COMMUNITY FOR EXCELLENT PUBLIC SCHOOLS

STATE OF OUR SCHOOLS - from the SM Daily Press

2012-02-02T12:42:00.000-08:00

The seventh annual State of Our Schools community report took place this Monday and Tuesday in Malibu and Santa Monica. Superintendent Lyon along with district school principals addressed a record number of community members and civic leaders providing a comprehensive look at our schools and their successes and challenges. In addition, Superintendent Lyon provided a full report on student achievement, programs, and the latest picture on school funding.

Check out this great article about State of our School from Ashley Archibald ad the Santa Monica Daily Press.

State of Our Schools shows positives, negatives in district

By Ashley Archibald

February 02, 2012

VIRGINIA AVENUE PARK — School officials praised hard-working teachers, dedicated parents and a "unique" relationship with City Hall for the continued success of the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District despite budgetary pressures from the state and other outside forces.

A record number of parents and community notables turned out for the third annual State of Our Schools event, which highlighted improvements in test scores and student preparedness alongside a general uncertainty about the district's financial future.

According to numbers provided by Superintendent Sandra Lyon, overall student achievement in the district continues to outpace the state average, with scores consistently on the rise since 2007.

The district also can boast far higher percentages of students passing the high school exit exams and Advanced Placement tests, which are exams given at the end of college-level courses offered in the local high schools.

Last year, 478 attended four-year universities, and 338 graduating seniors went onto two-year community colleges.

That success comes with the lowest revenue limits the district has seen since the 2005-06 school year, staff reductions, class size increases and promises of more on the way.

"We do more with less," Lyon said. "It's not hyperbole. It's fact."

California lags behind almost every other state in per-pupil spending. The state contributes $8,908 per student compared to the average $11,764 across the rest of the nation.

Devastating cuts from the state level resulting from brutal budgets and a down economy have slashed at core services, ending in growing class sizes and fewer programs.

Local funding sources shielded SMMUSD from the worst of the cuts weathered by other local districts.

Community for Excellent Public Schools, a local group of school advocates, rallied support for a number of successful funding efforts, including parcel taxes that raise $10.7 million annually and Proposition Y, a 2010 ballot measure which will raise at least $5.5 million for the district this year.

Overall, the district receives $32.7 million from local sources, or approximately 29 percent of its funding.

"The relationship between (City Hall) and the district is unheard of in other communities," Lyon said.

More cuts loom on the horizon if Gov. Jerry Brown fails to convince Californians to pass a sales tax increase and income tax hike for those making over $250,000 on the November ballot. The uncertainty makes it difficult, if not impossible, to adequately plan, Lyon said.

"We plan for the future and hope for the best, and everyone knows that hope is not a strategy," she said.

The district is looking at a $5 million deficit for the current year, rising to over $6 million in 2012-13.

If the tax doesn't pass in November, that jumps to $10.7 million.

The Board of Education and administration have made deep cuts at the district office to keep reductions as far from the classrooms as possible, said Board President Ben Allen.

More will be necessary to close the existing deficit, a hard thing to balance when over 80 percent of costs come from staff.

The district faces many challenges other than cash flow moving forward.

Although there's been improvement, the gap in test scores and achievement between students of color and their white and Asian counterparts remains vast.

Schools receiving Title 1 funds from the federal government have been pushed to the brink of "program improvement" requirements, which restrict local controls.

An acrimonious debate over a new fundraising model which aims to end parent-funding of school programs soured relations between residents in the city of Malibu and the district, and a movement to secede from the district was backed by the Malibu City Council.

County officials will provide an update on the progress of that petition at the beginning of March, said Jan Maez, the district's chief financial officer.

ashley@smdp.com

SAVE THE DATE! -- January 30 & 31 State of Our Schools

2012-01-19T18:35:00.000-08:00

SANTA MONICA-MALIBU UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT

PRESS RELEASE

CONTACT: Sarah Wahrenbrock FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

310.450.8338, ext. 70229 19 JAN 2012

SEVENTH ANNUAL STATE OF OUR SCHOOLS EVENT

SMMUSD Teams with PTA, CEPS, and Education Foundation to Present Informational Report

On January 30 and 31, SMMUSD will once again partner with the Santa Monica-Malibu Council of PTAs, Community for Excellent Public Schools (CEPS), and the Santa Monica-Malibu Education Foundation for the Seventh Annual State of Our Schools, a community report on Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District student achievement, initiatives, and financial health.

The State of Our Schools event will take place in Malibu on Monday, January 30 from 6:30-9:00 pm at City Hall (23825 Stuart Ranch Road). On Tuesday, January 31 from 6:30-9:00pm, the State of Our Schools event will take place in the Thelma Terry Building at Virginia Avenue Park in Santa Monica (2200 Virginia Ave.)

This year’s report will feature the very latest news and information in a comprehensive report from Superintendent Sandra Lyon about the ever-changing financial picture for SMMUSD in light of recent budget announcements from Sacramento. Ms. Lyon’s State of Our Schools presentation will also provide a report on student achievement and District initiatives to help students succeed.

In addition, school Principals will report on innovative educational programs and initiatives that help students make successful transitions to their next grade level. At the Malibu event on January 30, all Malibu Principals will present; Phil Cott from Webster, Rebecca Johnson from Point Dume Marine Science, Barry Yates from Joan Cabrillo, and Mark Kelly from Malibu High School. At the Santa Monica event on January 31, Irene Gonzalez-Castillo from McKinley Elementary, Eva Mayoral from John Adams Middle School and Laurel Fretz from Santa Monica High School will make presentations. Ms. Judy Abdo will speak at both events about the SMMUSD preschool programs. Each event will also feature musical entertainment from student performers.

These educational forums are free and open to all members of the public. Spanish translation is available and light refreshments will be served.

“Please join us at one of the State of Our School events next week,” encouraged Sandra Lyon, SMMUSD Superintendent. “Our Santa Monica-Malibu schools pride themselves on excellence and accomplishment – but the District is facing significant challenges. As parents, community leaders, and concerned citizens, I hope you will take this opportunity to hear the very latest information about our schools; the challenges they face and some of the wonderful accomplishments our students make every day. I look forward to seeing you at one of these events.”

“The State of Our Schools event has proven to be a meaningful and important way for parents to learn more about our District,” says Kelly McMahon Pye, President of the Santa Monica-Malibu Council of PTAs. “This year’s program will be especially significant as Superintendent Lyon and members of her administrative team will discuss their plans for our District’s future.”

“In light of the strong and special relationship between our schools and our cities”, says Community for Excellent Public Schools (CEPS) co-chair Shari Davis, “we feel more committed than ever to help facilitate clear user-friendly communication. Our schools are very special places that impact families and residents across our cities. This annual report is a unique opportunity to hear the latest about the successes and challenges of our excellent public schools.”

####

SANTA MONICA-MALIBU UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT

1651 16^TH Street, Santa Monica, CA 90404

ph: 310.450.8338; fax: 310.581.1138

www.smmusd.org

Best Wishes for a Happy New Year from Community for Excellent Public Schools

2012-01-04T13:09:00.000-08:00

With 2011 finished and 2012 starting to wake up, Community for Excellent Public Schools looks ahead to another critical year for public schools advocacy.

Local and statewide education advocates took a wild roller coaster ride in 2011, facing the prospect of deep cuts and 11th hour reprieves to education funding on a regular basis. We saw headlines like State faces midyear cuts, more budget strife ahead, and Schools Had to Make Do With Less.

Due to SMMUSD's excellent financial planning and critically needed local revenues, our local schools were able to weather State funding reductions this year and look poised to do the same in 2012 without significant cuts. However, the future could not be more uncertain for public education, both locally and statewide.

For that reason CEPS knows that the elections in November 2012 could be among the most important in recent memory. We have been working hard to put the structure in place to help inform voters about issues and candidates as they relate to public schools.

Early 2011 saw CEPS leadership providing input to Santa Monica City and Santa Monica Malibu Unified School District on the mechanics of implementing the recently passed City Propositions Y + YY. These propositions, passed by 61% and 68% of Santa Monica voters on November 2, 2010, implemented a .5% transaction and use tax within Santa Monica and then indicated voters’ desire that half of the new revenues generated by Proposition Y be directed to local SMMUSD schools. CEPS leadership had been very involved in the Yes on Y + YY campaign and were thrilled by its passage and subsequent implementation.

In June, CEPS welcomed back its former Chair Shari Davis as Co-chair. Shari had taken a temporary leave from CEPS leadership to serve a distinguished term as President of the Santa Monica Malibu Council of PTAs. CEPS was happy to loan Shari to PTA for a short time, and is even more pleased to welcome her back.

As the school year started, CEPS partnered with SMMUSD’s new Superintendent Sandra Lyon and PTA to plan the 7^th annual State of Our Schools event. This year, new sponsoring partner, the Santa Monica Malibu Education Foundation joined the planning team. The events will take place this month! January 30^th in Malibu and January 31^st in Santa Monica. Click here for details.

CEPS Co-chair Shari Davis addresses Santa Monica advocates
at the one-year birthday party for Propositions Y + YY

In November, CEPS celebrated the one-year anniversary of the passage of Propositions Y + YY in a wonderful event hosted by the Santa Monica Miramar. The focus of this event was to celebrate and reinforce the importance of City-School partnerships, particularly as so many of the cultural and financial objectives of both institutions intersect.

CEPS has had a busy 2011 and expects an even busier 2012. We thank you for your for your support and involvement, and hopes to see more of you in 2012 as we work together to preserve and protect our excellent local public school.

Please visit us at www.excellentpublicschools.org to become a member of CEPS and make a contribution to help keep Excellent Public Schools a priority in Santa Monica and Malibu.

Happy Holidays for SMMUSD?

2011-12-23T11:12:00.000-08:00

Community for Excellent Public Schools wishes all of our friends and members very happy holidays.

And thanks to California's December 15th budget announcement along with SMMUSD's careful fiscal management, this holiday season appears less dire than had been anticipated for our local public schools. (Take a look at Ashley Archibald's comprehensive article below.)

Schools tighten belts, but not too tight

Cuts to K-12 less severe than anticipated

By ASHLEY ARCHIBALD

December 16, 2011

CITYWIDE — The scalpel of state budget cuts continues to slice away at school districts in Santa Monica, but prior planning will shield both K-12 and community college students from the worst, officials say.

Gov. Jerry Brown announced in a press conference Tuesday that state coffers were short approximately $2.2 billion in anticipated revenues, triggering $102 million in cuts to the community college system and $79.6 million to primary and secondary education.

"That's where we are today," Brown said. "Cuts to university, in home supportive services, schools and prosecution are not good. This is not the way we'd like to run California. But we have to live within our means."

The cuts were built into the budget, and would only be "triggered" if approximately $4 billion in hoped-for revenue failed to appear.

The triggers came in two tiers — higher education and other social services would be cut first, and, if less than half of the expected money came in, K-12 education would feel the knife.

While higher education will feel the full brunt of the loss, K-12 will only lose $79.6 million of the $1.5 billion it faced, said Ana Matosantos, director of the state department of finance.

The cut could equate to half of the transportation budget and approximately $13 dollars per student in state funding, said Jan Maez, the chief financial officer of the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District.

That's fabulous, considering that it could have been 20 times that amount if the state hadn't realized any of its projected revenue.

"Months ago, we heard it would be $181, and we thought that was good news," Maez said. "This is even better news."

The district set aside money to cover potential losses in January, so students will not see any change in services this year, Maez said.

Subsequent years, however, remain a mystery.

Unlike K-12 education, the state college and community college systems and other social welfare programs were promised a $601 million reduction if the state fell short by $2 billion.

Santa Monica College officials put aside $1.24 million from its $12.6 million reserves to help weather the cuts, said spokesman Bruce Smith.

"We have a strong reserve, and thank goodness because with all of the cuts year after year after year, it's been difficult," Smith said.

The newest round of reductions brings cuts in the 2011-12 school year to $502 million for the community college system alone, said Paige Marlatt Dorr, spokesperson for the California Community College Chancellor's Office.

In an attempt to offset some of those losses, state officials imposed a $10 increase per unit on community college students earlier in the year. The newest triggers will mean another $10 increase, raising the per unit cost from $26 to $46.

"That's a 77 percent increase in fees in less than a year," Marlatt Dorr said. "We serve some of the most vulnerable and needy students in the state. We are still the lowest, but for many of our students who are working two jobs, they're barely making it paycheck to paycheck."

The new revenue won't appear until fall 2012, however, and some community colleges will still have to cut class offerings and, in some cases, personnel.

That's not the situation at SMC because of careful money management and a higher population of out-of-state and international students that pay higher fees than California students, Smith said.

"We have actually hired some new tenure track faculty," Smith said. "At the same time, don't get me wrong, this isn't good news."

And the bad news could keep coming.

In his speech, Brown promised another round of cuts if Californians vote down a tax measure meant to raise $7 billion, which will appear on the November 2012 ballot.

"Trigger cuts are a process of fiscal discipline. Going forward, we'll have an opportunity in November to vote in the revenue, almost $7 billion, or not," Brown said. "If they do, taxes will be extended for the next few years. If they don't, we'll see even bigger cuts."

STATE OF OUR SCHOOLS! Save the Date

2011-12-12T18:05:00.000-08:00

Shortening the School Year -- What, Again!?

2011-12-04T17:23:00.000-08:00

At the very time when we should be looking to increase learning opportunities for our children, some in Sacramento are talking about the possibility of shortening the school year. With our schools squarely in the crosshairs of potential further cuts to state-funded programs, cutting the number of schools days – always a big revenue saver for the state – is being seen as way to help fill a possible budget shortfall. While the politics around the proposal are not yet clear, Governor Brown signed legislation earlier this year that gave districts the option of shortening their school year to 168 days, should tax revenues fall short of the hoped-for level of $2 billion.

It would make our state 48^th out of the 50 states when it comes to the number of days children are given the chance to be in school, and it would put us even further behind the nations we’re trying to compete with globally, some of which have instructional calendars of 220 days.

Some districts in the state have already shortened their school year to the state minimum of 175 days. To them, it’s hardly a choice at all, given the fiscal realities they confront. And, if cutting school days is a choice that’s not really a choice, what’s emerging as the real decision in strapped districts is whether to choose quantity or quality.

