Long-Term Strategy

As I read and reread Leonard's paper, I could not push the headlines concerning CAHSEE from my mind. High numbers of students of color will not graduate this spring. What will be the backlash against the state's public schools as a result? A better question is how do we develop confidence in a progressive agenda for public education without taking a look behind these apparent failures? Finally, where is the righteous indignation? Shouldn't I be concerned to hear conservatives hijacking the civil rights agenda? Before we can decide on strategy, what's the agenda? There is an inexhorable link between the priorities of a progressive agenda on public education and a strategy to galvanize public support for those strategies. As a state, California jumped headlong into the era of accountability - evaluating schools, teachers, and instructional materials with the same broad brush. Is it enough to evaluate school effectiveness in terms of growth on a narrow band of academic content standards? My desire to work in this group stems from my own desire to sort out these priorities. The prospect is both motivating and daunting. The gaps in school achievement among racial and ethnic groups is well documented. They are large and have been persistent; this is well-known and I believe widely accepted. Our task is daunting because I think the planning must include identifying the conditions that help create and perpetuate this gap and then identifying the priorities to create the political will to address and close those gaps. Patricia A. Rucker, Legislative Advocate California Teachers Association

Patricia A. Rucker, Legislative Advocate California Teachers Association