GREAT SCHOOLS FOR A GREAT CITY

By Tom Ammiano

<http://www.ammianoformayor.com>

As a world-class city, San Francisco deserves world-class schools. I will re-write the City's mission statement to produce a partnership between the City and County of San Francisco, its schools, parents, teachers and children. My plan "Great Schools for a Great City" provides a roadmap for working relationships and tackling the challenges that lie ahead.

As mayor, I will set aside $60 million annually to build us the best public education system in the country. We will have 300 new National Board Certified teachers, universal preschool, and $20 million annually for arts, music, sports and librarians. I will build the classrooms, bring in the teachers, and make this nation turn to San Francisco as a model for academic excellence.

Recognizing the Problems.

Mismanagement and fraud under the prior administration of the San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD) jeopardized the quality of education for almost 59,000 students. In response, the current administration cracked down on fraud and waste, terminated staff involved in questionable accounting and made effective changes from within the system. While the current administration rescued our students from the brink, they now face major cuts in funding for educational programs as a result of the state budget crisis. Among those areas most affected:

• Arts and Music Education

• Physical Education and Athletics

• Early Education and Child Care

• Library Books and Services

Finding Unique Solutions.

San Francisco public schools serve a unique multi-ethnic, multi-lingual student population. Our diverse student body requires a careful, tailor-made plan to fulfill their specific educational needs. My plan, "Great Schools for a Great City" proposes targeted goals, including a $60 million set-aside, as follows:

1. $20 million annually to arts, music, sports and librarians.

2. $20 to provide better public education and services, including,

• improved transportation
• expanded health services for children
• upgraded telecommunications and information services
• added support for literacy and dual-language immersion programs
• career and college centers for all high schools

4. 300 new National Board Certified teachers or "Master Teachers."

5. Additional accountability controls for the Controller, the Mayor and the Board of Supervisors to review and comment on expenditure plans developed by the SFUSD and the First Five Commission.

6. A community planning process to develop public recommendations for sources and amounts of new revenue for schools, prioritized cuts to the city budget and prioritized spending.

Great Schools Spell Success.

For 30 years, I have served the public as a teacher, a member of the Board of Education and as President of the School Board. I know that quality preschool and K-12 education improves the likelihood of acceptance to college, earning potential, and future quality of life. Studies also show that when students feel connected to their schools and teachers, they are less likely to engage in sexual activity or violent behavior.

As a result, I successfully fought to save Balboa High School and Newcomer Education Centers, which help newly immigrated Latino and Asian students and their families acclimate to US culture. I also authored the measure to rename Hawthorne Elementary School to Cesar Chavez Elementary School. Finally, I helped build the Tenderloin Community School to serve the thousands of children in the Tenderloin. Today, I am proud that our students are doctors, lawyers, teachers, poet laureates, Pulitzer Prize winners and above all, responsible citizens.

As mayor, I will build world class schools for San Francisco, so all children have the opportunity to realize their dreams. In the future, our students will reach out to their communities, transform this city and touch the world around us. I ask for your support to make this vision a reality. Thank you.