It is far past the time for California to step up and reform its education system. As a state, our schools were once the fourth-highest in the nation in reading and math. Now, we now rank below 40. In science, our students were once proudly some of the highest in the nation and now they are now some of the lowest.
This is simply unacceptable.
We have to reform the way we educate our children and, thanks to the Obama administration, we have a chance to do just that.
Thanks to the Race to the Top funds - $4.35 billion worth of competitive grants - states have the opportunity to compete for these funds that are intended to "encourage and reward states that are creating the conditions for education innovation and reform." Essentially, the White House and Department of Education have issued a challenge to states - come up with a workable plan to fix your failing schools and they will reward you with funding.
Despite this golden opportunity, though, California currently isn't even eligible to compete for these funds because of archaic education code rules that maintain the status quo. In order for our public schools to compete, our state law has to do the following:
1. Remove the cap limiting the number of charter schools.
2. Use actual data to track student progress and evaluate teacher performance.
3. Create a real plan for turning around the lowest-performing schools
4. Empower parents to ask for reform at their child's school.
This seems like a no-brainer, right? Unfortunately, there are some in Sacramento who don't see it this way. Precisely at the time when the Obama administration has kicked their education plan into gear to partner with states, California is stuck in neutral. And although many leaders want to push for real reform and changing the bureaucratic education code, other lawmakers would be satisfied with making as little adjustment as possible to protect the status quo.
Make no mistake, California needs this funding. Our children are suffering from a lack of resources at their schools and constant teacher turnover. Our teachers are suffering from increasingly heavier workloads due to layoffs. And our local school districts are facing dire budget choices. It is unacceptable for lawmakers to do anything less than pass real reform so we can compete for all of the $700 million.
The time for talking about education reform is over. It's now time to take action and compete. The Race to the Top has begun and we have to seize the opportunity to fix our state's education problems and once again make California the gold standard in public education.
You can let the State Assembly know you want reform in our education system by signing the petition here.
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