School advocates seek reforms in policy, budget
DOWNTOWN — The continued deterioration of the California public school system — and how to stop it — were the topics of discussion at a RAND Corp. conference on Saturday.
Hundreds of educational players and advocates showed up from across the state to hear and discuss a recent RAND report that suggested the state’s public education system will continue to decline unless measures are taken to reinforce the education budget and provide learning opportunities necessary for the future success of one of the world’s largest economies.
“When I moved to California from back east, I was struck by how tolerant and complacent we are to the conditions we are in,” said John Deasy, superintendent of the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District and one of the meeting’s panelists. “There is a divested share of responsibility in our state school system. We need targeted investment in our schools with a healthy accountability system.”
The RAND report traced how California public schools, which ranked among the top public education systems in the country during the ’70s, started a downward trend in 1978 that has continued to this day. Compared to the rest of the nation, school achievement in California now ranks above only Louisiana and Mississippi. The report concludes that much of the deterioration is due to education being less of a state priority.
The panel included local California State Sen. Sheila Kuehl (D-23), Assemblymember Jackie Goldberg (D-45), Hewlett Foundation education director Marshall S. Smith, ACLU education attorney Catherine Lhamon and three Los Angeles County school officials. California Assemblymember Lynn Daucher (R-72), who serves on the state budget committee, was invited but did not attend, nor did Ray Reinhard, assistant secretary of education.
In order to raise California to a higher educational level, panelists offered an array of suggestions. They emphasized the need for continued activism among citizens to pressure the state to develop a long-term reform policy, educational plan and budget. This would require the state to re-evaluate current student achievement measures, class sizes and financial sources.
Panelists also suggested the state school system should be decentralized so local districts can respond more easily to their own needs. They said classes need to be reinvigorated to increase critical thinking and student retention, and that classes needed to be provided to help people better understand the democratic process and how society works.
Santa Monica-based Community for Excellent Public Schools, a nonprofit educational advocacy group, will be taking part in “Caravan for Kids,” a local and state rally to be held on April 27 and 28 to continue mustering support for state public education.
“I want the Governor to be inundated with letters,” said Sen. Kuehl.
For more information on the rallies, visit www.cara-vanforkids.org.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on April 18, 2005. Read the original PDF.