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The following statements are from professionals who have a vested interest in California’s public education system.  The mere fact that they expressed these views should make the rest of us not only worry, but take steps to make positive changes.

Please take a moment to read the following statements and the articles presented in the "Public Music Education" menu:

• State Budget Cuts May Affect Band
• Music and Brain Power
• No Child Left Behind Act is Leaving Music Education Behind Despite Proven Benefits.

Superintendent Enoch responds to the Governor's proposed budget

“I need to bring to your attention my deep concern about the proposed budget presented by the Governor and the negative impact it will have on the San Juan Unified School District. We face the immediate prospect of staff layoffs, elimination of important student support programs, and a setback to the progress we have been making as a school district. I am asking that you join me in fighting this devastating budget proposal.”

Steven Enoch, Superintendent

San Juan Unified School District

February 6, 2008

REPORT ON THE STATUS OF PUBLIC SCHOOL EDUCATION IN CALIFORNIA, 2004

With Special Emphasis on the Status of Equality in Public School Education - A Survey of a Cross-Section of Classroom Teachers

In California Public Schools

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Between February 12 and March 7, 2004, the Peter Harris Research Group on behalf of Louis Harris conducted a total of 1056 telephone interviews with teachers in California. The margin of error for a survey of 1056 teachers is approximately ±3 percentage points. This follows a similar survey conducted in 2002 by Louis Harris for the Rockefeller Foundation that measured gaps in the basic conditions for learning in schools with high numbers of at-risk students compared to the majority of schools with relatively low numbers of at-risk students.  The 2004 survey asked teachers about a proposal developed by researchers and being considered in Sacramento. Both surveys used a new set of measures that document basic conditions for learning using teachers as de facto reporters. These surveys document the observations of more than 1000 witnesses to California education, as it is actually taking place in the classroom. The results are striking:

1.            Fifty years ago, Brown vs. the Board of Education promised an equal education to all of America’s children. This survey of California’s teachers reveals that this promise is being broken every day: far too many California children are not getting a quality education and African-American and Latino students, in particular, are not given a fair and equal opportunity to learn.

2.            Many California students are not getting a quality education. This poll documents in detail that huge numbers of schools fail to hire and keep qualified teachers, far too many students lack textbooks and other essential materials to use in school or at home, many classrooms are severely overcrowded, and large numbers of schools are infested with rats and cockroaches.

3.            The survey shows for the first time that teachers overwhelmingly support a new proposal to improve public schools by setting budgets based on individual student needs and giving local schools both authority and accountability, not only for student

Prepared for the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation

By LOUIS HARRIS with the Peter Harris Research Group

May 2004, Louis Harris for the Hewlett Foundation

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