CSBA responds to governor’s education reform proposals 

In calling for a special legislative session to resolve disparities between California law and the requirements of the “Race to the Top” portion of the federal stimulus package, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has provided a good opportunity to address important education reforms, said CSBA Executive Director Scott P. Plotkin.

“There is great merit in many of the proposals announced at the governor’s press conference today, and it is vital for the education community to work together with the Legislature and administration to develop effective reforms that address the key issues that impede student achievement,” Plotkin said Aug. 20.

However, he continued, “We feel it is important to develop school reforms not only to meet the requirements for the Race to the Top funds, but more importantly to provide high-quality education to all students throughout California.”

In calling for a special legislative session to resolve disparities between California law and the requirements of the “Race to the Top” portion of the federal stimulus package, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has provided a good opportunity to address important education reforms, said CSBA Executive Director Scott P. Plotkin.

“There is great merit in many of the proposals announced at the governor’s press conference today, and it is vital for the education community to work together with the Legislature and administration to develop effective reforms that address the key issues that impede student achievement,” Plotkin said Aug. 20.

However, he continued, “We feel it is important to develop school reforms not only to meet the requirements for the Race to the Top funds, but more importantly to provide high-quality education to all students throughout California.”

Federal requirements

To be eligible for Race to the Top grants, federal officials have indicated that California must change its law prohibiting the use of student test scores in teacher evaluations, remove a cap on the number of charter schools, and improve how it measures and tracks academic growth by individual students.

Judging teachers by their students’ test scores may have some value, Plotkin said, but “test scores and data alone cannot determine the effectiveness of a teacher and should be used only as part of a broader, multiple-measures approach.”

As for Schwarzenegger’s proposal to lift the state’s cap on the number of charter schools, Plotkin pointed out that California already has some of the most liberal charter school laws in the nation and has never denied a charter school petition because of the cap. In 2008-09, for example, there were no more than 800 charters operating, according to EdSource, a nonpartisan education policy analysis organization—far below the 1,250 charters allowed under the cap then.

Furthermore, the latest EdSource analysis found that California charter schools, on average, do not outperform noncharter schools.

“Lifting the cap is a meaningless reform,” Plotkin said. “Rather than arbitrarily increasing the number of charter schools, we should instead focus on systematic improvements in learning and instruction that can be applied to all schools.”

The governor also called for stronger measures to improve the lowest 5 percent of California schools. It is not clear whether Schwarzenegger intends to use improved data about student growth to identify the lowest 5 percent of schools, nor what interventions he has in mind for them. Race to the Top guidelines thus far propose converting low-performing schools to charters, replacing school staff, or turning the school over to private management—actions that Plotkin said have not proven to be effective, may not address the real obstacles to learning in the school, and arbitrarily prohibit the use of alternative interventions that may be more effective.

Plotkin urged going beyond simply adopting a limited number of preconceived “reforms-in-a-box.”

“With a thorough analysis of effective reform and the understanding that current and future standards cannot be successfully achieved without an adequate school funding system, California can lead the way in innovative education and student achievement,” Plotkin said.