Guest Columns
The Three Rs and California's Future
By Steve Baldwin
Many challenges were placed before the California State Legislature in 1997. While the state's tax revenue cup overflowed last year many new spending programs were discussed and debated on the floor of the State Assembly. Most of my Republican colleagues worked hard to insure that California's middle class received some of the benefits of the state's bettering economy through an income tax cut. In my view many of the new programs debated did not fall into the scope of what I believe is our governments constitutionally limited role in our private lives. So instead of spending every penny the taxpayers had paid into the state coffers in 1997 most Republicans believed that a tax cut was not only right but deserved.
Being the people's representative in the 77th Assembly District is a high tribute. I get to listen to people who tell me about the important issues affecting them and then we get to look for solutions. Most of the people who contact my office express grave concerns about the high incidence of crime in their neighborhoods, the quality of their children's education, the high amount of daily government intrusion in their lives and why their paychecks don't seem to go as far as they used to.
All of these issues are important and stirring topics for discussion, but in today's column I would like to tell you about the educational reforms we have helped implement and what I would like to do this year with your help. As your State Assemblyman I was honored to have carried the bulk of charter-school legislation, but unfortuantely they were killed by the Democrats. By increasing the number of Charter Schools we can give more children the opportunity of attending schools where the flexibility of teachers and parents give children the best public education possible.
Charter Schools are one tool toward bettering a child's learning environment another was breaking up the overcrowded classrooms into smaller and more personable classes. My K-3 class-size reduction bill put our money where our mouth is by infusing $771 million solely for the purpose of reducing class sizes from an average of 28.5 students to 20 students. Parents and teachers have told me wonderful stories about school children who are turning in their homework assignments and doing better in class. From Governor Wilson's office to schools across California the proof and praises of a more beneficial teacher-to-student ratio has been overwhelming.
This year I am continuing to work on what has been one of the hardest fought battles of my political career. When I was the Assembly Chairman of the Education Committee in 1996, it became apparent to me that both parents and teachers knew our schools were in big trouble. To fix the problems we would have to work hard and together. Something however was standing in our way and was not ready to change. It was the entrenched bureaucracy that had been dictatorially running California's public school system for decades. Parents and teachers knew their students academic levels could be higher and they knew that young adults were graduating who could not do simple math problems or read an instruction booklet. Something had to be done and the "Status Quo" was trying to block common sense reforms every step of the way.
After listening to parents and teachers who told me the horror-stories of our crumbling education system the decision was made to put everything on the line for California's school children. That is when I authored legislation to create a set of statewide academic standards. This would ensure that every student's public school education could be geared towards a common set of basic knowledge. Mastery of the essential fundamentals of math, reading and writing would become a priority, not an elective. One balanced approach to raising academic levels was also to improve the reading standards so, we set aside $200 million for new reading textbooks that utilize more phonics.
The battle over education standards may not be in the forefront of the media's spotlight but I consider it one of my highest priorities. Currently, the Academic Standards Commission created by my legislation is hard at work rewriting and redefining California's standards for reading, math and science. The "Status Quo" is fighting just as hard on the other side for their "New-New Math"and their whole language reading programs that have reeked destruction on California's school children. These bureaucrats are struggling to keep their long held control over the system and over the minds of our young people.
I will continue to use whatever influence I may have to better California's public schools, but I can't do it alone. Visit my Assembly Website at: http://republican.assembly.ca.gov/members/77 or send your ideas to my District Office, 8419 La Mesa Blvd. Suite B, La Mesa, CA 91941. I need your support and commitment that together we can better prepare our school children for the future.
Steve Baldwin represents the 77th California State Assembly District which includes all of or portions of Chula Vista, El Cajon, La Mesa, Bonita, Spring Valley, Lemon Grove, Paradise Hills and National City.
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