"As terrible as it might be, I would advocate for a shorter year with a quality school program rather than a longer year and a decimated program…" one district superintendent said in Sacramento recently.

Just this 2011 - 2012 school year, our local schools were able to restore five days to the district calendar that had been cut in each of the previous two years in response to severe State budget cuts. Local educators and parents were thrilled to be able to return to a full 180 day school year. However, shortly after school started in September, new discussions commenced that could result in additional days cut from future school calendars.

If education were truly the priority that it should be, this either-or situation would be recognized for what it is: forcing school districts into a false choice between giving children the time they need in school on one hand and affording them high-quality programs on the other. Our children need and deserve both.

California State PTA supports this important school funding initiative

2011-11-30T17:44:00.000-08:00

Legislative Alert
November 30, 2011

..PTA-supported school funding
initiative launches..

To view a press release announcing today’s filing of the initiative, click here.
Today in Sacramento, The Our Children, Our Future: Local Schools and Early Education Investment Act was submitted to the Attorney General for title and summary for the November 6, 2012 ballot.

California State PTA supports this bold initiative, which will provide approximately $1,300 per student in new funds each year that must be spent directly at school sites with local parent and educator input.
In particular, the funding must be used by schools to provide a well-rounded education that supports college and career readiness for every student, including a high-quality curriculum that includes the arts; music; physical education; science, technology, engineering and math (STEM); and vocational and technical education courses. It can also be used for smaller class sizes, school libraries and librarians, school nurses and counselors.

“The Our Children, Our Future Act focuses, first and foremost, on restoring essential education programs that have been cut,” said California State PTA President Carol Kocivar. “We have heard, loud and clear, from you, our members, that school budgets have been cut too deeply. We’re calling on everyone who cares about the future of our children and our state to get behind this vital measure.”

The initiative will raise approximately $10 billion a year in new revenue through a sliding scale income tax increase that varies with taxpayers’ ability to pay, with the highest income earners contributing the most. Of the money raised, 85 percent will be allocated on a per-pupil basis to all local public schools, including charter schools, and 15 percent will be used to raise standards and expand access to public preschool and early childhood programs to help prepare children to succeed when they reach kindergarten. The Governor and the Legislature are prohibited from using the money or directing how it may be spent.

Several other ballot measure ideas are floating around for consideration in 2012, but PTA strongly supports The Our Children, Our Future Act because it will generate the substantial amount of new revenues that our students and schools desperately need. It also proposes important reforms that ensure transparency and accountability, as well as greater parent engagement, by ensuring parents at each school have a real say in how the funds will be spent. The initiative also focuses on closing the achievement gap by providing additional per-student resources to support low-income children and English language learners, and greater access to early childhood education and preschool programs, which are proven to increase school readiness and help to close the gap.

The Our Children, Our Future: Local Schools and Early Education Investment Act is sponsored by the Advancement Project, a national civil rights organization. It has the financial support of Molly Munger, founding co-director of the Advancement Project and a former federal prosecutor and business litigator who left her corporate life to become one of the state’s most passionate and effective advocates for communities and schools in need.

California State PTA had a role in crafting the final ballot measure language, and we plan to actively engage in the broad, grass-roots effort to qualify and pass this measure.

In the coming weeks we will continue providing information about this important initiative and how you can get involved to help.
More information, including the full text of the initiative, can be found at:www.OurChildrenOurFuture2012.com.

To view a press release announcing today’s filing of the initiative, click here.

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SMMUSD Districtwide Fundraising vote tonight

2011-11-29T06:19:00.000-08:00

Santa Monica Malibu Unified School District has been grappling with the issue of equitable private fundraising for local schools for years, and will likely continue to grapple with it for some time to come. The issue of Districtwide Fundraising, the process of centralizing contributions to pay for specific services, in SMMUSD's case personnel and programs, comes to a head tonight at a special Board of Education meeting at 6pm, which has been moved to the auditorium at Lincoln Middle School, 1501 California Avenue. Superintendent Sandra Lyon stated in a notification about the meeting sent out last week to parents and community members, "Please note that the meeting will be held at Lincoln Middle School, which is a larger venue than the district office, to accommodate members of the public who wish to observe and/or make public comments during the meeting".

The issue has attracted a lot of attention. This Sunday it was featured in a Los Angeles Times editorial titled Public Schools, Private Donations. The Santa Monica Daily Press has provided thoughtful coverage, include this recent article. Frank Gruber offers his opinion in the Lookout News. And the story even went national, going a little viral after first hitting Slate Magazine earlier this month.

On November 7th, Community for Excellent Public Schools' Steering Committee unanimously approved the following statement, "Community for Excellent Public Schools (CEPS) supports the proposed revision of SMMUSD Board Policy 3290 concerning Acceptance of Gifts, with the added recommendation that the policy also include a well-defined Memorandum of Understanding between SMMUSD and the Santa Monica-Malibu Education Foundation to address governance, accountability and transparency.

The CEPS Steering Committee discussed this issue thoroughly and voted unanimously to approve this position."

CEPS encourages anyone with an interest in our local schools to learn more about this issue, and to participate in the process. Make your voice heard at tonight's board meeting. You can see the Superintendent's presentation on Districtwide Fundraising or view the proposed policy on the district website.

A Decade of Community for Excellent Public Schools Advocacy

2011-11-07T15:28:00.000-08:00

Celebrate a Year of Advocacy and Partnership

2011-10-31T15:51:00.000-07:00

HAPPY BIRTHDAY Y + YY

2011-10-31T15:41:00.000-07:00

A Decade of Advocacy and Bold Partnerships Help Strengthen City and Schools

November 2, 2011 marks the one-year anniversary of the passage of the groundbreaking Santa Monica Propositions Y + YY. It also provides the opportunity to recognize and honor the unique partnership that these measures represent between the Santa Monica Malibu Unified School District and the City of Santa Monica.

Community for Excellent Public Schools (CEPS), a Santa Monica-based, all-volunteer, grass-roots political action committee, has advocated for local funding for local public schools for over a decade. Since the beginning, CEPS has bridged political divides, bringing together advocates from divergent groups and philosophies, all committed to protecting local public schools.

In California, public schools rely on the State for most of their funding, yet for the past decade, Sacramento has been the source of deep and relentless cuts, both to our local public schools and to schools up and down the state. In addition, early childhood education, community and Cal State colleges, and even our incredible UC system have all sustained devastating cuts. Public education’s outlook in our once-Golden State is dire.

Nearly a decade ago, CEPS argued that strong local public schools provide tangible and demonstrable financial benefits to their cities and that inadequate funding from the State was not acceptable. We called for “long-term, predictable, ongoing support from the City of Santa Monica for its local public schools”.

In 2003, CEPS proposed a measure to amend the Charter of the City of Santa Monica to provide ongoing direct contributions from the City to SMMUSD schools. After CEPS collected the 15,000 signatures to qualify that measure for the ballot, the City and SMMUSD crafted a direct Master Facilities Use Agreement, which is still in effect and requires renewal in early 2012.

Taking CEPS’s advocacy to a statewide level, in 2005, CEPS strategically partnered with California’s State PTA to organize “Caravan for Kids”, comprising rallies and press conferences across the state, and culminating in a large rally on the Capitol steps in Sacramento.

Education funding crises have pummeled public schools continually for the past decade but time and again our community pulled together to respond. CEPS and many community groups joined forces to work on multiple measures to provide local funding directly to classrooms. A coalition of committed volunteers from multiple groups, including CEPS, PTAs, Santa Monicans for Renters Rights, the Chamber of Commerce, teachers, school staff, administrators, City leaders and many more worked extraordinarily hard on the campaigns. Voters, most of whom did not have school-aged children, demonstrated their commitment to strong public schools by passing these measures and voting to tax themselves to fill funding gaps caused by State cuts.

In 2010, in the middle of one of the worst recessions in recent history, the City of Santa Monica’s City Manager, Rod Gould, proposed a new municipal tax, to shore up funding for local services and public schools. The City Council voted to put it on the ballot, along with a companion advisory measure to describe the sharing of the funds. A diverse coalition, drawing on the strength of the education community, again coalesced to successfully campaign for the two unique ballot measures.

CEPS is deeply appreciative of Mr. Gould’s and the City Council’s commitment to the importance of partnership between the City and the Schools. We believe that these two unprecedented municipal policies, Y and YY, were the right message for the right community at the right time, and that a decade of advocacy to help protect strong public schools contributed to the success of these propositions.

On the one-year anniversary of these groundbreaking measures and partnership, we pause to look back and reflect on how far we have come as a community and say a huge THANK YOU to everyone who worked so hard to make these accomplishments possible. And because so much work is left to do, CEPS is also driven to look forward.

As cuts continue to come from Sacramento, CEPS will continue its #1 job; advocating to preserve and protect the quality of our local public schools. In addition, we will continue to advocate in local and state elections to help elect representatives who are aware of and ready to take on the challenges to ensure high quality public education. And CEPS will become more involved at the State level, since, after all, Sacramento is the place where funding and policy decisions live and die.

Moreover, on this anniversary celebrating the passage of Y and YY, CEPS is excited by the myriad opportunities developing in the wake of the strengthening partnership between our community and our schools. Santa Monica’s Buy Local campaign is building a strong working relationship between our education and business communities, and the emerging work of the Santa Monica Youth Resource Team brings schools and the community together to provide a continuum of services, outreach, and opportunities to children throughout our community, from cradle to career.

At its core, education advocacy – for CEPS, for our community leaders, and for every individual – boils down to providing each child the very best opportunity possible to learn. We are so proud and grateful that our great community is committed to the education of all of its children. Through true partnership, we all grow stronger.

Happy Birthday Y + YY. Many happy returns of the day!

Yours for Excellent Public Schools,

Shari Davis & Rebecca Kennerly

Co-chairs, Community for Excellent Public Schools

On behalf of the CEPS Steering Committee

learn more or contribute at www.excellentpublicschools.org

The Start of a New School Year – and Other New Beginnings

2011-09-09T08:31:00.000-07:00

For as long as anyone at CEPS can remember, September has meant the beginning of a new school year with its fresh faces and hopes for the future. The beginning of this school year brought with it many firsts. No only did we welcome Superintendent Sandy Lyon to Santa Monica-Malibu and Laurel Fretz as Principal of Santa Monica High School, but we also saw the first August start to a school year – possibly ever.

The start of this 2011 – 2012 school also brings with it another notable milestone, the beginning of Community for Excellent Public Schools second decade.

CEPS helped organize Caravan for Kids, a statewide rally
protesting State budget cuts.

Big birthdays are times for more than celebration. They are times for reflection, assessment and priority-setting. CEPS is proud of its accomplishments, which can be appreciated in detail here.

CEPS was founded a decade ago in response to what was assumed to be a temporary funding shortfall caused by State budget cuts. Little did we know that those early cuts were simply the opening volley in what would become an unending siege against public education in the State of California. CEPS had hoped and assumed over the years that with just one more effort to plug the dike, the crisis in our local public schools would be stabilized. Yet, after each miraculous victory, the State came back with bigger and more painful cuts. The result, however, of CEPS effort has been significant help in preserving and protecting Santa Monica-Malibu schools, which consistently perform better than state and country schools.

Now, after ten years of effort, CEPS has taken time this past summer to assess and look forward. At the end of July CEPS published a survey asking the community its views about CEPS work, as well as to share their own priorities about public education issues. On August 17^th, the CEPS Steering Committee met with its members and community leaders to discuss preliminary findings of this survey and to discuss areas of focus for CEPS to prioritize in the future.

This effort will continue into the fall when we hope to announce our findings at a community event on November 2^nd. This event will celebrate the one year anniversary of the passage of Santa Monica Propositions Y + YY, and the powerful partnership between our SMMUSD cities and schools. Look for event details coming soon.

PLEASE TAKE CEPS SURVEY TODAY
There is something you can do now to help CEPS look forward. Please take a moment, if you haven’t done so already, to fill out the CEPS survey. Your views and opinions are important to us and will help us advocate more effectively to help protect the integrity of public education. And please send this survey to your friends and ask them to help us plan for the future.

Finally, if you would like to do more, we would love for you to join us as a member. In this difficult political climate, financial contributions provide critical resources that will allow us to contact and educate voters.

We look forward to hearing from you!

CEPS Co-chairs

Shari Davis & Rebecca Kennerly

info@excellentpublicschools.org

CEPS In the News

2011-08-09T06:44:00.000-07:00

Please share your thoughts about public education in the CEPS Survey

PHOTOS BY DAVID HUME KENNERLY, COURTESY OF CEPS

From the statewide event, "Caravan for Kids" in 2005. Created by then-CEPS Executive Board members Rochelle Fanali and Denny Zane and organized by CEPS Steering Committee members, the two-day rally was organized by CEP in partnership with California State PTA, to provide training and facilitation for parent and student groups throughout California.

NEWS, SANTA MONICA, SCHOOL, EDUCATION, SANTA MONICA-MALIBU SCHOOL DISTRICT (SMMUSD)

Local School Advocates Celebrate Years of Work

POSTED AUG. 8, 2011, 7:37:00 AM

HANNAH HEINEMAN / MIRROR CONTRIBUTOR

The Community For Excellent Public Schools (CEPS) has become a key player in K-12 public education in both Santa Monica and Malibu.

Although the roots for the organization were laid in early 1999, the group started meeting regularly in 2001 to discuss and strategize about assisting the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District with communication and seeking revenue sources. CEPS officially became a non-profit volunteer political action committee in 2003 when its members helped the school district solve the financial crisis it was facing at that time.

Some of their goals include promoting a shared community vision for excellence in local public schools, evaluating and pursuing a range of short- and long-term funding measures through state, City, and school district policies and elections, identifying and supporting issues that would support education and public schools, and promoting accountability for high quality public education by public institutions and public officials.

“CEPS has been able to cultivate a culture in our community that makes education a priority in the whole community,” noted Shari Davis, CEPS co-chair. “We are so proud that we have been able to advocate successfully for funding for our school district that now totals $24 million per year from local sources.”

Some of these local sources are a parcel tax with a cost of living adjustment and the Master Facilities Use Agreement between the school district and the city of Santa Monica that began in the 2004 – 2005 academic year. Most recently, CEPS helped with the campaign for Propositions Y and YY that were approved by voters in November 2010. Proposition Y was a half cent City of Santa Monica transaction and use tax and Proposition YY was a companion measure that advises that half the funds generated by Proposition Y can be given to the school district. The school board approved the terms of the agreement in June 2011.

