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# State of mind: Forum delves into schools By Daily Press staff
- URL: https://www.smdp.com/state-of-mind-forum-delves-into-schools-by-daily-press-staff/
- Published: 2006-05-08T15:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-23T17:42:31.000Z
- Author: Guest Author
- Tags: Education, Malibu, #archive-import

*How students are stacking up ■How funding for SMMUSD differs from other California districts*

MAIN LIBRARY — Just how well Santa Monica and Malibu students stack up against the rest of the state and nation is the topic of the first-ever “State of Schools” public forum tonight.

The Community for Excellent Public Schools (CEPS) and the Santa Monica-Malibu PTA will present “The State of Our Schools: How Are We Doing?” from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Auditorium in the Santa Monica Public Library, 601 Santa Monica Blvd.

The topics for discussion: ■How California’s schools stack up against the rest of the nation ■ How Santa Monica- Malibu schools compare ■An analysis of student achievement Dr. Stephen Carroll from the RAND Corp. will present an overview of the landmark study “California’s K-12 Public Schools: How Are They Doing?” which provides a stark look at public schools statewide.

Joining Dr. Carroll will be Julia Brownley, president of the SMMUSD School Board, and Dr. Mike Matthews, interim schools superintendent.

The evening will conclude with teachers and students discussing their perspectives and experiences. The education forum is free and open to the public. Refreshments will be served in the library courtyard following the program.

A sneak preview to the forum are these highlights, according to school officials: ■In an era of staggering drop-out rates, Santa Monica and Malibu high schools graduate greater than 95 percent of their seniors. ■Santa Monica and Malibu high school graduates have been accepted into more than 200 four-year colleges nationwide, including all of the most prestigious Ivy League and UC campuses. ■Students at all Santa Monica and Malibu campuses have seen remarkable increases in their California Standardized Achievement Test scores — across the board, in all demographics. ■SMMUSD’s fine arts/music program is one of the best in the state. The Santa Monica High School Symphony Orchestra is considered one of the finest youth orchestras in the nation, performing recently in China and was the first-ever public high school orchestra to be asked to perform at the Walt Disney Concert Hall.

*Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on May 8, 2006.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/050806.pdf?ref=smdp.com)