committee meetings I understand the role I will play as a school board director and how change can be accomplished.

The best advice ever shared with me was:

Three old sayings cover most of what life will throw at us: the Golden Rule, "do unto others as you would have them do unto you"; "I used to be sad that I had no shoes, until I met a man who had no feet"; and "you can accomplish anything you want if you put your mind to it." Kindness, understanding, appreciation, compassion, dedication, service, and hard work. Reflecting upon those values is a great way to begin each and every day.

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

When you vote for the ticket of Stephanie Ferrandez, David Brodecki, Alana Hardison, and Scott Endicter you are voting for Bensalem parents who are immersed in our schools and have a vision for improvement. We have already been involved with the school board (with Stephanie currently serving on the board) and committees for years, and thus have already demonstrated dedication to and understanding of this role. Not content to complain about what is not getting done, we intend to drive positive changes ourselves. Though this profile has pointed out areas for improvement, Bensalem schools have many wonderful aspects and we are proud to support and promote them in any way we can. I serve the community through Advocates for the Homeless and Those in Need (AHTN), the Bucks County Kehillah, and Bensalem Association Dedicated to Gifted Education (BADGE); and have volunteered with multiple food distribution organizations. I encourage you all to make this the year that you get involved in giving back to your community.