“The proposal of putting Y and YY on the ballot shows how far we’ve come,” Davis pointed out.

Another milestone, according to Davis, was the CEPS participation in the 2005 Caravan for Kids, which included eight press conferences in California’s major media markets and a 2,000-person rally for “Making California Great Again” on the steps of the State Capitol.

“The Caravan for Kids was a real moment for us to do statewide advocacy and partner with the California State PTA,” explained Davis.

Yet another achievement for CEPS was the initiation of the State of Our Schools event in 2006, which was created and organized by CEPS to highlight the achievements of both Santa Monica High School and Malibu High School with presentations in both cities.

In honor of its 10-year anniversary, CEPS is asking community leaders, education advocates, and residents in Santa Monica and Malibu to express their thoughts and concerns about public education through a survey posted on their blog at excellentpublicschools.blogspot.com

Please share your thoughts about public education in the CEPS Survey

Take the CEPS Survey

2011-07-10T16:06:00.000-07:00

Please share your thoughts about public education in the CEPS Survey

Dear Public Education Supporter,

At the end of this very tumultuous school year, Community for Excellent Public Schools (CEPS) would like to thank you for working with us to keep the protection of public education a top community priority. In addition, we would like to share some important news with you.

California’s historic on-time State Budget passage in June left the future of public education funding filled with uncertainty. With deep cuts to early childhood and post-secondary education, this budget funded K-12 public schools at the same level as the 2010 – 2011 school year, but ONLY IF $4 billion of revenue increases materialize. If not, pre-set “triggers” will be activated, potentially prompting mid-year cuts to public education of up to $1.9 billion statewide, leaving SMMUSD with about $3,600,000 less in State funding for 2011-2012. As a result, SMMUSD would be forced to dig deeply into its reserves, leaving the outlook for the 2012-13 school year bleak once more.

As we look back over the last year and beyond, we realize how far we’ve come since our inception over a decade ago. Education advocates have worked hard to inform voters about our excellent public schools and to help shine a light on the critical inadequacy of State funding for education.

A SAMPLING OF CEPS' EFFORTS:

In partnership with a broad coalition of community members, CEPS helped pass City of Santa Monica Propositions Y + YY in November 2010, and actively monitored the process by which the City of Santa Monica worked with SMMUSD to craft the new joint use agreement that provides the transfer of revenues to the School District. CEPS Steering Committee Members Shari Davis and Tom Larmore co-chaired the Yes on Y + YY campaign committee, with many more CEPS members working on the committee to pass the measure.

Result: $5.7 million per year will be generated for our local schools ($1 million already designated for 2010-11 school year)

CEPS helped pass Measure R in February 2008.

Result: $11 million per year generated for our local schools, with senior homeowners exempted

CEPS has worked with civic leaders to reinforce the value of maintaining high quality schools and to build toward renewal of the Master Facilities Use Agreement initiated by CEPS in 2004.

Result: $8 million per year generated with

renewal expected in 2012.

In addition, this school year, CEPS actively participated in the 2010 candidate elections, holding candidate forums and community outreach efforts that informed voters about candidates’ views and record on education issues. CEPS also partnered with SMMUSD to inform the public about the District’s accomplishments and challenges in the fourth annual “State of Our Schools” Event.

We are proud to announce the return of Shari Davis as Co-Chair of CEPS. She returns to lead CEPS after an extremely successful and productive two-year term as President of Santa Monica Malibu Council of PTAs.

With the State of California stuck in a daunting and seemingly endless budget crisis, there is no question that education funding is at risk and will remain so for the foreseeable future.

The only true certainty in California’s very unstable public education picture is that our advocacy is needed now more than ever. CEPS is committed to continuing our work at the local and state levels.

To help us focus our advocacy on issues that matter most to you, please take a moment to let us know your thoughts! PLEASE COMPLETE THIS BRIEF SURVEY. It will take five minutes or less and will give us important feedback that will help us set our priorities for the coming year.

Finally, if you haven’t already done so, please renew your membership and consider making an additional financial contribution to CEPS. Your support makes it possible for Community for Excellent Public Schools to continue its critical advocacy in support of Santa Monica and Malibu’s local public schools.

Thank you for making education a priority in your life and striving toward Excellent Public Schools for all children!

Sincerely,

Shari Davis & Rebecca Soladay Kennerly

Co-Chairs, Community for Excellent Public Schools

Keep up on local education issues on the CEPS blog

Look for CEPS and "like" us on Facebook

No Budget, No Election, No Future for California's Schools

2011-04-19T09:33:00.000-07:00

Join Teachers, Parents and Students for a

Friday the 13th Rally for a Real Solution

California's Budget News Hit Hard Locally

2011-03-31T13:53:00.000-07:00

Santa Monica' incredible resource, the Lifelong Learning Community, has helped inform us about events and issues that impact everyone in our community for many years. SMLLC is written and edited by the incredible Louise Jaffe, Member of the Santa Monica College Board of Trustees and former CEPS co-Chair, who has graciously allowed this repost.

Lifelong Learning Community News - APRIL 2011

For months now, I’ve been writing, or avoiding writing, about the state budget and related local consequences. Yesterday, Governor Brown announced that negotiations with Republican legislators to hold a special June election have collapsed. This means there will be no opportunity for voters to consider extending existing taxes in a June election.

Democrats in the Legislature have already approved $12.4 billion in cuts. These include deep cuts to preschool and childcare, and reductions in health and human services that will impact people with disabilities, mental health needs, the blind, seniors, low income families, community organizations, providers and workers who provide supports and services. On top of these cuts, the UC and CSU systems lose $1 billion and the community college system loses $290 million - - this translates into course sections cut and less or no access for students pursuing a college education. Community college student fees will rise from $26 to $36 per unit.

These cuts are staggering and will absolutely impact Californians, especially children, older adults, those who are disabled, the poor, and college students. Yet this is just the beginning. Another $12 billion in cuts now haunts all plans for the immediate future...

Governor Brown and Democratic legislators are now on their own to try to figure out how to increase revenues to avoid an all-cuts scenario. We the voters, for the moment at least, are largely sitting on the sidelines, waiting to see what comes down and what we can vote on. Those of us responsible for running or governing state-funded agencies – this includes the school board, the college board (I am a trustee at SMC), many non-profits (most non-profits that serve the elderly, the disabled, and the poor rely heavily on state funding) are caught in the middle, trying to make plans for various terrible but as yet not fully known contingencies. It is really a mess and really not good news for lifelong learning in California.

Last week, SMC President/Superintendent Chui Tsang held a town hall forum on the budget. You can read about how the budget crisis is impacting SMC at http://surfsantamonica.com/ssm_site/the_lookout/news/News-2011/March-2011/03_30_2011_Lean_Times_Ahead_for_SMC_President_Tsang_Warns.html

The city of Santa Monica is more protected from state cuts and more fiscally independent than the school district and the college district. However, Santa Monica has a robust redevelopment agency with hundreds of millions of dollars worth of future projects on the line. As of this writing, redevelopment has not been eliminated and Santa Monica has moved to protect some funding such as that for the new Virginia Avenue Park library. To read about the City’s efforts to protect redevelopment funds, please go to
http://www.smdp.com/Articles-c-2011-03-14-71477.113116-City-secures-loan-to-fund-redevelopment-projects.html

Anyhow, please follow the state budget situation. It absolutely impacts us and our local primary education institutions and social service agencies.

I retain a smidgeon of hopefulness because after a recent parcel tax for our schools failed to pass, (I’ve already forgotten the letter), Santa Monicans voted in Y and YY. The lesson I take from this is that there is always another opportunity to move forward, as long as we remain diligent and ready to seize the day!

Thoughts about Election Results and the future of Santa Monica Malibu Schools

2010-11-04T16:29:00.000-07:00

Whew! What a ride. I’ve been trying to recover with little success, but here goes...

Tuesday night Propositions Y + YY sailed to victory under the skillful leadership of campaign chairs Shari Davis and Tom Larmore along with guidance by stupendous campaign consultant Barbara Grover! When the numbers came it, the sheer size of the victory seemed inevitable, but for those of you who were in the trenches, I’m sure you shared with me a sense of dread. I never knew whether these measures would pass and even now can’t believe they have!

Now, our work as Community for Excellent Public Schools continues. As the organization that originated of the measure that became the current Joint Use Agreement, and stalwart proponents of school/city partnerships, the actual process of allocation of these funds and a renegotiation of the current Joint Use agreement must be very high on our list of priorities. Continued vigilance from CEPS and the education community around the schools/city partnership must remain firmly in our sights.

Tuesday held so many important races for our community, our schools and our state. In the national sea of red, it was a rare great night to be a Californian.

Welcome to our two new SMMUSD Board of Education members, our own CEPS Steering Committee member, Nimish Patel and Laurie Lieberman! Both are tremendous leaders and will bring valuable new insight to the Board. While we are sad to see Barry Snell and Kelly Pye exit the Board of Education, we hope and expect to see them at the CEPS table even more in the months and years to come! And of course, congratulations to re-elected incumbents Oscar de la Torre and Ralph Mechur! We hope to continue seeing you around the table as well.

Congratulations to re-elected City Council members Gleam Davis, Terry O’Day, Pam O’Connor, and Kevin McKeown. All are stalwart education supporters and we look forward to working with you for many years to come!

And the race for the final four-year Santa Monica City Council seat remains too close to call. Both CEPS Steering Committee member, Ted Winterer and Bob Holbrook were endorsed by CEPS and would be terrific on the Council. Too bad there aren’t enough seats for both! Like Ted and Bob, I will hold my breath until the results are final. However it turns out, though, CEPS is excited about the prospects of working with both Ted and Bob on education and city issues — on the Council, around the CEPS table and in the community.

I don’t know if all of you are as tired as I am. Most of you have a reason to be even more tired than I. However, I couldn’t be more excited about the future with Y + YY in place and incredible leadership to help put those increased revenues to the most effective use to benefit our schools and our city.
With much great work done — and much left to do, I applaud you all!

Rebecca Soladay Kennerly
Community for Excellent Public Schools (CEPS), Chair
www.excellentpublicschools.org
And look for us on Facebook

Propositions Y + YY PASS!

2010-11-04T15:23:00.000-07:00

Education and city boosters cheered the news, Tuesday night, that a
tax to bring badly needed funds to local schools and for vital city services won a
landslide of voter support and will go into effect April 1st.

The tax, Proposition Y, will add a half percent to the existing sales tax. Under a
companion measure, Proposition YY, half of the estimated $12 million generated
annually will go to Santa Monica-Malibu Unified Schools and the other half to vital city
services.

Voters passed Proposition “Y” by a margin of 61 percent to 39 percent. “YY” won 68% of the ballots cast.

“This is a win for our students and for our community,” said Tom Larmore co-chair of the
Proposition Y+YY campaign. “Everyone in Santa Monica benefits from great schools
and safe neighborhoods. They make Santa Monica one of the most desirable places to
live in the state and in the nation.”

“This is a recognition of what an amazing community we live in here in Santa Monica,”
said Shari Davis, co-chair of the Proposition Y+YY campaign and president of the Santa
Monica-Malibu PTA Council. "We have a unique partnership between SMMUSD, City
Hall and our businesses that reflects the values of our residents."

“Prop Y gives residents another important reason to support local merchants – buy local,
support our schools and our city,” Larmore added.

At a half-cent per dollar, proponents said that Proposition Y will cost residents about the
same as one latte a month and that half of all Proposition Y revenues will be paid by
visitors and other non-residents who shop in Santa Monica.

Rent, groceries, gas, prescriptions, medical care or equipment, any purchases made
with food stamps, utilities, and all services are exempt from sales tax and thus
Proposition Y.

The propositions were supported by a broad and historic coalition from throughout the
community, including: renters, homeowners, neighborhood groups, small business
owners, the Santa Monica-Malibu Teachers Association, the Santa Monica Police
Officers Association, the Santa Monica Firefighters Association, the PTA, Santa
Monicans for Renters' Rights, Santa Monica College and the League of Women Voters
of Santa Monica.

VOTE TODAY to PROTECT Excellent Public Schools

2010-11-02T05:22:00.000-07:00

Gleam Davis

SM City Council Two-year Seat

Terry O'Day

SM City Council Two-year Seat

Barry Snell

SMMUSD Board of Education

Laurie Lieberman

SMMUSD Board of Education

Oscar de la Torre

SMMUSD Board of Education

COMMUNITY FOR EXCELLENT PUBLIC SCHOOLS

TODAY

TUESDAY NOVEMBER 2

IS ELECTION DAY

PLEASE VOTE! YOUR VOTE IS CRITICAL TO PROTECT SCHOOLS

√ VOTE YES ON Y+YY

Prevent devastating cuts to schools and vital city services

Support across our community!

√ Vote for CEPS endorsed candidates

Read Candidate Statements Here

Who does CEPS REALLY trust to protect our schools? Here is the whole story.

SANTA MONICA CITY COUNCIL

FOUR-YEAR SEAT

SANTA MONICA CITY COUNCIL

TWO-YEAR SEAT

√ GLEAM OLIVIA DAVIS

√ TERRY O'DAY

SANTA MONICA-MALIBU BOARD OF EDUCATION

√ LAURIE LIEBERMAN

√ BARRY SNELL

√ OSCAR DE LA TORRE

√ RALPH MECHUR

More about Community for Excellent Public School

The CEPS Mission

Ted Winterer

SM City Council Four-year Seat

Pam O'Connor

SM City Council Four-year Seat

Kevin McKeown

SM City Council Four-year Seat

Bob Holbrook

SM City Council Four-year Seat

Ralph Mechur

SMMUSD Board of Education

120 Hours to Go -- All Hands on Y+YY Deck

2010-10-29T12:46:00.000-07:00

Can you believe we have 120 (actually 117) hours left in the campaign? And, we need All Hands on Deck! Please make time in the next 120 hours to help with Yes on Y+YY GOTV (Get Out the Vote) Activities.

Please call the campaign office at 310.210.3187 to volunteer for a shift or three. Just an hour of your time in these last crucial days could make the difference!

