Declining Enrollment

The whining mantra today is "declining enrollment - we need more money" over and over again by teachers and administrators.

A thoughtful analysis should look not just at the kids that elect to attend public schools, but at TOTAL child count in any school district versus total public school enrollment. This data should be available in every district annual demographic study required by CA. This analysis should examin the trend lines, and will often demonstrate there are MORE and More actual children living in a District each year (censu count = impeccable enumeration) but declining public school participation (declining enrollment.)

The point here is simple, more children living in the district should mean more in the public schools. Unless the public schools programs and performance is so reprehensible that parents vote with their wallets and feet to enroll at private schools and distance learning/home schooling.

In the Huntington Beach City School District their own annual demographic study tells us on 63% of total child count age 5 to 14 attend their public schools. And SHOCKING NEWS in this same report tells us they project growing child population count in the District and DECLINING HBCSD public school participation down to only 59% in five years. Yes, over FORTY PERCENT of all children living in HBVSD boundaris will choose NOT to participate in the HBCSD public schools. This is an almost FIFTY PERCENT non-participation rate.

The issue is not declining enrollment. The issue is a public school system that is driving parents and children away every year at an alarming and increasing rate. All the money in the State can't make parents enroll their children in schools and programs they find unpalatable.

We must start looking at TOTAL child population count in school districts at the elementary level compared to public school participation rates as a measure of parent satisfaction. The elementary level is important because school attendance is mandatory and eliminates high school drop out problems.

THX John
John Briscoe
Trustee, Ocean View School Board

State Schools Superintendent O'Connell Shuns Debate Sponsored by Education Alliance!

Today (June 25th) the San Diego North County Times reported that State Schools Superintendent O'Connell has declined to debate Vista Unified School Board President Jim Gibson on the issue of accountability in the school system. We at Education Alliance heard that Mr. O'Connell had issued an editorial in the North County Times responding to an earlier editorial by Mr. Gibson regarding accountability of public school teachers and administrators for poor student performance and test scores.

The Education Alliance offered to sponsor and host a debate on this issue between Mr. Gibson and Mr. O'Connell at a mutually convenient date in Orange County. Mr. Gibson has accepted our invitation. According to the North County Times, Mr. O'Connell's spokesperson Hilary McLean stated that the Superintendent does not have time to debate this issue with Mr. Gibson.

We at the EA certainly hope that Superintendent O'Connell will reconsider and agree to debate Mr. Gibson on this very, very important issue. We remain willing to host this debate at a mutually convenient date.

One correction to the North County Times article: The Education Alliance is not a Republican group. Many members of the group are Republicans (myself included), but the EA is not controlled by the GOP or a part of the CRP. Education and our children's future is too important to be confined to party politics.

If you wish to read the North County Times article it is at www.nctimes.com - then look for the link to the article entitled "State schools chief shuns local debate."


Craig P. Alexander, Esq.
Education Alliance Board Member

Textbook Indoctrination - SB 777 an Update

A few months ago I posted some information on this blog and a letter to download and send asking your legislator (and the Governor) to oppose SB 777. This bill will require all public and many, many private schools in California to use textbooks that compliment the homosexual and transsexual lifestyles. Never mind a parent's sincerely held beliefs that such a lifestyle is immoral, unsafe or even destructive. Never mind that solid studies have concluded that engaging in a homosexual lifestyle exposes someone to a much greater chance of contracting a life threatening or shortening sexually transmitted disease. Under SB 777 no textbook could contain these opposing points of view or even solid scientific facts!

At this time SB 777 has passed the State Senate and is now pending before the Assembly. The bill has also been amended to add a smorgasbord of other education related things having nothing to do with textbooks BUT still including the pro-homosexual indoctrination mandates requirements of the original version of SB 777.

If you oppose this indoctrination in your child's public or private school, now is the time for you to contact your Assembly person AND the Governor and express your opinion.

Craig P. Alexander, Esq.
Member of the Education Alliance Board of Directors

Time for a Change at Orange Unified School District

With the announcement of Phil Martinez's bid for a seat on the Orange Unified School District Board of Trustees so begins our local campaign season. Martinez is the guy who lost the school board election to controversial Trustee Steve Rocco in 2004. Not only did he manage to lose to Rocco the first time around, he also lost a bid for a seat on the Orange City Council last year.

Despite his losing record, his inarticulate comments at the board meeting, and his apparent desire to be elected to anything, I suspect Martinez will win by garnering the "anyone but Rocco" vote unless someone else throws their hat into the ring.

How sad. Is this what we are now reduced to in selecting our school board trustees-the one who will do the least harm?

