Across the nation and in the state, people are demanding better schools, but it seems their protests are falling on deaf ears. California is one of the lower-ranking states when it comes to education, but one has to peel things back to understand why and what can be done quickly to begin to get it back on track. A very large segment of the state’s students do indeed get a high quality education, and we need to take the steps necessary to make sure all get the same.
My plan includes:
· Funding must be consistent and predictable. Determining what funds and when they will be available has been a roller coaster ride for school districts for several years. This has led too much energy and emotion on the part of teachers, administrators, parents, students, and others being diverted from educating the students.
· Bad personnel must be purged from the system. The vast majority of teachers and administrators are competent, caring, and dedicated educators, but those that are not spoil the whole pot as the system must devote time and resources in protracted proceedings that take away from learning. Legislation needs to written to remove barriers to be able to effectively and quickly remove bad personnel from the education system.
· Cultural leaders need to be the bridge for all people to get a good education. By and large we have a system that works in the state of California, but there are some that do not want to work within that system, causing a mismatch and incapability with other school districts, learning institutions, and time-worn practices.
· The people need to hold local school board members accountable. The founders of the state of California wanted control of schools to be at the most local level possible. The legislature needs to repeal its many laws and regulations that paralyze local school boards and let them do their job and answer to the people. The focal point needs to be what is happening in the classroom, not what is happening in Sacramento.
· Charter schools need to be allowed when they are in response to failing schools. School board members and administrations know long before the public how their schools are doing, yet many do not implement change when needed. Charter schools are initiated by parents who are desperate for a quality education, and they should not be denied what they are seeking.
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