The full schedule of Volunteer Activities is below. My personal favorite is 5 a.m. on Tuesday, Election Day, to place doorhangers on our supporters' doorknobs in the wee hours before the polls open. Come to the Campaign Office at 5 a.m. for this exciting opportunity -- then, if you can, stay all day and be a Poll Watcher!

Please....recruit friends, colleagues, family members, tennis partners, fellow alumni, neighbors, and anyone else you can think of. We DO make the DIFFERENCE!

Thank you so much for all the leadership, support and efforts for the last three months!

FRIDAY – October 29th
On sidewalks outside school sites: Hand out walk flyer and wave signs
At PTA events or from sidewalks: Sell or hand out Y + YY trick or treat bags
Phone bank: 11 am to 9 pm at Yes on Y+YY Office – 3000 Ocean Park Blvd 3005

SATURDAY- October 30th
Need 45 people to walk and 20 Phone Bankers for GOTV calls every hour.
Walk - Franklin: 2400 Montana Ave – 10 am to 5 pm
Walk - Grant: 2368 Pearl St – 10 am to 5 pm
Phone bank: 10 am to 5 pm – Yes on Y+YY Office

SUNDAY- October 31st
Need 45 people to walk and 20 Phone Bankers for GOTV calls every hour.
Walking from Y and YY Office: Starting at 10 am and Noon
Phone bank: 10 am to 5 pm – Yes on Y+YY Office

Monday – November 1st
Need 45 people to doorhang and 30 Phone Bankers for GOTV calls every hour.
Phone bank: 9 am to 9 pm – Yes on Y+YY Office
Door hanging: 4 pm to 9 pm – Start at Yes on Y+YY Office
School Sites: Please hand out flyers “Action Alert” and ½ sheet “Please Remember to Vote” during drop off and pickup

ELECTION DAY November 2nd
Need 75 people to doorhang, 70 walkers all day and 20 Phone Bankers every hour.
Door hanging: 5 am to 7 am – Yes on Y+YY Office
Walking: 8 am to 8 pm for All day shift – Other shifts: 9 am to 1 pm, 1 pm to 5 pm, 4 pm to 8 pm
Phone bank: 9 am to 8 pm- Please bring your own cell phone
School Sites: Please hand out flyers “Action Alert” and ½ sheet “Please Remember to Vote” during drop off only.

Election Alert! From Community for Excellent Public Schools

2010-10-16T05:46:00.000-07:00

COMMUNITY FOR EXCELLENT PUBLIC SCHOOLS

This is an URGENT CALL TO ACTION to all parents with children in Santa Monica Malibu public schools. Many of you joined CEPS in working to pass Measure A, a school funding measure that failed by the slimmest of margins, and then on Save Our Schools over the summer to provide emergency bridge funding for this school year only.

WE NEED YOUR HELP IN THE NEXT TWO WEEKS TO PREVENT ANOTHER CRISIS IN OUR SCHOOLS.

Santa Monica Propositions Y + YY will be decided in the November 2^nd election. If passed, they will generate roughly $6 million per year for our schools that cannot be taken away by Sacramento. The cost for us is equivalent to a few cups of coffee a month. But the revenues will be a long-term lifeline for our schools!

BUT PROPOSITIONS Y + YY WILL NOT PASS WITHOUT YOUR HELP TODAY!

The Prop Y + YY opposition, the same people who have opposed all school funding measures, is working hard to promote their misleading campaign. While Measures Y + YY are supported by CEPS, PTA, SMRR, the teachers, police and firefighters associations and thousands of Santa Monica leaders (see Y+YY's many endorments), the opposition can still defeat Y + YY unless we mount an enormous grass roots effort today. It will take all of us to make sure voters understand the importance of these measures.

TAKE ACTION TODAY!

VOLUNTEER JUST TWO HOURS TO PASS Y + YY Join CEPS, teachers, PTA, school board members and everyone who cares about protecting our schools on precinct walks, October 23, 27 & 30. The campaign also urgently needs your help phone banking each and every day till November 2.
DONATE We are critically short of raising the budget needed to pass Y + YY. Voters will vote “no” on funding increases they don’t know enough about. Your contribution today will allow us to let voters know how important Y + YY are for our community.
VOTE – The November 2^nd election could be the most important election we’ve ever had for local public schools. CEPS has endorsed the candidates we feel we can trust to protect our schools.
KEEP INFORMED – STRONG ADVOCACY BEGINS WITH INFORMATION.

CEPS ENDORSED CANDIDATES

Community for Excellent Public schools urges you to make informed decisions and, most importantly, VOTE on November 2^nd. CEPS enthusiastically endorses, not only Propositions Y + YY, but also these candidates, who all have strong and trusted track records for their education advocacy. CEPS endorsements and Candidates Statements here.

CEPS is proud to support the following candidates:

Santa Monica City Council Two-year race

Gleam Davis & Terry O’Day

Santa Monica City Council Four-year race

Ted Winterer,Pam O’Connor, Bob Holbrook, & Kevin McKeown

Santa Monica Malibu Unified School District Board of Education

Laurie Lieberman, Ralph Mechur, Barry Snell & Oscar de la Torre

STATE OF OUR SCHOOLS EVENT

Please join us for the fifth-annual State of Our Schools event takes place Monday, October 25 in Santa Monica and October 26 in Malibu.

Hear Superintendent Tim Cuneo make the annual State of Our Schools report about SMMUSD achievements, challenges, and funding. In addition, Santa Monica City Manager Rod Gould will speak at the Santa Monica event about city and school district partnership.

Monday, October 25, 2010 Tuesday, October 26, 2010

6:00-9:00pm 6:00-9:00pm

Santa Monica Main Library Malibu High School Library

Martin Luther King, Jr., Auditorium

601 Santa Monica Blvd. 30215 Morning View Dr.

Santa Monica 90401 Malibu 90265

EXTRA! CEPS makes endorsements for November 2nd Election

2010-10-01T10:49:00.000-07:00

Community for Excellent Public Schools (CEPS)

Endorsements for November 2^nd Election

September 30, 2010, SANTA MONICA–Community for Excellent Public Schools (CEPS) has made endorsements in local races that will be decided by voters on November 2^nd. The decade-old education-focused Political Action Committee has endorsed:

Yes on Santa Monica Propositions Y + YY

Santa Monica City Council Two-year race

Gleam Davis and Terry O’Day

Santa Monica City Council Four-year race

Bob Holbrook, Kevin McKeown, Pam O’Connor and Ted Winterer

Santa Monica Malibu Unified School District Board of Education

Laurie Lieberman, Ralph Mechur, Barry Snell and Oscar de la Torre

CEPS’s endorsements were made by its Steering Committee after its education-based candidate’s forum on Monday. A primary criteria in the Santa Monica City Council races were candidates positions on city propositions Y + YY. All CEPS endorsed candidates expressed at the forum their support for both Proposition Y, a half-percent transaction and use tax that would bring additional revenues into city coffers, and Proposition YY, a companion advisory measure that asks the City Council to direct half of increased revenues generated by Proposition Y to local schools, with the other half benefitting vital City services.

In addition, all CEPS endorsed City Council Candidates stated, unequivocally, at the forum that should Propositions Y + YY pass, they would support allocating the full 50% of increased revenues to SMMUSD schools, with that allocation being added to and not supplant the current funding generated by the Joint Use Agreement between the City of Santa Monica and SMMUSD.

CEPS noted the longtime service of Bob Holbrook, Pam O’Connor and Kevin McKeown to the City of Santa Monica and their many accomplishments in citywide and regional issues, along with their consistent support for our local public schools. The group also felt that Ted Winterer, a SMMUSD parent and Santa Monica Planning Commissioner, is a strong advocate for education and would be a valuable addition to the City Council.

In the School Board election, CEPS wanted to support the three incumbents in the race, Oscar de la Torre, Ralph Mechur and School Board President, Barry Snell, as a vote of confidence for the direction and positive moves currently underway within the District. Each of these incumbents had a strong role to play in Special Education reform, guiding the district through its recent budget crises, and helping develop the focus and goals for the district, which has just seen a significant rise in student test scores.

For the final endorsed seat, CEPS has supported longtime education activist, Laurie Lieberman, who it feels will add a strong, new, and extremely knowledgeable voice to the SMMUSD Board of Education.

CANDIDATES STATEMENTS for CEPS/LEAD Education Community's Candidates Forum -- Monday September 27

2010-09-25T17:09:00.000-07:00

CEPS (Community for Excellent Public Schools)

and

LEAD (Leadership, Effectiveness, Accountability, Direction for Santa Monica-Malibu Public Schools)

Present

The Education Community’s Candidates Forum

Monday, September 27^th

Santa Monica Main Library • Multi-purpose Room

601 Santa Monica Blvd.

6:00 pm - Santa Monica-Malibu School Board Candidates

7:30 pm - Santa Monica City Council Candidates

Community for Excellent Public Schools (CEPS) is dedicated to the preservation and betterment of public schools in the Santa Monica Malibu Unified School District. In order to achieve this goal, we resolve:

· To promote a shared community vision for excellence in our public schools that includes early childhood and post-secondary education;

· To evaluate and pursue a range of short and long term funding measures through state, city and school district policies and elections;

· To identify and support issues that will support education and public schools, including early childhood education, after-school programs, and post-secondary public education;

· To increase public awareness of the value and uniqueness of our public schools;

· To promote accountability for high quality public education by public institutions and public officials.

www.excellentpublicschools.org • info@excellentpublicschools.org

LEAD (Leadership, Effectiveness, Accountability, Direction for Santa Monica-Malibu Public Schools) is a grassroots association whose members share a commitment to outstanding public schools and a growing concern that our School District needs more effective leadership. We need leaders who honestly acknowledge our District’s problems and tackle them head-on before they reach the crisis stage. We need School District leaders who lead rather than oppose efforts to implement needed reforms. We need School District leaders who foster open community discussion of issues facing the District and maximize the many capable volunteers and parents in our community. LEAD will hold District leaders accountable and contribute to a new policy environment that facilitates healthy, open discussion about how best to achieve the widely shared goal of educational excellence for all our students.

SANTA MONICA – MALIBU BOARD OF EDUCATION CANDIDATE STATEMENTS

In alphabetical order

CHRIS BLEY

Age: 37 • Occupation: High School Teacher

E-mail address: chris@chrisbley.com • Website: www.chrisbley.com

I am a graduate of the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District. Every success I’ve had in life began with the education I received here. My many gifted teachers inspired me to become a teacher myself.

I want to make sure the SMMUSD continues providing that great education. But this year’s cuts of 58 teachers, reading specialists, librarians, music instruction, and the rest have started a decline. Our community can reverse this by electing new board members who will place the students’ needs first.

As one of those leaders, I will

Make budget cuts away from the classroom. I have found many administrative areas where our district spends much more than comparable districts do.

Why did we spend $812,000 on Centralized Data Processing vs. $86,000 in Las Virgenes when we cut 58 teachers and staff?
Why did the General Administration increase their budget 4.5% this year while cutting 58 teachers and staff?

Implement some of the revenue-generating ideas that have been talked about for years.

Hire a Director of Development
Increase public-private and public-public partnerships
Increase the rentals and land-use arrangements between the schools and other groups

Listen and answer to parents and the community.

I will meet with community groups twice a month, on their turf, to maintain an open dialogue.
I have met with teachers regularly. Several teacher’s have complained to be the Board members never ask for suggestions or opinions

My background for the job:

High-school history and government teacher for the past 10 years
Middle-school teacher for Peace Corps in Romania.
Special education aide, grades K-8
SMMUSD student for 10 years

PATRICK CADY

As a school board member, I bring the combined perspective of community member, parent, and teacher/coach. As a parent and community member, I have high expectations for the schools. As a teacher and coach of 35 years, I understand the dynamics of how students can achieve those expectations. I believe that our schools must provide a comprehensive and challenging curriculum where students can learn in a safe environment and are supported by a partnership of caring and demanding teachers, committed administrators, capable staff, and loving parents.

Realizing that the role of the central office is to provide adequate resources, I intend to maintain fiscal integrity and equitable allocation of resources. Fully understanding the role of board member as one who sets policy, I am committed to ensuring a culture of inclusiveness where everyone is a part of a caring, supportive, and family-friendly community.

LAURIE LIEBERMAN

I am a 30-year Santa Monica resident, a parent and a public education activist. I have volunteered in our elementary, middle, and high schools for over a decade. Before having children, I worked for 13 years as an attorney for the City addressing policy issues ranging from affordable housing to childcare.

I have been deeply involved with school funding campaigns and with academic, music and athletic programs. In recent years, I co-chaired the Samohi Coalition, which convinced the City to commit $57 million to joint City/School District project. I chaired the Fundraising Committee for Measure A. I am a founding member and until recently, the co-chair of LEAD, which formed to ensure greater accountability, transparency and inclusiveness in District decision-making.

The biggest challenge to our schools is financial -- the direct result of a loss of $20 million in State funding in two years. My priorities will include:

1. Enhancing local revenues and private funding, while pressuring the State and federal governments to increase education funding.

2. Nurturing existing and cultivating new partnerships with Santa Monica and Malibu, Santa Monica College, and community non-profits.

3. Providing collaborative, open, inclusive and accountable leadership. This includes hiring our next Superintendent.

4. Supporting curriculum and teacher preparation to prepare our children for the future.

5. Encouraging the development of innovative programming and instruction that closes the achievement gap; ensuring that equity considerations guide decision-making.

6. Promoting recruitment and retention of high quality teachers and staff.

7. Building bridges between Malibu and Santa Monica schools and being responsive to Malibu families.

8. Making quality preschool and after-school care available.

9. Promoting high-quality facilities to support District programs.

10. Continuing special education services and practice reforms.

My key endorsements are:

Sheila Kuehl

Julia Brownley

Santa Monica-Malibu Classroom Teachers Association

SEIU Local 99 School Employees

Santa Monicans for Renters’ Rights

L.A. County Democratic Party

Santa Monica Democratic Club

National Women’s Political Caucus – Los Angeles Westside

RALPH MECHUR (Incumbent)

I have been a resident of the community, active in its civic life for over 30 years - supporting Education through managing parcel tax and capital bond campaigns, collaborating on a community-wide effort resulting in the City of Santa Monica financially supporting the District, and in developing the capacity of the Education Foundation to support academic and arts programs.

