New leadership award named in Alpert’s honor
Published: January 6, 2005
Sen. Dede Alpert accepted the Legislator of the Year award from President David Pollock on Dec. 3 at CSBA’s Annual Education Conference and Trade Show in San Francisco.
In a presentation that left Alpert both surprised and visibly moved, CSBA also announced the creation of the “Dede Alpert Award for Exemplary Legislative Leadership.” The award will be given only in those years when a legislator demonstrates extraordinary leadership on behalf of education and the schoolchildren of California.
“Sen. Alpert has demonstrated a singular commitment to education over the course of her career in public service,” said Scott P. Plotkin, CSBA’s Executive Director. “Her energy and expertise will be sorely missed in the Senate but her legacy is assured in the numerous pieces of landmark legislation she authored and in the many worthy causes she championed while in the Legislature.”
Assembly Member Lynn Daucher was also named CSBA Legislator of the Year for her eagerness to take on difficult education issues such as special education and fiscal accountability for schools. The lawmaker from Brea was a teacher, a school board member in the Brea-Olinda Unified School District in Orange County, Brea City Council member and mayor before being elected to the Assembly in 2000.
Sen. Bruce McPherson from Santa Cruz received the Albert S. Rodda Lifetime Achievement Award. He has played a leading role in shaping education policy in such areas as class-size reduction, updating core curriculum, establishing graduation standards, providing more money for textbooks and passing school bonds. He is widely recognized as a leader in career and technical education issues.