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By Commissioner Hydra Mendoza
San Francisco Board of Education
As we roll into the 21st Century, it has become more and more apparent that education is the key to sustaining our economic, scientific and academic success.
In recent years, many models for improving our education system have emerged from around the country. Chicago, Boston and New York City went to full mayoral control of their school systems while Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa has fought for increased influence over the schools in his city.
Every city has to choose what works best for them. Gavin Newsom and reformers like myself have chosen a different path. By blurring the lines between city government and our school district, we hope to form a collaboration to improve San Francisco’s school district.
We are working more closely then ever with the Mayor’s office to solve the problems that our students face both in and out of the classroom. Since 2003, Mayor Newsom and the City have invested more than $40 million a year of general fund money in the San Francisco Unified School District. This money is from our city’s main budget, in contrast to almost every other school districts in California, which gets their funding solely from the state. In addition to full funding in 2008-09, an additional $40 million will be provided to our schools through voter approved Proposition H for arts, music, sports and librarians as well as learning support services for our students.
Building on this investment, Mayor Newsom, city departments, members of the school board, the labor unions, community based organizations and the administration of the SFUSD spent over a year creating an unprecedented partnership for local schools. Instead of sending unwanted or unneeded dollars to our schools, we strategically identified the needs of the school district and matched those needs up with the resources of the city.
By supporting the priorities of our schools, we get better outcomes because we are all working towards the same goals. As a public school advocate, Mayor’s Education Advisor and now as a member of the school board, I am excited to have a new vehicle and driver for this unprecedented partnership for our local schools.
Right now, we are on the cusp of something very special. This month, the Mayor, the Superintendent and all seven school board members publicly signed a historic written agreement between city government and our school district. This document will codify and formalize the city’s partnership and commitment to our schools as well as affirm the district’s desires to work more closely with city government. We want to be locked into the success of our schools together.
The "Partnership for Achievement" will build on the many partnerships that already exist between the City and School District, such as Wellness Centers, Beacon Centers, After-School for All, the Arts Education Master Plan, and Prop H. In addition, the "Partnership for Achievement" seeks to formalize the collaboration between the City and SFUSD in six strategic areas:
1. Building Community Support and Civic Engagement: A marketing campaign that showcases innovative school programs and the dedicated professionals serving our children.
2. Supporting Teachers and Principals: A menu of targeted resources and benefits to demonstrate San Francisco’s commitment to recruiting and retaining the best educators.
3. Promoting Adequate School Funding: A State and Federal education platform that increases per-pupil funding. By using local funds to expand support and enrichment services, we can enable students to come to school healthy and ready to learn.
4. Increasing Opportunities: An increased investment in early education, after-school programming, collaborative wraparound services, and violence prevention programs.
5. Preparing for the 21st Century: Strategies to prepare students for the modern workforce, such as the development of career pathways in competitive workforce areas.
6. Strengthening Schools as Community Institutions: Alignment of facilities’ planning efforts to develop hubs to share in creating safe neighborhoods and community centers.
(Source: Press Release, SF Mayors office, 2.13.07)
Long story short: every jurisdiction in the country has its approach to improving their schools. The "Partnership for Achievement" is the path that Gavin Newsom has put this city on to jointly improve our schools and ultimately the lives and well being of our future leaders.
I’m confident that we are on to something new and exciting that will yield positive outcomes that will benefit our schools and our city.
The great thing about this website, ActlocallySF.org, is we don’t need the old filters of information to have a dialogue. So let us know what you think of the schools here in San Francisco and our approach to improving them.
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Hydra Mendoza is a long time public school advocate, Mayor Newsom’s Education Advisor and a member of the San Francisco School Board.
Note: Articles are posted for the purpose of generating ideas and honest debate on how San Francisco can live up to its full promise and potential. Posting of an article does not imply an endorsement by the author of Gavin Newsom for Mayor, nor an endorsement by Gavin Newsom for Mayor of the positions set forth in the article.
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