I believe every student should be given equal access to the best public education. Our community has the capacity to provide every student with an excellent education providing them the skills to become productive contributing adults.

If re-elected my priorities will be to:

1. Hire a highly qualified Superintendent with previous experience in a District of at least similar size with a diverse student population; strong success in evaluating, recommending and implementing programs that addressing the issues of poorly performing students; and excellent administrative and communication skills.

2. Support innovative programs that raise achievement levels of all students, particularly those who are not grade-level proficient. The District needs to effectively align resources with need and promote quality professional instruction. Targeted intervention, particularly in the early grades, is crucial to breaking the cycle of low achievement for several student groups.

3. Develop a long-term strategy to stabilize revenue. The best way to create a sustainable budget is to provide a constant source of new revenue. I fully support Propositions Y and YY because they will provide such a source. The community also needs to address ways to leverage community-wide assets for district-wide needs.

As a Boardmember, I serve for all of our students. I am accessible and will meet with parents, residents and city officials to discuss key issues. We need to bring these issues to the table in a timely fashion to share information and make informed decisions.

NIMISH PATEL

When I was 3 years old, my parents, living in a small town in India, dreamed of giving me and my sisters a better life than they had. They decide to leave their home and all that was familiar to travel half way around the world to America and build a new life. My parents were willing to do all of this so that they could provide their children with the best education possible. In India, the caste system determines your destiny, in America it is your education. Now that I am a parent, it is my turn to give back to my children and my community. My involvement includes:

· District’s Financial Oversight Committee

· Santa Monica College Bond Oversight Committee

· School Site Governance Council

· Parcel Tax Feasibility Committee/Measure A Campaign/SOS volunteer

Our public schools are facing the worst financial crisis in their history. I have degrees in accounting, business and law, and I will use my skills to proactively tackle the challenges that lie ahead. Importantly, I am a father with two young children in our schools; a constant reminder of why great schools and great teachers are critical to our future. As School Board Member, I will:

· Strengthen our District’s finances and ensure fiscal responsibility

· Implement revenue enhancements to keep class sizes small

· Support programs and curricula to raise achievement and narrow the achievement gap

We are living in unprecedented times, and the new challenges require new skill sets and new leaders with different ways of approaching the problem. I have the skill sets, ideas and the passion to help our District through this financial crisis. I want to give the next generation of children access to an excellent education so they too can write their own destiny.

OSCAR DE LA TORRE

A Leader with a Purpose

As the first person in my family to graduate from high school and enter a four-year university, I know the doors of opportunity open with access to excellent public schools. I am running for re-election to the Santa Monica Malibu USD Board of Education to ensure that future generations have the same opportunities.

A father of two children, I am committed to strengthening our schools by:

Ensuring resources are invested in the classroom versus administrative overhead.

· Alleviating the tax burden on residents by seeking creative funding options.

· Supporting Music and the Arts as part of the core curriculum.

Continuing the progress in closing the academic achievement gap.
Creating a P-20 Education Coalition to build partnerships for the benefit of students.

A Personal Commitment to Serving our Students

While serving as student body president at Santa Monica High in 1990 I decided to commit my life to public service. I completed my MA. Degree in 1998 and returned to work as a counselor at Samohi. In 2002 I founded a youth center that has served hundreds of students and has most recently led community organizing to achieve a City-wide plan for violence prevention.

Experienced Leadership You Can Count On

I am a public school advocate with eight years of proven leadership on the school board. I served as President of the board in 2007-08 and have fought tirelessly to ensure accountability and transparency are values that guide the school district’s decision-making. On the school board I led efforts to bring needed reforms to special education, ensured Olympic High was accredited, implemented district-wide recycling policies and supported partnerships between SMC and the school district to expand college readiness support for students. During challenging times, our students deserve experienced leadership on the School Board.www.vote4oscar.com

JAKE WACHTEL

District-wide budget cuts threatened to deprive our schools of outstanding educators and programs. I realized that I had to run for school board when my daughter’s first grade teacher was handed a pink slip. Loss of fine teachers is unacceptable. We need better budget allocation, improved implementation and long-term planning. I’m running for Santa Monica-Malibu School Board to help make choices that keep quality educators and programs despite economic difficulties, improving our position as one of the best districts in the country.

I am public school educated from kindergarten through high school, where I participated in Academic Decathlon and served as Student Body President. Having taught and coached in the U.S. and overseas, I have practical experience a school board member needs. Elected Nagasaki City Representative for foreign teachers, I studied and assessed the merits and limitations of Japanese public education, gaining a comparative global perspective. Back in California, I was awarded the CORO Fellowship in Public Affairs, a leadership-training program in government, non-profits, business, labor and media. I worked with PricewaterhouseCoopers and the California Community Foundation on textbook adoptions, allocation of school funds and technology. I served on a private board, allocating money to public schools. As an international journalist and television producer committed to education, I serve on Santa Monica College’s Journalism Advisory Board and the Claremont McKenna Media Advisory Board.

My teaching and work in business and international journalism give me a global perspective on improving our schools that other candidates don’t have. I have spent a career working with budgets, trouble-shooting and executing ideas. I am a strong negotiator who seeks out other opinions, a communicator who listens. Please contact me, share your thoughts and vote for me. Thank you.

jake@electjake.info and www.electjake.info

SANTA MONICA CITY COUNCIL CANDIDATE STATEMENTS

In alphabetical order

GLEAM DAVIS – Incumbent, Two-year Seat

On the City Council, I am a strong voice for lifelong learning and our schools. In my brief time on the Council, I have championed these initiatives:

· The multi-year renewal of the Facilities Use Agreement that brings over $7 million to our public schools,

· Construction of an Early Childhood Education Center at the Civic Center;

· The use of City Redevelopment Agency funds to build athletic and recreational facilities on the Santa Monica High School campus that can be used by students and the public;

· A City loan to allow summer funding of full-day preschool for the children of working families when the State precipitously cut off their funding, and

· Measure YY which allows voters in November to advise the City Council whether half of the proceeds of the Transaction and Use Tax (if Measure Y passes) should be spent on educational programs.

Prior to joining the City Council, I was a member of the Steering Committee of the Community for Excellent Public Schools (CEPS) and I helped found LEAD (Leadership, Effectiveness, Accountability, Direction for Santa Monica-Malibu Public Schools). I have served the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District as Chair of the Facilities Bond Advisory Committee and Chair of the District Advisory Committee on Child Development. I also was the Co-chair of the Santa Monica Child Care and Early Education Task Force and sat on various Site Governance and PTA Committees.

Santa Monica is rightfully proud of its excellent public schools. Strong schools and lifelong learning are essential components of a safe and livable community. As a City Council member, I am committed to working with the community to look for creative and meaningful ways to bring additional resources to education and improve educational opportunity for everyone.

David Ganezer – Two-year Seat

I have lived in Santa Monica for 28 years. My children attend Santa Monica public schools and I am a product of a public school system. The availability of an excellent public school district is essential if one wants an excellent community. I am proud that we have a school district that succeeds at a high level, but our school district needs help. Since the state is unable to provide as much support as it could in the past, the responsibility is now with the local activists and the City government.

As publisher of the Santa Monica Observer Newspaper, I hear from readers. The thing I hear most frequently is they want a City government that does not waste money and a great school district that provides for the children and keeps property values high. These two demands are connected. The City needs to stop being wasteful. This will take the City out of deficit spending, and make more money available that can go to the school district.

As a City Council member, I will be somebody the education community can depend on for unwavering support. I want to increase the amount of funding the City provides the schools. I was pleased our local activists worked hard to raise more than $1.5 million during the Save Our Schools campaign, but that shouldn’t have been necessary. Our City has lots of money that is going to places where it should not. We need to use that money to support our children.

CEPS was created because the City was severely under-supporting the schools. I was proud that CEPS was able to force a change to that. I look forward to being a part of a council that takes the next step. I would be honored to have your support.

David Ganezer for Santa Monica City Council

www.Ganezer2010.com

SUSAN HARTLEY – Two-year Seat

I’m seeking a Council seat to return control of Santa Monica to residents.

The Santa Monica we know and love is being bulldozed to death. Developments are of unacceptable number, height and density. We need more limits on growth.

Santa Monica Airport threatens us all daily with air pollution, noise pollution and crash risks. The FAA’s expansion of flight paths endangers wider areas and more families. The Airport must be closed.

Tenant protections must be preserved and expanded to protect long time residents and socioeconomic diversity. Vote for the Eviction Protection Ordinance.

Santa Monica needs to walk like it talks environmentally. The disgrace of our polluted beaches must end.

I’m a lifelong advocate for individual rights (attorney, independent community leader, teacher, activist).

My qualifications:

15 year resident (north and south SM) – renter and homeowner

Airport Commission, former Vice-Chair

Friends of Sunset Park Board Member

Treesavers Co-founder

Arlington West/Veterans for Peace-LA Board Member

Employee/Tenant Attorney - 30 years

Teacher - 5 years

Girl Scout leader - 12 years

SMMUSD:

PTSA officer

Strategic Plan Design Team member

Daughter is SMMUSD, UC Berkeley and their music programs’ alum.

Organic gardener, animal owner/rescuer, walker, bike rider, writer

Please vote for me on November 2^nd.

BOB HOLBROOK – Incumbent, Four-year Seat

Occupation: Santa Monica Councilmember, Pharmacist

E-mail Address: BobHolbrook2010@hotmail.com

I was born in Santa Monica, attended Santa Monica schools, raised my family, and served as a community pharmacist here.

Maybe that’s why as a councilmember, my decisions are always driven by residents’ priorities and concerns:

● The strongest police and fire/paramedic departments. People must be safe.

● Excellent public schools. They benefit not just students, but the whole community. As a former school board member, I understand the City must help its schools. Santa Monica-Malibu Schools have been severely affected by the financial woes of the State of California. We have reached a point that the City must increase it’s support of the our public schools or watch the deterioration of our most valuable asset. I will support our schools.

● A homeless policy that moves people into housing and does NOT enable them to live on our streets. I will continue to build programs that provide housing first and return people to their hometowns.

● Clean beaches and ocean. We must continue working aggressively to reduce bacteria and toxic chemicals flowing into Santa Monica Bay.

● Santa Monica Airport. The FAA agreement expires in 2015. I will work with the community to plan future resident-friendly airport uses.

● Light rail. I support a thorough public process to insure the safest and best possible service for Santa Monica.

I will continue protecting Santa Monica’s natural beauty and ambience. We must preserve what we love about Santa Monica.

I bring commitment, experience, and profound respect for residents to the council. I am eager to continue working for you.

ROBERT KRONOVET – Two-year Seat

Dear Friends:

            Two years ago you elected me the first independent member of our Rent Board...I have brought desperately needed new ideas and solutions to our city government.  Now I'm asking you to lend us a hand again and elect me to city council.

I'm running to reduce taxes, re-direct 20 million dollars to our schools, and build our police and fire departments.

Here is where the 20 million come from…

1) I will stop the lending of between 7 million and 12 million dollars a year to the Santa Monica Community Corp.

2) The city spends more then 2million dollars yearly on "consultants". We have city staff that is perfectly qualified to do this work.

3) For the last 32 years the SMRR city council has duplicated many County and State social and housing programs, costing the tax payer over 10 million dollars a year.

I believe the homeless population is a threat to our public safety and must be dramatically reduced. This is a state and federal issue and not a municipal one.

I will move to re-instate the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) a public work relief program started by FDR in1933 for unemployed men and women. When elected I will move to normalize our city and match the level of financial and staff resources that our neighbor cities have committed to.

We can not tax our way out of financial mismanagement!

I pledge to work hard for your family, your city and the future of our children. .

My family and I own a successful real estate brokerage and property management firm. I'm an active member in the Board of Realtors, where I currently Chair the Education Committee as well as serving on Public Policy Committee and the Centennial Club. We have serious problems and we need serious people to solve them!

Kronovet for City Council 2010
3019 Pico Blvd # 4 Santa Monica, CA 90405 (310) 829-9303
Kronovet for City Council 2010 - ID #1322590
www.RobertKronovet.com

TERENCE LATER – Four-year Seat

I was born in Santa Monica and have lived here all my life. I have attended Will Rogers, John Adams, Lincoln, Olympic, Samohi, SMC and UCLA. I have lived in several neighborhoods in Santa Monica, from Ocean Park to north of Montana. I am a renter and small business owner. I love our school district, our parks, our beaches and every community that makes up our wonderful city. I am looking forward to guiding our fine city towards a great future.

As your Councilman I will:

§ Be accountable in representing the 89,000+ citizens of Santa Monica. Making sure City Hall deals honestly with residents by connecting fees to actual costs of services. City staff are public servants, not “back door” tax collectors.

§ Continue to demand transparency and government accountability. I worked tirelessly with Ralph Nader’s team to defeat Prop W in 2006, which would have gutted the anti-corruption rules passed decisively by 59% of Santa Monica voters in 2000.

§ Support responsible limited growth and development in Santa Monica. I worked with Bobby Shriver, Ted Winterer and Kevin McKeown on Prop T in 2008 to limit development6. Limit traffic and produce sensible parking alternatives for residents as I did 2006, pressing for new parking meter technology that is in place today. Make the fines and the appeals process for parking tickets more equitable.

§ Maintain Rent Control as it stands today. No new taxes. Put senior exemptions and sunset clauses into any future bond initiatives. I fought for this language to be placed in Prop V in 2006 and will continue to pursue it.

§ We as residents are tired of the city council redlining the budget and exploiting the senior citizens and renters for political ambition.

§ Set aside a portion of our shoreline for a dog beach.

§ Work to allocate our city resources to strengthen our Police and Fire departments. Expand and maintain our parks.

§ Protect our city’s environment and keep our beaches clean.

And the most important priority: Supporting and improving our schools. Our city’s annual budget is in excess of $600 million dollars. I agree with Mayor Bobby Shriver that the added sales tax initiative is not necessary. What is necessary is a balanced city budget. Shame on our City Council for obliging elementary school students to stand in front of our grocery stores and on street corners selling lemonade and candy to fund their arts programs.

Kevin McKeown – Incumbent, Four-year Seat

Santa Monica Councilmember and SMMUSD

Educational technology consultant

I will continue to bring a unique pro-public school perspective to our Santa Monica City Council.

