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One of my top priorities will be my commitment to improving public education in California. I shall work
across the aisle and with educators and parents, as well as students, to see that our schools meet the demands
of the twenty-first century.
California can raise its near bottom standing among America's schools to reach at least the 75 percentile over
the next ten years, and we can do this if I have your support to help implement such changes. As your
Assemblymember I shall introduce legislation to accomplish the following:
Reduce class size to no more than 25:1 in academic classes. Public schools can compete with high-achieving
private schools when the playing field is even. Reach out to all communities to encourage our best and brightest to become highly qualified and effective
teachers. College costs need to be kept affordable, and grants and scholarships need to be more abundant and
more accessible. Give teachers and parents greater input in creating a broader and deeper curriculum including a richer
selection of electives. Open Court classrooms have been a disaster for both students and teachers.
It virtually prohibits creativity and innovation and restricts the opportunities to go beyond basic
curricular requirements. This program must be eliminated and replaced with a greater humanitas approach
(teaching subjects across the discipline which means, for example, teaching literature while bringing in
relevant history, art, music, etc.) Reduce the numerous and redundant assessment testing to no more than four per year to be administered
only during the last quarter of the academic year (so that the natural flow of instruction will not be
impeded and as frequently interrupted, and that test results truly reflect academic growth during each
current school year). Such testing must be realigned to reflect the actual coursework covered that year
(including review from previous years). Revise the method of funding schools from the State so that there is more discretionary spending.
As it now stands, categorical funds must be spent within certain limited parameters and by unreasonable
deadlines. Schools are often forced to lay out enormous expenditures for items where there is no need at
the time. These schools are forbidden by current rules to spend money at their discretion because such
funding is restricted. Thus, books that are still current, for instance, might have to be replaced by
newer, more expensive ones whose contents are generally the same (this spending is based on the rule of
"spend it now or lose it forever"). The school community should be able to decide how that money should
be expended, such as decreasing class size, hiring more teachers and experienced education aides, adding
more counselors, maintaining a full-time nurse, and so forth. Attract more qualified teachers by offering a competitive salary and benefits. Too many teachers
leave the profession after a year or two when they realize they can earn more in the private sector.
California teachers spend a total of 5 to 6 years becoming fully certified but earn less than those who
can enter non-teaching professions with only 4 years of higher education. Provide healthy balanced dietary selections in our school cafeterias at breakfast, nutrition,
and lunch. Too many students rely on junk food to get them through the day. Such food often leads
to hyperactivity, lack of attention, and behavioral problems. Our schools must include a strong
health curriculum which will teach better eating habits. Students armed with correct information and
encouraged by an attractive and nourishing menu on campus will be healthier students who become
healthier, more productive adults. Create a safer environment
- students must feel secure anywhere on campus; there must be a consistent and enforced policy
against bullying, threats, etc. Schools must pursue
active drug prevention programs which might include drug-sniffing dogs as many school now do.
- the physical plant must also be safe. Classrooms must have space for reasonable movement.
Working air conditioning and heating units must be mandatory. All areas outside the classroom must be free
of any obstructions or impediments that could lead to accidents and injury.
- the streets immediate to the perimeter of the school grounds must be supervised for the safe
flow of pedestrians and vehicle traffic. Appropriate crosswalks, stops signs, and/or stop lights
must be installed to accomplish this goal.
Encourage non-teaching professional and retired educators to "come back" to school to share the richness
of their backgrounds with our students and teachers, both of whom can benefit from such mentoring. Encourage community businesses to "adopt" neighborhood schools to provide what their schools and
students are often lacking. Purchasing playground equipment, computers, and science lab instruments are
but some examples of such purchases. Similarly, local doctors, dentists, and optometrists can be encouraged
to offer pro bono services once or twice a year to disadvantaged children who would otherwise go without.
Preventive care is, after all, good for the children and a blessing, in the long run, to the community.
Through shared accountability and support, we can achieve these goals.
Carole Lutness
Democratic Candidate
38th AD
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