I propose we open the field to a wider number of candidates by eliminating the requirement that a school board candidate must reside in a designated trustee area. As it stands, candidates for school board must reside in one of seven geographic trustee areas. However, voters throughout the Orange Unified boundaries vote for their favorite candidate in each trustee area. So, if Martinez is the only candidate originating from Trustee Area 6 to oppose Rocco, voters in all the trustee areas will have to choose between the two - even if there are multiple, possibly better qualified potential candidates residing in other trustee areas.

Proponents of the current system argue that the residential requirements ensure that students from all schools throughout the district receive representation. They hypothesize that candidates from the more wealthy areas of Anaheim Hills, Villa Park and East Orange would dominate the prospective field of candidates and, subsequently, schools located outside these areas would not be represented.

To those who fear a hypothetical takeover by a wealthy, power-seeking contingent from the east side of town, I ask (borrowing from Dr. Phil) how's the current system workin' for ya lately?

It's a stretch at best to argue that the West Orange area schools have been effectively represented when one considers Rocco's ridiculous tenure. And before him, it was the erratic Bill Lewis who was more interested in clipping his fingernails during the meetings than engaging in meaningful dialogue on the issues. (This is the same Bill Lewis who was charged with felony child endangerment after allowing his 13-year old daughter to drive them back from school pick-up because he had been drinking that morning. Their car hit a bicycling student in a crosswalk.)

Is this the standard we are striving to maintain?

I would also counter that the Orange Unified School District Board of Trustees is hardly a political stepping stone for higher office. (More like a political death bed.) It is unlikely that any politically ambitious individuals would seek out a school board seat to further a budding political career. After facing union negotiations, budget cuts, program cuts and angry parents, few OUSD trustees have shown an inclination to continue their public career.

And finally, there is the assumption that only candidates from the eastern ends of the district could win. The City of Orange implements a system like what I'm suggesting. Candidates run for an open council seat or seats and the top vote getters are elected. Of the five members of the current council only two are from East Orange. Perhaps I'm overly naive but it's hard to imagine that someone would put themselves through the wringer if they didn't want to help children-all children-in the district.

Our children deserve the best representation we can find. The bigger the pool of candidates, the more choice we have as parents. The benefits greatly outweigh any perceived downside.


Marjan Bavand Dunn,
Orange, California and OUSD Parent

Closing the GATES to High Achievers

Editors Note: The following are comments by Linda Vista Elementary School parent Marjan Bavand Dunn to the Orange Unified School District Trustees at the June 7 Board meeting. We at the Education Alliance find Ms. Dunn's comments well reasoned and wise recommendations to the OUSD board. Unfortunately the OUSD board failed to even seriously consider Ms. Dunn's comments.

I believe in public education; that's why my kids are enrolled in public school. Public education is the great equalizer in our society which allows any child, regardless of economic status, the opportunity to achieve the American Dream. It provides hope.

Right now, the education debate is focused solely on closing the achievement gap between under performing students and those that are proficient. Unfortunately, the pendulum has swung so far in allocating resources to under-performing and English Language Learning students, that other students are being shortchanged.

Specifically in OUSD, the GATE coordinator position has been assigned to the Principal of Panorama Elementary IN ADDITION TO her other duties as principal. The GATE coordinator is also responsible for the Honors and Advanced Placement Courses at all of the middle and high schools.

This comes at a crucial time for high achieving students, since the program is scheduled for a review next year. How is the new administrator expected to implement a pro-active, vibrant program in her spare time? Without any GATE training the learning curve is tremendous.

While it may seem like a necessary financial decision, the move is actually shortsighted. The majority of the school district’s funding comes from student enrollment. Having a strong program for high achievers is good public relations for the district which would attract and retain parents who are considering private school. The wait lists at nationally-ranked Troy High School in Fullerton and our own McPherson Magnet School are a testament to parents’ commitment to educational excellence.

Also, Irvine Unified's foundation exemplifies the financial commitment and investment the community is willing to make for high performing schools. After all, "closing the achievement gap" is hardly a rallying cry that inspires community investment.

Parents who can afford private school are willing to give public schools a chance if they believe their kids will receive the best possible education. In addition, it is the district's responsibility to meet the needs of high achieving students. Without appropriate challenges high achieving students face loss of interest in school, increased drop out rates and behavioral problems.

I am here to urge you to reconsider this shortsighted move and to hire a full-time GATE administrator. With a full-time person in our corner, we will be able to build a program worthy of our high-achieving students. The money will come. We will retain students we are currently losing to private school and attract students whose parents weren't going to consider public school. A full-time coordinator could apply for and receive additional funding through grants.

This is not a management question-this is about leadership. This is our opportunity for a program that will allow Orange Unified to shine and that fosters hope in our public education system.


Marjan Bavand Dunn,
Orange, California and OUSD Parent