All Councilmembers have day jobs, and mine is working with our teachers, students, and administrators as the Macintosh computer consultant for the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District. I have also been a Samohi parent. While in a previous relationship, I helped raise a young woman, Samohi ’02, who is now a special education teacher at Young Learners Preschool in Culver City.

I went to public high school myself, where a counselor helped guide me, a struggling boy from a single-parent household, into a full scholarship to Yale. I know first-hand the difference a caring staff in a well-supported public school can make in a young person’s life.

Throughout my twelve years on the City Council I have been a consistent supporter of our school programs, personally seeking and securing City funding for student activities and travel. Does it make a difference? One Samohi student I helped send to the World Social Forum is now the youngest lawmaker in the Vermont legislature.

I have helped foster the community awareness and willingness that lets the City of Santa Monica direct millions of dollars in direct funding to SMMUSD every year, although state law precludes me from taking part in the final vote because of my professional involvement with the District. I have also championed over twenty-two million dollars of city youth programs that benefit our students, and developed increased funding for pre-school and earlier education programs.

With gratitude toward all the community members who contribute

ideas and effort for making Santa Monica a better city, I’m running for

re-election on my record of responsiveness to residents. You’ve supported and inspired me to continue protecting our neighborhoods, and our quality of life — a primary part of which is the excellence of our public schools.

PAM O’CONNOR – Incumbent, Four-year Seat

I love being part of Santa Monica--we’re a community of people from diverse backgrounds and all walks of life…we’re energetic, opinionated, optimistic. And I want to make Santa Monica an ever better place.

I’m proud of what I’ve accomplished on the Council.

Education is key to an informed and engaged community. I’ve consistently voted for funding public schools while ensuring transparency and accountability. This partnership between the City and schools has grown stronger and we’re working together to secure additional school funding.

Our neighborhoods needed protection from overdevelopment, so I initiated revision of our Land Use and Circulation Elements--with environmental sustainability as its framework. The most important aspect of LUCE is protection and conservation of residential neighborhoods.

We all experience regional traffic congestion and I’ve been doing something about it. As Chair of the Metro Board I led the effort to get Measure R on the ballot. Passed by a record number of voters, it provides funds to build Expo Light Rail all the way to Santa Monica.

But there’s more to do.

I’ll use my professional experience as a preservation and growth management planner to ensure the LUCE’s implementation protects our neighborhoods.

At Metro I’ll work to keep Expo Light Rail on track and on moving the subway extension westward towards Santa Monica.

I’ll continue to work to keep Santa Monica a city of neighborhoods, an environmentally sustainable city….a safe city.

I’ve been endorsed by Santa Monica’s Police and Firefighters, LA County Democratic Party, Santa Monica Democratic Club, LA County League of Conservation Voters. I’m supported by Santa Monicans for Renters Rights, State Senator Fran Pavley, Assemblymember Julia Brownly, Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky, and former State Senator Sheila Kuehl.

I ask for your vote so we can work together for a vibrant future.

Pam O’Connor

Terry O’Day – Incumbent, Two-Year Seat

Appointed Councilmember / Environmentalist

info@terryoday.com • www.terryoday.com

I moved to Santa Monica almost 15 years ago because I wanted to live in a community that puts people first. As Councilmember, that is what guides every decision I make.

My background in community service, BA in Public Policy from Stanford and MBA from the Anderson School at UCLA, help me make responsible, informed decisions and turn forward-thinking ideas into innovative policies.

As co-founder of successful environmental businesses, I know how to balance budgets and cut waste. That’s essential experience; as I am committed to protecting our police, fire protection and education partnerships.

Using my experience as Executive Director of Environment Now, an organization that fights for environmental justice, and cleaner air and water, I am helping our City raise the national standard for sustainability, human-scale neighborhoods, regional traffic solutions and green jobs.

My work with National Coalition for the Homeless and the National Low Income Housing Coalition has prepared me to tackle Santa Monica’s homeless and affordable housing problems in a compassionate, effective way.

As a parent, homeowner, and affordable housing activist, I will fight to keep Santa Monica a place where all of our children thrive.

I would be honored to have your vote for City Council.

JERRY RUBIN – Four-year Seat

Jerry's campaign theme is "I Love Santa Monica"
Jerry's campaign slogan is "Tan, Rested and Ready"
Jerry's campaign promise is to promote community unity
and win-win solutions.

Jerry's campaign website is: JerryPeaceActivistRubin.com
Call Jerry at: 310-399-1000
E-mail Jerry at: JerryPeaceActivistRubin@earthlink.net

TED WINTERER – Four-year Seat

My daughter Eleanor is a third-grader at SMASH and my son Steele will start kindergarten there next year, so I’m personally and acutely aware of the funding challenges faced by our school district. I’ve helped with the weekly bake sales at Eleanor’s school; every June I’m out at 7 am on a Saturday setting the annual SMASH carnival; and I’ve unloaded carloads of rummage for our yearly sale. The SMASH PTSA works hard money to provide extra staffing, resources and training, but it’s still not enough, especially in recent years.

On a citywide level, I’ve walked precincts for Measures R and A; served on the district’s parcel tax and bond committee and the Measure A campaign committee; and am on the Steering Committee of CEPS.

Our state government has, quite simply, reneged on its responsibility to adequately fund our public schools at a time when a well-educated workforce is our best hope for remaining economically competitive in the years to come. Fortunately, in Santa Monica we have the resources to provide discretionary funding to offset cuts by Sacramento. As a City Councilmember I will work to ensure continued and enhanced municipal funding for the district; advocate for a greater commitment of redevelopment dollars to the joint Samohi-Civic Center project; and seek contributions to the Education Foundation from development agreements and other projects where appropriate. I believe our city can support our local schools without sacrificing the quality of other municipal services.

I am a Planning Commissioner and former Recreation and Parks Commissioner; former president and current vice president of the Ocean Park Association; and an AYSO coach and referee. I’m deeply committed to our community and its quality of life and believe passionately in preserving and enhancing the excellence of our public schools.

I ask for your vote on November 2^nd.

Jean McNeil Wyner – Four-year Seat

Years ago, I was a single Mom raising my son by myself. He had a learning disability which was an extremely stressful problem. The LA public school system provided virtually nothing for him - or me.

What a difference it would have made if he’d been educated, mentored and supported by our District’s fabulous services for the learning disabled.

I highly value education and when elected I will do everything in my power to assist the Santa Monica Malibu Unified School District. I say this as a resident and as a 25+ year supporter of our District and because my experience with my son.

However, I have a grave concern about the "non-binding" situation with regard to the 1/2 cent sales tax --- I am positively opposed to proposing a tax and then “talking around it” to sway voters. I want half of that money for the District, unconditionally.

I am also concerned that the residents of Santa Monica do not receive regular reports on how their parcel tax dollars are spent.

When elected I promise to listen to and work with you openly to solve our problems - not make new ones. I am not a career politician. I’m seeking a four year term - not a lifetime appointment. I will be your committed and supportive "eyes, ears and voice"!

As your Council member, I will halt reckless spending - we need to be a smarter City with a sensible, tight budget. We need a balance between taxation and funding our superb school District.

I do not represent any special interest groups. I have been a long time community volunteer, serving the City in many capacities. I understand what our residents want and what we need to do. I know Santa Monica and I will work for you!

Education Community's Candidates Forum -- Monday September 27

2010-09-22T06:21:00.000-07:00

The November 2^nd election will pick a new Governor

But it also contains important local races!?

CEPS (Community for Excellent Public Schools)

and

LEAD (Leadership, Effectiveness, Accountability, Direction for Santa Monica-Malibu Public Schools)

Present

The Education Community’s Candidates Forum

Monday, September 27^th

Santa Monica Main Library • Multi-purpose Room

601 Santa Monica Blvd.

6:00 pm - Santa Monica-Malibu School Board Candidates

7:30 pm - Santa Monica City Council Candidates

· Hear candidates’ views on Education and issues that impact Santa Monica and local schools.

· Ask questions.

· Light refreshments will be served.

· Spanish translation available.

· Free and open to the public.

Questions? Contact Rebecca Kennerly info@excellentpublicschools.org

Emphasis on Community

2010-08-06T08:06:00.000-07:00

For ten years, Community for Excellent Public Schools (CEPS) has advocated on behalf of our local public schools. Not coincidentally, during that time our schools suffered a steady onslaught from the State of California in the form of draconian and withering budget cuts to education.

CEPS’s focus has always been trained on protecting our excellent local schools, but it is no mistake that the first word in our name is “community”. The excellence of our local public schools is felt in every corner of our diverse community, and it takes extraordinary vigilance on the part of every community member to hold together the strained fabric of our high quality public schools.

Those of us who have a history of advocating for public education know that California’s public education finance system leaves districts painfully dependent on Sacramento. We also know that our local schools excel at levels far above state and county averages. In part because of superb teaching and academically rigorous programs, but also in part because of innovative and extremely active community participation, which has not been content to allow the quality of our local schools to whither under relentless State funding raids.

TWO NEW COMMUNITY EFFORTS

The Save Our Schools Campaign (SOS) sprang into action shortly after the Santa Monica Malibu Board of Education was forced to respond to State budget cuts to SMMUSD by making $7.1 million dollars of cuts for the 2010-2011 school year. This is after cuts of $4.5 million for 2009-2010 and an additional $2 million dollars of furloughs, shorting the school year in both of those years. These cuts will have significant impacts in our schools, increasing class sizes, closing libraries, eliminating music education and increasing counselor ratios.

The Santa Monica Malibu Education Foundation, SMMUSD’s district-wide fundraising organization immediately partnered with concerned parents and community members to launch Save Our Schools, a private fundraising campaign to raise as much money as possible to fund some of those cuts and restore class sizes and programs.

The response to SOS has been tremendous, with individuals and businesses from across our district rallying to support this effort. To date, Save Our Schools has raised more than $1 million dollars, with the goal to raise $300,000 more before its August 15th deadline. This will enable 16 of the 60 eliminated positions to be restored, making a significant contribution to relieving class sizes, keeping libraries open, restoring elementary music and saving teacher jobs for the 2010 – 2011 school year.

Within a month of the SOS launch, news came from the City of Santa Monica about a proposed Transactions and Use Tax to go on to November’s ballot. This measure, if passed in November would bring much-needed funds to City coffers to address their structural deficit, also caused by State funding cuts. New proceeds generated by this measure would ultimately benefit all essential city services, and it is exciting for veteran education advocates to hear public education mentioned among those services.

Education advocates and SMMUSD voters have strongly felt that strong schools are vital to strong communities. One can’t flourish if the other withers. And a community in which all of its essential city services are strong and healthy, becomes stronger than the sum of its parts.

The education community is eager to join with City leaders, not only to help pass this much-needed measure, but for years to come. The education community has much to offer and looks forward to continuing to develop a robust and productive collaboration with our City, Police and Fire departments, businesses and neighborhood groups.

Open Letter to Santa Monica City Council and City Manager Expressing CEPS's Support for the City's Transaction Use Tax

2010-07-13T11:26:00.001-07:00

July 13, 2010

Mayor Bobby Shriver

Mayor Pro Tem Pam O’Connor

Councilmember Richard Bloom

Councilmember Gleam Davis

Councilmember Bob Holbrook

Councilmember Kevin KcKeown

Councilmember Terry O’Day

City Manager Rod Gould

Greetings,

I am writing on behalf of Community for Excellent Public Schools (CEPS) regarding the proposed Transactions Use Tax item #8 – B on tonight’s agenda.

As you know, Community for Excellent Public Schools has advocated on behalf of preserving and protecting the excellence of our local public schools for more than a decade. The impetus for CEPS’ initial advocacy was a similar State budget meltdown which threatened draconian cuts.

CEPS has always held the firm conviction that excellence in our local public schools relied on stable, predictable, ongoing local revenues that were not tied to the State of California’s fiscal health.

Our group has operated with the knowledge that strong schools support a strong community, and that the relative health of each greatly impacts the other. As such, the strength of our advocacy has relied on the diversity of our membership, and we have had many robust and healthy discussions around our CEPS meeting table with members from all ends of the political spectrum offering divergent points of view. However, the focus remained stalwart, as all worked together to help protect the gem that are still our local public schools.

That background influenced our July 9^th CEPS Steering Committee meeting at which we discussed, and unanimously affirmed our support for the City’s Transactions Use Tax and companion Advisory Measure.

We feel that these paired measures are forward-thinking and represent an extremely effective method of providing greatly-needed increased revenues for all essential City services. In addition, these measures help advance a closely-held CEPS belief that partnership and collaboration will create new resources for all.

CEPS is delighted to support these measures. In addition, we look forward to working with the campaign committee to help pass them.

CEPS embraces this new collaboration, and will work to carry it forward into the future. We look forward to creating new and increasingly productive partnerships between the education community and all of our city partners – the business community, police, fire, city workers, and community groups. Together, I know we can create new opportunities, new revenue sources and ongoing excellence.

The education community is a strong partner and a good ally. We are eager to get to work with you on this new measure, and continue that creative work well into the future.

Thank you,

Rebecca Kennerly

Chair, Community for Excellent Public Schools (CEPS)

COMMUNITIES RALLY TO SAVE OUR SCHOOLS

2010-07-03T16:17:00.000-07:00

“OPEN DOORS: SAVE OUR SCHOOLS” VIDEO Santa Monica -Malibu parents and renowned actors, Ed Harris and Amy Madigan speak out on behalf of SMMUSD students. In the three short weeks that Save Our Schools has been in existence, a team of determined volunteers led by independent filmmaker Varda Hardy, conceived, produced and completed this film.

“Save Our Schools”, the Santa Monica Malibu Education Foundation led emergency fundraising effort to raise as much money as possible to lower class sizes, save teacher and staff jobs, and protect music, library and counseling programs in Santa Monica and Malibu schools for the next school year announces new partnerships as it enters its third week.

“Thanks to the incredible outpouring of support and volunteer efforts for Save Our Schools, we’re nearly half-way to restoring class sizes in 1^st grade district wide for next year,” says Santa Monica Malibu Education Foundation Executive Director, Linda Gross.

SANTA MONICA FOURTH OF JULY PARADE

The Save Our Schools effort will be represented at the Santa Monica Fourth of July Parade with a Save Our Schools float and more than a hundred education activists marching. SOS volunteers are crafting a life preserver theme for the effort and hope to pass out Save Our Schools materials and collect donations during the parade.

