Education in Focus: the Year Ahead

As the representative for northern Watsonville on the Pajaro Valley Unified School District’s (PVUSD) governing board of trustees, I was elected president for the coming year and Jeff Ursino, representing coastal Aptos and Pajaro Dunes, was chosen as vice president. 

As president, I have several goals I will be focusing on in the coming year. My energy won’t solely be on these issues, but they are issues I am the most passionate about.

New funding sources

During my five years as a trustee for PVUSD, it’s no secret that our funding has been decimated. With almost zero cost of living allowances (COLAs), reductions in “guaranteed” Proposition 98 funding and per pupil funding reductions, we are operating on a budget equal to that of 2005. With our operating expenses are increasing while funding for mandated programs decreasing, it’s something of a miracle that we are operating at all. And yet it’s still not over.

The worst part about this situation is we are constantly waiting to hear how much more funding the state will cut. How do we plan to deliver services to students with an unknown budget? We plan for the worst and hope for the best. That’s all we can do. We have had to sweep funds from multiple sources to retain programs, but this has chipped away at programs like class size reduction and forced us to forego needed facilities repair and maintenance while our staff shoulders a greater work load. 

But what if we had a funding source that is 100 percent ours, one the state cannot take away? That would make a huge difference.

Recently, PVUSD completed a community survey to ask about support for a bond to fund our much needed programs and projects. The results were positive and over the next few weeks the district will be talking with parents and the rest of the community to get more reaction to the possibility of placing a bond on the ballot for a vote in June or November. 

Transparency and respect

The PVUSD board and administration work hard to get information out to the school community. We strive toward building and sustaining good working relationships with our employee unions.

I recently wrote a letter asking State Superintendent of Schools Tom Torlekson to consider changing the State of California Teacher, Administrator and Classified staff “weeks of celebration,” which honors them for their commitment as educators, to no longer coincide with pink slip dates. Educators deserve to be celebrated without a cloud of financial crises looming overhead. 

I will continue to encourage a collaborative effort that will allow us to work together in the best interest of our students. Open communication and prompt attention to concerns will allow us to move forward and remain focused on student learning--which is where our focus should be.

English Learners

Our board  passed the English Language Learner Master Plan in 2008 to ensure that all students learn to read and write in English. The plan is being implemented and is not “sitting on a shelf.” Hundreds of hours were poured into developing this excellent program and input was gathered from all stakeholders. This “living” document will continue to change and grow. I will continue to advocate for the plan and monitor its progress.

Equity

Because our district is so diverse in geography and in student need, state and federal funding can sometimes seem inequitable. It will take a lot of work, but I am looking forward to collaborating with trustees and the community to solicit fair funding throughout the district. All students deserve the same support whether they are identified as gifted, socio-economically disadvantaged or somewhere in the middle.

Pajaro Valley high schools also should be a major focus of our board and administration. Aptos High School has been waiting an excruciating 16 years for completion of its campus. Pajaro Valley High School deserves the same facilities as our other comprehensive high schools and I will work to find funding whether through a bond or other sources to move this project forward.

Arts and Music

Art and music seems to be the first to be cut in a budget crunch. Art and music are academic subjects and are proven to be associated with gains in math, reading, writing, cognitive ability etc. This fall I was able to attend two high school band reviews, one in Santa Cruz and one in Pleasanton. Witnessing the amazing talent these students displayed and the dedication of their families, communities and the band directors was simply amazing. Our students deserve the same opportunity. Although rebuilding these programs will be a long, hard road, I have been and will continue to work with the district’s administration and the school community to identify ways to bring full music and art programs back to our district.

These are big goals and I will need the support from from my fellow trustees and the stakeholders in our community to see results, but I am firm believer in dreaming big and working hard. I look forward to a great year ahead!