Schools Chief Jack O'Connell Comments
on Passage of Race to the Top Bills
SACRAMENTO — State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell today issued the following statement following passage of SBx5 1, authored by Senate President pro Tempore Darrell Steinberg (D-Sacramento), and SBx5 4, authored by Senator Gloria Romero (D-Los Angeles). Both bills now head to Governor Schwarzenegger's desk. The Governor has said he would sign both bills.
"I am very pleased that the Legislature has approved two important bills that will help change the culture in our lowest-performing schools and set the stage for reform and innovation throughout California's public education system. With the passage of these measures, California has met the necessary threshold to apply and be highly competitive for the federal Race to the Top program. I applaud the leadership of Senator Steinberg and Senator Romero for their work to ensure California is eligible to apply for Race to the Top.
"Now it is critical that we complete work on our state plan that will detail how we will implement our Race to the Top goals. Our Race to the Top application will spell out how we will foster a culture of collaboration, innovation, and continual improvement in our schools in order to close the achievement gap and prepare all students for success in the competitive global economy.
"Nearly 800 local educational agencies already have agreed to partner with the state of California in the Race to the Top work, and support for our application is gaining momentum among business, philanthropic, community, and education organizations. With today's legislative action, the clear articulation of how we will implement our reform goals, and the strong support of such a broad coalition, California will submit a very competitive Race to the Top application."A public draft of Section (A) (1) of California's Race to the Top application is now available at Race to the Top, under "Key Items."
Related Content: Education Reform - Information on how ARRA funds can be used to advance education reforms and support efforts to close achievement gaps. Includes information on LEA and state competitive grants.
Schools Chief Jack O'Connell Responds to
Governor's 2010 State of the State Address
SACRAMENTO — State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell today responded to Governor Schwarzenegger's 2010 State of the State address (Outside Source):
"I was encouraged today to hear Governor Schwarzenegger say in his State of the State address that he plans to protect education funding in his proposed budget for the coming year. I applaud him for making public education a priority, and for recognizing that the future economic well-being of our state is dependent upon a well-educated, highly skilled workforce. Our schools are still dealing with the effects of $17 billion in cuts made in the last budget cycle. Many vital school programs across the state have been cut back or eliminated all together. We cannot afford to backslide further. The key to expanding our economy is education. We need a well-qualified workforce to fill the green technology, biotechnology, and other sector jobs that the governor is promoting to boost our economy.
"I look forward to seeing the details of the Governor's budget when it's released within the next few days, and I hope it's a budget that does in fact protect our schools and our students."