SAVE OUR SCHOOLS AT THE SANTA MONICA FARMERS MARKET AND OTHER LOCAL BUSINESSES

Look for Save our Schools on Wednesdays at the Santa Monica Farmers Market, at Broadway and the 3^rd Street Promenade. In addition, Spruzzo Restaurant and Bar and the Sunset Restaurant and Beach Bar in Malibu, will contribute 10% of purchases to Save Our Schools. Rosti Tuscan Kitchen in Santa Monica will contribute 15% of purchases made on July 6^th, 20^th and August 10^th to Save Our Schools.

FUNDRAISING PROGRESS

Despite school being out for the summer, more than 150 volunteers are working on the Save Our Schools effort, and nearly 500 individual contributions been received to date. Contributions are earmarked for one of three “buckets”; to lower elementary class size, lower secondary class size and hire back counselors, or to restore music and library programs. To date, more than $400,000 has been raised, representing 45% of funds needed to reduce 1^st grade class sizes from 27:1 to 23:1, 16% of funds needed to restore the elementary music program, 13% of funds needed to keep elementary libraries open, 21% to hire back middle and high school counselors, and 3% of funds needed to lower class sizes in grades 6-12.

Access: http://savesantamonicamalibuschools.org/SOSevents.html for ongoing updates and details about Save Our Schools’ generous community partners, and grass-roots events, such as an upcoming multi-family yard sale on July 24^th and bake sales throughout Malibu.

SAVE OUR SCHOOLS Campaign on KCRW's Which Way LA?

2010-06-29T10:59:00.000-07:00

Listen today to the remarkable story about Save Our Schools on KCRW's show, Which Way LA? with Warren Olney, and produced by the remarkable Frances Anderton.

This story not only talks about how the burden of funding core academic programs in California's public schools is being shifted to local communities, but also shines a bright light on the State's failure to provide adequate public education up and down the Golden State.

Listen today -- and then DONATE to the Save Our Schools Campaign! Remember, we only have until August 15th to make a difference in time for September.

LEARN MORE about the Save Our Schools Campaign, including how close the campaign is to restoring lower class sizes at a grade level or library, music and counseling programs.

MON JUN 28, 2010

Teacher layoffs, library closings and elimination of music and other programs have driven parents into the streets, along with their children, to raise money for education. Will private fund-raising be a band-aid in Santa Monica or business as usual for public schools?

Private Sector Steps in to Save Our Schools (7:06PM)

After a school-funding measure barely failed to get the two-thirds required vote last month, the Santa Monica-Malibu School Board cut $7.1 million, eliminated 65 teaching jobs and closed libraries in elementary schools. This weekend, parents and kids set up a lemonade stand on Main Street as part of SOS — the Save Our Schools Campaign.

Guests:

Linda Gross: Executive Director, Santa Monica-Malibu Education Foundation
Tim Shaw: President, Empower/Excel
Jack O'Connell: Superintendent of Public Instruction, State of California

SAVE OUR SCHOOLS Campaign on NPR

2010-06-23T12:56:00.000-07:00

The Santa Monica Malibu Education Foundation's 60-day emergency fundraising effort to help protect class sizes, restore teachers and programs has gone national! Listen to the story about it on NPR -- and then DONATE now.

SAVE OUR SCHOOLS on National Public Radio

Teacher Tenure -- Is Colorado moving in the right direction? Or closer to Arizona?

2010-06-14T07:33:00.000-07:00

California didn't qualify for Race to the Top funds, in part because of not linking teacher job assessments to student success. Colorado took bold steps to do just that, and as a result appears poised to be first in line to receive these funds.

A good move? Here is Saturday's AP story Colorado Grading Teachers

In bold move, Colorado alters teacher tenure rules

By COLLEEN SLEVIN, Associated Press Writer Colleen Slevin, Associated Press Writer Sat Jun 12, 10:58 pm ET

DENVER – Colorado is changing the rules for how teachers earn and keep the sweeping job protections known as tenure, linking student performance to job security despite outcry from teacher unions that have steadfastly defended the system for decades.

Many education reform advocates consider tenure to be one of the biggest obstacles to improving America's schools because it makes removing mediocre or even incompetent teachers difficult.
Colorado's legislature changed tenure rules despite opposition from the state's largest teacher's union, a longtime ally of majority Democrats. Gov. Bill Ritter, also a Democrat, signed the bill into law last month.

It requires teachers to be evaluated annually, with at least half of their rating based on whether their students progressed during the school year. Beginning teachers will have to show they've boosted student achievement for three straight years to earn tenure.

Teachers could lose tenure if their students don't show progress for two consecutive years. Under the old system, teachers simply had to work for three years to gain tenure, the typical wait around the country.

After the bill survived a filibuster attempt and passed a key House vote, Democratic Rep. Nancy Todd, a 25-year teacher who opposed the measure, broke into tears.

"I don't question your motives," an emotional Todd said to the bill's proponents. "But I do want you to hear my heart because my heart is speaking for over 40,000 teachers in the state of Colorado who have been given the message that it is all up to them."

While other states have tried to modify tenure, Colorado's law was the boldest education reform in recent memory, according to Kate Walsh, the president of the Washington-based National Council on Teacher Quality, which promotes changing the way teachers are recruited and retained, including holding tenured teachers accountable with annual reviews.
Walsh thinks Colorado is now at the head of the pack in the second round of the Obama administration's Race to the Top competition, a $4.35 billion pot of stimulus money designed to prod just such changes.

"If I was a betting woman, I would absolutely put Colorado in first place," she said.

Teachers won't be at risk of losing tenure until 2015 because lawmakers slowed down the process under political pressure from the teachers' union. Teachers can appeal dismissal all the way to the state Supreme Court, and school districts have the burden of proving why they should be terminated.
Every state but Wisconsin has some form of tenure. The protections were intended to protect teachers from being fired because of their politics, religion or other arbitrary reasons. But Patrick McGuinn, a political science professor at Drew University who has studied tenure, said they have evolved into virtual employment guarantees.

On average, school districts across the country dismiss 2.1 percent of teachers annually, generally for bad conduct rather than performance.

Colorado's measure is a tribute to the tenacity of freshman Democratic state Sen. Michael Johnston, a former Teach for America teacher, principal and Obama education adviser.

The 35-year-old Harvard- and Yale-trained lawyer was appointed to represent a largely minority Denver district that has seen an influx of more white residents because of redevelopment of the city's former airport. He successfully fought changes to the bill that would have eased expectations for teachers with traditionally low performing students.

"What we're saying is that it matters that every one of those kids will get across the finish line," Johnston said.

Although various states have responded to the lure of federal money by moving to tie teacher evaluations to student performance, no other state specifically changed its tenure laws as Colorado did.

In Louisiana, GOP Gov. Bobby Jindal signed a bill partially grading teachers on student test scores in up to 27 school districts. Tenured teachers would face a revocation of tenure hearing if they repeatedly fail under the law, which was opposed by teachers unions.

A push to eliminate tenure for all new teachers and make it easier to fire teachers in Florida passed the Legislature this year but was vetoed by Republican Gov. Charlie Crist, who is now running for the U.S. Senate as an independent.

Past efforts to change tenure have caused problems for both parties.
In Georgia, Democratic Gov. Roy Barnes lost the support of the teachers' union — and later his office — after pushing to get rid of tenure for new hires in 2000.

California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger tangled with teachers and lost after calling a special election to change tenure rules in 2005. The teachers' union raised dues and amassed $50 million to fight the proposal.

Many teachers and some education experts argue that tenure reform is unnecessary.

Margaret Bobb, an earth science teacher at Denver's East High School, said bad teachers are often quietly coached out of their jobs by administrators, avoiding the protracted tenure dismissal process.

She contends tenure is still needed to prevent good teachers from being dismissed for running afoul of administrators and to prevent experienced — and more expensive — teachers from being let go by cash-strapped districts.

"Education is not just you and your class. It's not an individual activity. If you're doing your best, it's a system you're a part of," Bobb said.
_____
Associated Press writers Randall Chase in Dover, Del., Melinda Deslatte in Baton Rouge, La. and Erik Schelzig in Nashville, Tenn. contributed to this report.

Measure A Failed -- NOW WHAT?

2010-06-09T07:30:00.000-07:00

Seven years ago, the last time the State of California made sweeping and, seemingly arbitrary cuts to education funding, SMMUSD participated in "FROM FIRST TO WORST", a devastating documentary detailing the decline of California's public education system in the wake of Proposition 13 and its draconian 2/3 supermajority requirement for any funding measures.

2003 marked a terrifying time for our Santa Monica Malibu students, who faced sharp declines in the quality of their classroom experience -- class size increases, program elimination, library closures, reductions in nursing and counselor services. A local funding measure in early 2003 failed and a "Hail Mary" measure was run in June, just weeks before the deadline for revenue it might produce to save teacher jobs. At that time more than 100 jobs were on the line. The June measure passed by the slimmest margin imaginable. It took a herculean effort to pass Measure S in 2003, but in the end, it did pass.

Now, in 2010, we face the same crisis. State funding for SMMUSD schools has dropped $10 million per year for each of the last three years. This time, the SMMUSD administration has been in much better financial condition, and was able to weather the storm with $4.5 million dollars in cuts last year, and an additional $7.1 million dollars this year. But the SMMUSD reserves will be exhausted by the end of the 2010-2011 school year, forcing an ADDITIONAL $5 - $6 million dollars of cuts on top of the cuts already implemented.

This year's cuts include dramatically increase class sizes and decrease services to students -- counseling, libraries, security, music, sports.

EMERGENCY SAVE OUR SCHOOLS CAMPAIGN

NO "HAIL MARY" CAMPAIGN FOR 2010 - 2011

Please make a generous contribution to the Education Foundation's Save our Schools Campaign TODAY. Contributions of $1,000 or more will go a long way towards retaining the quality educators who teach in our schools now.

And then, tomorrow, please know, you will be called on again, to help with the next campaign to help preserve and protect the quality education that our Santa Monica Malibu students receive now -- and deserve to receive far into the future.

SAVE OUR SCHOOLS CAMPAIGN

2010-06-02T21:12:00.000-07:00

60 DAYS TO SAVE 60 TEACHERS

Who remembers this poster from the 2003 Measure S Campaign? That was the campaign launched in response to the last time that the State of California slashed education funding, forcing lay-offs and cuts to core programs and services to students. I remember passing that measure by fewer than 200 votes. This time, however, we didn't our local school funding measure. As a result, last Thursday the Santa Monica Malibu Board of Education was forced to respond to State budget cuts with lay-offs, program cuts and class size increases.

The response from our community to the loss of Measure A has been equal to the effort put forward by the more than 1,000 volunteers to pass it. I have heard from neighbors and from parents -- in all areas and at all of our schools calling for a Districtwide Fundraising effort save teachers and protect our schools!

In fact, the Board of Education has also heard those calls and has agreed to allow districtwide fundraising for this purpose to take place through the Santa Monica Malibu Education Foundation. The Santa Monica Malibu Council of PTAs and PTAs from every school have joined forces with the Education Foundation to help make this a reality. Of course, Community for Excellent Public Schools (CEPS) will be actively involved in this effort.

SAVE OUR SCHOOLS ORGANIZING MEETING, MONDAY JUNE 7

Now the hard work begins. Please join us at an organizing meeting for the Save Our Schools campaign. This 60-day campaign hopes to protect class sizes at current levels. In order to do that for next year, we must raise $3.28 million in tax-deductible contributions. Funds must be raised by THE BEGINNING OF AUGUST in order to hire back teachers in time for the start of school in early September!

The details of how we will try to do this will be discussed on Monday at 7pm in the Board Room at the SMMUSD District Offices - 1651 16th Street in Santa Monica. Please come.

We may have lost Measure A, but we are still all members of one of the most dynamic and effective communities anywhere. We can do this if everyone pulls together! Thanks so much for helping lead the charge, and please bring anyone you know to the meeting who wants to help work to Save Our Schools!

Cheers,

Rebecca Soladay Kennerly
Community for Excellent Public Schools (CEPS), Chair

MEASURE A SUPPORT LAGGING

2010-05-26T10:53:00.003-07:00

FROM THE MEASURE A CAMPAIGN

May 26, 2010

Measure A, the parcel tax to fund local schools was trailing at the polls, Tuesday night, forcing education advocates to consider the possibility that Santa Monica and Malibu schools will be forced to make dramatic cuts to core academic programs in the coming school year.

The local school funding measure would help Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District close a budget shortfall caused by unprecedented State cuts. Under California law, it requires a 2/3rds majority to pass.

“I know that parents and students and thousands of Santa Monica and Malibu supporters are anxiously awaiting the count of the remaining votes. While it is clear that the vast majority of voters were willing to invest more in our schools, the 2/3^rd vote requirement looks unreachable at this moment. It is a painful loss for our students and for our community,” said Rochelle Fanali, co-chair of the Measure A campaign. “Despite the loss, we are a community committed to keeping quality public schools a top priority, and we will find another way.”

The Los Angeles County Registrar of Voters has until June 6 to verify and count all outstanding ballots before a final result can be certified.

“The stakes are very high for our schools, our students and our community,” said Shari Davis, president of the Santa Monica-Malibu PTA Council. "Whatever the outcome of Measure A, our commitment to our schools and our students must continue. They deserve nothing less."

“We couldn’t be more grateful to the many volunteers who truly made this a community-wide grass roots effort,” said Fanali.

Measure A brought together one of the largest volunteer efforts ever mustered in a Santa Monica election, with more than 1,000 parents, students, teachers, administrators and concerned residents knocking on doors and making phone calls on behalf of the campaign.

Its official endorsers numbered nearly as many, including most local organizations such as the Santa Monica-Malibu Teachers Association and PTAs, the Santa Monica and Malibu City Councils, SMRR, the Santa Monica Chamber of Commerce, and many neighborhood groups to name just a few of the organizations supporting Measure A.

“The next few weeks will be very difficult for everyone as we consider deep and painful cuts,” said SMMUSD Superintendent Tim Cuneo. “It is important for everyone in our school community and our greater community to know that we are committed to providing every student with the very best education possible. We will be working very hard to live up to that mandate, despite constraints put on us by the State,” Cuneo said.

