Gov. Gray Davis: Education Priorities

What's your opinion? What should be Gov. Gray Davis' No. 1 education priority?

Earlier this month, Gray Davis was sworn in as California's 37th governor. The first Democrat to hold that position in 16 years, Davis pledged to make the improvement of education his No. 1 priority. In the previous issue of the Learning Exchange we asked you, our readers, which education issue Gov. Davis should make his first priority? State vs. Local Control Bilingual Education Teacher Accountability Improving Test Scores Improving Reading Class Size Reduction Other Here are some of your responses: One of the critical components is to find stable funding to support class size reductions across k-12 classes. It has been mandated that k-3 are 1:20. I think that 4-6 should be 1:23, 7-8 should be 1:26, and 9-12 should be 1:28. These seem like reasonable numbers but the real trick is to provide classroom space for all these students. These spaces need to be adequate in terms of storage, desks, communications, and safety. Gray Davis should continue Pete Wilson's plan of lowering class size. The Districts should run the schools, not the state or federal government which technically is unconstitutional. We should teach the children the Constitution of the United States so that when they grow into our nations leaders someone will know what it says...obviously our current leadership does not have a clue. The federal and state governments merely extort the districts which would otherwise have excellent education programs. But by the threat of withholding funds, districts are compelled to follow. Top Priority is reduced class size, especially when a high percentage of people with special assessments, IEPs, OTs, and mental conditions are present in the room. Parental involvement should be emphasized, even calling the parents accountable when the student has frequent absences, or does not go to tutoring for low grades. As a middle school teacher, I feel that we have a rigorous testing and reviewing program already in place for teachers. Simply put, these are my top three ideas. Class size reductions = improved academics, test scores, reading, writing, better teacher accountability ... next concern: increase in salary for teachers. Teacher professional development to change the classrooms and higher expectations for students. What does the state education department know what is needed in the individual schools. The state has yet to find a cure all solution for California schools. When they have tried, objections are made because blanket policies such as standards, qualifications, and curriculum do not always meet individual communities and schools within them. Every education leader and politician keeps saying that they have a solution. At the same time the solution that is implemented creates holes somewhere else. Keep the schools away from the "Ivory Towers of Sacramento" and the so-called experts. Teachers need to be accountable. Too often we feel secure in our work and begin to backslide in our responsibilities. An incentive or pressure must be applied constructively and in a positive manner to keep us on our toes and focus toward our most important product students. Our teachers union means well when protecting teachers from administrative abuses due to incompetant leaders, but they in turn, get a bad rap when they in turn protect bad teachers as well as encourage other teachers in the ranks to support a bad teacher as a sign of unity. There has to be a middle ground so we and our students win. Teachers should be held accountable in the same way administrators are--through test scores. If I am dealt five classes, each has an average SAT 9 score. I need to facilitate the maintenance of that average (one years growth) or increase that average (more than one years growth). A more accurate review of teacher competence in light of the wide range of student abilities in each class would be to examine the change in SAT 9 scores for the first through fourth quarterlies within each class. This would guard against a concentration of teaching efforts on the lower ability group inflating class statistics. I do not intend to be reviewed by "veteran teachers" who often times sit in the Teachers Lounge bragging that they only have to put up with this or that for "5 more years" and then retire! I would rather take my chances with an administrator whose clearly optimal strategy would be to retain my services in an effort to increase measureable positive student outcomes.