February 6, 2002
Janet Holmgren, Chairperson
Working Group on Governance
Committee to Develop a Master Plan For Education
K-University
1020 N. Street, Room 560
Sacramento, CA 95814
RE: Position of the California Teachers Association
Dear Chairperson Holmgren:
Thank you for your efforts as the Chair of the Governance
Working Group. Thank you also for the acknowledgement that…"No member agrees
with every assertion in the report…" In fact there are some sections of
the report that as a matter of public policy there is great division.
As a member of this work group, and a representative
of the California Teachers Association, I wish to make the following comments.
These comments have been kept at a minimum. The concerns raised are serious
and fundamental. Other issues, which I have not commented upon may still
be a subject of discussion within the California Teachers Association,
and may be commented upon at a later date.
" 1. Accountability to California’s
citizens for the operations of K-12 public education at large, and ultimate
responsibility for the delivery of education to California’s K-12 public
education students in particular, should both reside in the office of the
Governor. The Governor should appoint a Chief State School Officer, to
carry out, on behalf of the Governor, the following functions: establishing
learning expectations, providing an accountability system of measurement
(including specific technical assistance), and apportioning resources,
and to serve as the Director of the Department of Education."
I dissent. The State Superintendent of Public
Instruction is a constitutional office. The Citizens of California have
decided that this suits them well. Additional initiative actions, or other
legislative actives will take valuable resources which would be better
used elsewhere.
"2. The Governor should be accountable for all
K-12 state-level education agencies.
Rationale: Although the Group did not reach
specific conclusions with respect to agencies such as the Commission on
Teacher Credentialing, and although most State agencies are linked to the
Governor by way of gubernatorial appointed members or staff, the Group
determined that state-level alignment should be sure to include all state-level
entities in order to underscore accountability and enable coordination."
I dissent. The general proposition
sounds good, but in specific application it is far more complex. Teachers
like all other true professionals want and deserve an independent standards
entity. This is either done by significantly reforming the current CCTC,
or by starting over and creating an independent standards commission governed
primarily by teacher practitioners selected by teacher practitioners. CTA
believes the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CCTC) should
be an autonomous organization, and not advisory to any other body, and
that CCTC shall be composed of no more than the present number of members
(19) with a majority of classroom teachers with representation from: elementary
teachers; secondary teachers; higher education faculty from teacher preparation
programs; special education; one holder of any permit or credential issued
by the Commission or its predecessor other than the teaching credential
or services credential with a specialization in administrative services;
and, at least one student member.
(The above listed teachers shall
be elected from currently employed credentialed teachers within the state.)
"3. The separate executive director
and staff of the State Board within the Department of Education should
be eliminated."
I dissent. While there could be a
review to see if a reduction of staff is warranted, staff is necessary
for the State Board to perform it’s role.
"Intermediate-level
1. A state-level inquiry, organized
independent of current existing agencies, should examine county offices
and regional entities and their ability to meet current and emerging district,
intermediate, and regional needs, including fiscal oversight, academic
oversight, and management and administrative assistance. After this inquiry
is conducted and reported, the Master Plan should incorporate a corresponding
course of action."
I dissent. This should have been
concluded by the Work Group if it was critical, otherwise it uses valuable
resources which could be best utilized elsewhere.
"2. An examination of collective bargaining
should be undertaken to determine the extent to which bargaining agreements
may constrain the ability of school districts to ensure the provision of
essential non-personnel resources to students. The results of this examination
should be used to determine appropriate strategy to ensure that all districts
set aside sufficient resources to meet state standards before engaging
in bargaining for use of public resources for personnel costs.
"The issue of collective bargaining in general was identified
by the Group as being highly controversial."
I dissent. This appears to be a political
agenda, and if those persons interested in this want to pursue it, then
it ought not to be with valuable and scarce public resources.
California Community Colleges
1. The California Community
College system’s main missions, by level, should be: state level, transfer;
regional and local levels, workforce preparation; and local level, remediation.
I concur in part, however CTA believes
the primary mission of the community colleges includes both academic transfer
and vocational education. The following principles must be included in
the mission of the community colleges: open access and a matriculation
process that assists students to achieve educational goals within institutions
committed to academic excellence; local flexibility to determine institutional
functions and goals based on the needs of the community and its diverse
populations; and, delivery of academic transfer programs and vocational
education.
3. An independent agency should be
identified to collect K-16 data, including cross-segmental and cross-level
data.
I do not concur with this recommendation.
At this time, the State of California cannot afford to create this new
bureaucracy. Existing agencies could be made more independent.
Respectfully submitted,
Billy E. Frye, Middle School Teacher, English/Social
Studies
Long Beach Unified School District
On Behalf of the California Teachers Association
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