“San Diego’s schools are key to our city’s economy, and our children’s future. I’m not satisfied with the too often glacial pace of what passes for reform today – not while half of our students aren’t proficient in math, and nearly a quarter of our kids aren’t graduating.
“San Diego Unified suffers from systemic problems that demand systemic solutions. The problems facing the district go well beyond personalities and individuals. When we see the same kind of issues year after year, as administrators and board members come and go, it points to the need for structural reform. And I’m absolutely committed to putting the structural reforms in place at San Diego Unified within my first term in office.
“On Day 1 I’ll appoint an Education Liaison to work with city and district officials, plus the business and non-profit communities, to identify opportunities for synergy and leveraging existing resources to help our schools. I’ll also advocate for greater parental involvement in the collective bargaining process by urging the appointment of parents to the district’s negotiating teams as contracts are negotiated or renegotiated.
“I’ll begin working with our city council and other stakeholders to develop a measure to go before the voters to reform the Board of Trustees to increase parental involvement and add additional expertise to the Board.
“Increased financial transparency and oversight are essential to avoid a repeat of the decisions that have led the district to the financial brink. An Independent Financial Oversight Board is critical, and I’ll move aggressively to see it is put in place by the third year of my term.
“We’re not going to bring about serious change to our schools unless city leaders are willing to spend serious political capital to get it done, and that’s what I’m going to do.”
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Preceding provided by Bonnie Dumanis’ mayoral campaign committee