EDUCATION Romero looks for solutions

Education is a civil rights issue, she says
By JUAN ESPARZA LOERA / Vida En El Valle
(Published Wednesday, July 23rd, 2008 08:51AM)

By state Sen. Gloria Romero's definition, education -- especially for a growing Latino community that, according to statistics, gets a failing grade -- "is the most important policy issue of our time."

The state Senate Majority Leader, who is planning to run in 2010 for state Superintendent of Schools, outlined her observations about the state of education in the Latino community and heard testimony from educators and community leaders during a public forum last Thursday at the Hugh Burns State Building in Fresno.

She rattled off statistics:

In the district of Assemblymember Juan Arámbula, D-Fresno, 71 percent of the 196 public schools "are segregated." That compares with 37 percent of the schools in the state.

Latino elementary school students in the state are 147 points behind their white counterparts in API test scores.

In some communities, 67 percent of students are identified as English learners.

Forty-two percent of 5 year olds in the state speak a language other than English at home.

"These are critical statistics," said the Los Ángeles Democrat, the ranking Latina in the state Senate. "Not to point fingers or to place blame, but we have to look for the great equalizer."

The forum, which drew a capacity crowd of about 100, was the fourth in a series sponsored by the California Latino Legislative Caucus. A similar forum with a focus on migrant students will be held in October.

Romero, whose mother had a sixth-grade education, has a Ph.D. There is no reason, said Romero, other Latinos cannot do the same.

She identifies the education picture as an "education achievement opportunity gap." The state, she said, spends $5,000 a year less on per pupil spending than the state of New York.

"We've got to have conversations, and action," said Romero. "We cannot accept the status quo."

Dr. Kenneth Magdaleno is a professor and coordinator of the Department of Educational Research and Administration at California State University, Fresno. He presented research showing that Latinos make up almost half of the state's 6.3 million public school students, and that more than half of the Latino students are English learners.

Educators say English learners are more likely to struggle in math and language courses and tend to drop out of school at a higher rate. In Arámbula's district, said Magdaleno, one-third of Latino students will not graduate from high school.

"This affects not only Latinos but all Californians," said Magdaleno.

He listed teacher expectations and attitudes of Latino students as an area of concern.

"They will underteach," said Magdaleno, if they don't understand the potential of the Latino students they teach.

Raúl Moreno, director of University Migrant Services at Fresno State, said more attention must be paid to the country's 635,000 migrant students.

"Sixty-one percent of migrant students in third grade are below grade level in math," said Moreno, who added that Fresno State graduated only three math teachers this year.

Moreno applauded Fresno State's acceptance of a program in 1987 that focused attention and resources on migrant students to get them to go to college and graduate. It has graduated more than 2,000 migrant students. Unfortunately, he said, it remains the only such university program in the country.

Juan Garza, superintendent of the Kings Canyon Unified School District, said educators must expect more from students.

"We believe all students can learn," said Garza.

Nancy J. McKittrick, a former teacher/counselor and school board member in Dinuba, apologized for thinking she was doing a favor for students who had a hard upbringing.

"I would lower my expectations because, maybe I thought, I was doing them a favor," said McKittrick. "I apologize to you."

She said educators must "overcome the obstacles" the students face away from school.

Send e-mail to: jesparza@vidaenelvalle.com