“In any other state, a 63% majority vote would have signaled an overwhelming victory. California is one of the few states that requires a 2/3rds supermajority for passage of a local school funding measure,” said Harry M. Keiley, president of the Santa Monica-Malibu Classroom Teachers Association. “We are so grateful to our community for their support and are certain that we will soon find a way to work together to help protect students and teachers in all our schools from devastating class size increases and program elimination.”

# # #

Historic Numbers of Teachers Pinkslipped

2010-04-23T11:28:00.000-07:00

"The 2010-11 school term is shaping up as one of the most austere in the last half century," reports Tamar Lewin and Sam Dillon in their April 20th New York Times article, "Districts Warn of Deeper Teacher Cuts". All of this a result of state budget meltdowns across the country.

The Santa Monica Malibu Unified School District is certainly one of those districts facing deep cuts, currently poised reduce its teaching staff by one in eight in response to unprecedented cuts from Sacramento.

Districts across the country are reducing staff, increasing class sizes, cutting programs and shortening their school year. This translates in a quantifiable decrease in the delivery of education to American students. With more cuts on the way, the steady erosion of the quality of education for all American students feels inevitable.

However, we must not -- as parents we can not accept this erosion.

The most tangible way to fight the erosion locally is to volunteer to help pass Measure A, our local school funding measure.

Look for your Measure A ballots in the mail! Make sure to vote and return your ballot right away.

Say No to State Education Cuts

2010-04-17T15:31:00.000-07:00

Community for Excellent Public Schools has been advocating for stable, predictable funding for Santa Monica Malibu schools for ten years. And just when we think we've plugged a hole caused by State budget cuts, Sacramento cuts again.

As long as CEPS has working at its mission, I have never seen a better assessment of Sacramento's commitment to education.

CLICK HERE to see Wonderland Elementary School PTA's incredible production, "Hot for Teachers with Megan Fox". And while you're at it, sign the online petition and call the Governor's office.

2010-04-16T16:55:00.000-07:00

Community for Excellent Public Schools

Our kids are back from Spring Break and the campaign to save our teachers is going strong.

Measure A is critical to protecting our Santa Monica and Malibu Schools!

If Measure A does not pass, we will lose up to 1 in 8 of our great teachers, cut counselors and librarians, close school libraries, increase class sizes, and make cuts to instruction in science, math, reading, writing, art and music programs.

Our students are counting on YOU to help pass Measure A. Volunteer to phone bank TODAY!

Measure A is critical for our local schools and will provide local funding that the State cannot take away.
Measure A will:

Protect instruction in reading, writing, math and science
Minimize teacher layoffs
Keep class sizes as small as possible
Help protect music and art programs
Keep school libraries open
Keep counselors, who help students stay on track and prepare for college and careers

Great schools benefit everyone. Quality schools keep our kids in school, help protect property values and keep our community a safe and desirable place to live.

Measure A is a Special “all-mail” election – your ballot will come in the mail in early May, even if you normally vote at the polls.
We need your help to call voters about Measure A! Phoning is easy and fun. Sign up now for phone banking

For more information about Measure A, click here.

Thank you!
Rebecca Soladay Kennerly
Community for Excellent Public Schools (CEPS), Chair
www.excellentpublicschools.org
Check out CEPS blog: http://excellentpublicschools.blogspot.com/
And look for us on Facebook

Contact Devin Osiri, Campaign Coordinator if you have any questions:
310-654-4933
osiridevin@gmail.com

SAVE OUR TEACHERS! A Message from Shari Davis, President of Santa Monica Malibu Council of PTAs

2010-03-25T06:02:00.000-07:00

Teachers are receiving pink slips and will be laid off -- up to 75 of our 580 great teachers will be gone from our great local schools in Santa Monica and Malibu – unless we pass Measure A!

Please help us prevent devastating teacher layoffs and protect our local schools by volunteering to phone bank for MEASURE A.

Measure A will provide local funding for our schools that the State cannot take away. Measure A will:

Protect instruction in reading, writing, math and science
Minimize teacher layoffs
Keep class sizes as small as possible
Help protect music and art programs
Keep school libraries open
Keep counselors, who help students stay on track and prepare for college and careers

Measure A is a Special “all-mail” election – your ballot will come in the mail in early May, even if you normally vote at the polls.

We can’t pass Measure A without your help!

The phoning is easy and fun: You’ll join other concerned local school supporters. We’ll train you, and we’ll even feed you!

Thanks for pitching in to protect our local schools!

Shari Davis
Santa Monica-Malibu PTA Council President

Click here to help phone bank

Click here to donate to the campaign

Click here to learn more about Measure A at www.savesantamonicamalibuschools.org

Contact Devin Osiri, Campaign Coordinator if you have any questions:
310-654-4933
osiridevin@gmail.com

CEPS Press Release -- Support for Santa Monica Malibu School Funding Measure

2010-03-07T16:39:00.001-08:00

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE –

COMMUNITY FOR EXCELLENT PUBLIC SCHOOLS (CEPS) ENDORSES MEASURE A
THE SANTA MONICA MALIBU SCHOOL FUNDING MEASURE

MARCH 22, 2010 - Community for Excellent Public Schools (CEPS) endorses Measure A, the local school funding measure that will help close the shortfall caused by State budget cuts for Santa Monica-Malibu Schools. “Our local schools are truly special, providing tremendous educational opportunities for all students,” states CEPS Chair Rebecca Kennerly, “It is a tragedy that California’s abdication of its responsibility to public schools jeopardizes our local schools and cities.”

CEPS recognizes that Measure A represents the best opportunity to provide stable local funding that can directly benefit students and go directly into classrooms. All funds will stay in Santa Monica Malibu schools and can’t be taken by Sacramento. Measure A is a local school ballot measure on a special May 25th all-mail election. The measure must be passed by a 2/3rds majority; an extremely high threshold. Santa Monica and Malibu voters have repeatedly affirmed their strong support to protect local public schools by supporting past school funding measures.

On Thursday, March 4th, the Santa Monica Malibu Board of Education responded to State funding cuts by reducing 75 of the district’s 580 teachers. “Our community values public education too much to allow the State’s fiscal crisis to dismantle the high quality of education in our local schools,” continues Kennerly. If passed, Measure A will minimize teacher lay-offs, keep class sizes as small as possible, protect music and arts programs, retain school nurses and counselors, and keep school libraries open.

For more information about CEPS, please log on to www.excellentpublicschools.org, or follow the CEPS blog, http://excellentpublicschools.blogspot.com.

Community for Excellent Public Schools (CEPS) is dedicated to the preservation and betterment of public schools in the Santa Monica -Malibu Unified School District. In order to achieve this goal, we resolve:

To promote a shared community vision for excellence in our public schools that includes early childhood and post-secondary education;
To evaluate and pursue a range of short and long term funding measures through state, city and school district policies and elections;
To identify and support issues that will support education and public schools, including early childhood education, after-school programs, and post-secondary public education;
To increase public awareness of the value and uniqueness of our public schools;
To promote accountability for high quality public education by public institutions and public officials.

Achievement and State Cuts and More Cuts, Oh My!

2010-02-17T12:26:00.000-08:00

The Santa Monica Malibu Unified School District’s budget has dominated the airwaves over the last two weeks. First Superintendent Cuneo held four, extremely well-attended and thoughtful Budget Workshops in late January. On January 30th, the Board of Education held their own Budget Workshop in which it became clear that, while the district cut $4.5 million dollars from its budget last year to address State funding cuts to our schools, those cuts are so severe that the district is now facing an addition $10.4 million dollar reduction for next year. On February 1, the Board of Education took the step to place a $195/year school funding measure on a special May 25 ballot. This amount won’t close the entire gap, but it will protect core programs and staffing levels so that our schools would not suffer a serious, and perhaps irreparable decline in quality. Finally, at tomorrow’s February 18th meeting, the Santa Monica Malibu Board of Education will have to vote on issuing pink slips to 92.2 teacher positions. Again, many of these positions would be saved if the school funding measure passes in May.

Focus on Quality

The story of cuts, for me, both at a long-time public school advocate and as a parent in our wonderful schools, is always one which must be told in concert with the story of the many and varied success that occur in our schools every day. Our local Santa Monica and Malibu schools defy the odds every day by not only sending graduates to some of the most prestigious colleges and universities in the nation (it must be in the water because this early-acceptance season seemed to be particularly stellar), but by providing intensive intervention services, which some have called lifesaving, for struggling students.

Our excellent public schools are rare gems worth protecting. They not only give our kids the tools they need to tackle the complex future that awaits them, but they provide tremendous benefit to our cities. They help maintain property values, attract talented people to our communities, keep kids in schools, and keep our communities safe. The value of our schools is felt throughout our community. Preserving and protecting the quality of our local public schools has been affirmed repeatedly by voters as one of their top priorities.

92.2

Says Harry Keiley, President of Santa Monica Malibu Classroom Teachers Association, “Students are the ultimate losers. This year (09-10), we have 23 fewer classroom teachers - resulting in larger class sizes (Class sizes in California are already some of the largest in nation). The proposed 92 layoffs (does not include the non renewals of Temporary or Probationary teachers) will be catastrophic! Class sizes will be even larger and some classrooms will be so over crowded that student/staff safety will be compromised. Add five furlough days in 2009-10 and 2010-11 and it adds up to fewer teachers, paid less money, working in over crowded classrooms............Like I said ----- our students will be the real losers ---------- Thanks to all in the community for all of your work!”

Indeed, thank you to all in the community for all of the hard work to preserve and protect our local public schools in the face of these devastating State budget cuts.

Anything Scarier Than the School Funding Crisis? – Check out Two Recent Studies on Adolescent Brain Development

2010-01-26T14:33:00.001-08:00

The mission of Community for Excellent Public Schools is to advocate for the protection and preservation of excellent public schools in Santa Monica and Malibu. So, a posting on adolescent brain development doesn’t quite seem to fit the mission. However, every so often something comes along that is so startling that it demands attention. The findings of two unrelated studies, coming out within a week of each other, are just that.

The first was deftly analyzed by The New York Times in a January 20^th article by Tamar Lewin entitled, “If Your Kids Are Awake, They’re Probably Online”. In it, a new Kaiser Family Foundation study found that American kids aged 8 to 18 spend seven and a half hours PER DAY plugged into and consuming media from some sort of electronic device. Even more startling, since most multitask while they’re consuming media, i.e. surf the web while talking on the phone, or texting while listening to music, the actual amount of digital media that is being consumed during those seven and a half hours is closer to 11 hours – each and every day. In short, every waking hour that our kids are not in school, they’re plugged in.

This reminded me of an essay I had written for my then thirteen-year-old son about the importance of doing one thing at a time. It was received with a gesture I have now come to understand as the urban teen-aged anthem -- the requisite blank stare. At least at that time, he was doing only one thing, even if it was mocking his mother. That was the first time I truly felt like a dinosaur.

The second scary story about adolescent brain development came out just five days later. On January 25^th NPR’s Morning Edition aired a touching little story by Michelle Trudeau called “Teen Drinking May Cause Irreversible Brain Damage.” This story reported on a study led by neuroscientist Susan Tapert of the University of California, San Diego in which brain scans of teens who drank heavily were compared with the scans of teens who didn’t. Listen to the story on NPR.

“Tapert's team found damaged nerve tissue in the brains of the teens who drank. The researchers believe this damage negatively affects attention span in boys, and girls' ability to comprehend and interpret visual information,” Trudeau’s story reports. Most startling to me, next to the fact that this damage could be irreversible, is the study’s threshold for how much drinking could cause this potentially irreversible damage to a teen’s brain. The study tested the brains of teen “binge” drinkers – and their definition of “binge?” “They were drinking on average once or twice a month, but when they did drink, it was to a relatively high quantity of at least four or five drinks an occasion," Tapert reported in the article.

A couple of years ago, I was interviewed by ABC News for an article they were doing about “helicopter moms”. You know, the ones who won’t let go. The question was put to me, “Do you really think that kids today face greater dangers than you did when you were growing up?” I answered, “absolutely, yes.” And I still believe that now.

Comments anyone?

And tune in for the next CEPS blog entry, which will report on SMMUSD Superintendent Tim Cuneo’s Budget Reports to the Communities.

Rare Gems needing Protection

2010-01-20T15:51:00.001-08:00

Tonight Superintendent Tim Cuneo makes the first of four addresses to school community members about the difficult SMMUSD must make in order to grapple with a $12 - $15 million dollar deficit over the next 18 months. All of these budget meetings take place at 7pm. Tonight’s takes place at Samohi. Tomorrow’s will be at Malibu High School. On Tuesday, January 26^th he’ll speak at John Adams Middle School and on Wednesday, January 27^th, he’ll be at Lincoln Middle School.

I applaud the Superintendent for taking this difficult news out to the public. With Sacramento hacking off 15% of its funding for schools in the last two years, districts up and down the state have had to increase class sizes, fire employees, close schools and eliminate programs and student support. While SMMUSD reduced its budget by $4.5 million dollars last year, it seems inevitable that more cuts are in our future.

I’m sure that we’ll hear more news at these budget meetings. However, I also hope the Superintendent and the community will take a moment in these difficult times to celebrate some of the many incredible successes in our schools.

There’s a reason that our local schools outperform state and country schools by a wide margin. That reason is commitment and passion for providing each student in our schools with a public education that will prepare him or her for a complicated future. A commitment from educators, staff and administration – and just as powerful a commitment from parents, community leaders and even residents who don’t have children in our schools. Santa Monica and Malibu community members appreciate the powerful contribution to their lives that comes from maintaining the excellence of our local public schools.

Last June I completed a two-year term as President of the Santa Monica Malibu Council of PTAs, and during my tenure, I had the opportunity meet with other PTA Council Presidents throughout the state. Almost immediately I came to understand that our community is special. Its commitment toward protecting our schools is special. I was shocked to meet Presidents in districts whose leadership had responded to state cuts by cutting music and arts programs so long ago that those programs weren't even a distant memory. Here in Santa Monica and Malibu schools, music and arts is alive and well. Rigorous college-bound education is available for all, as well as intervention services – and many more programs.

I believe it’s important during this current funding crisis to remind ourselves and our friends -- at every opportunity -- of the minor miracles that are still possible every day in SMMUSD schools. It would be a shame for any of us to think of any of the many extraordinary programs at Santa Monica and Malibu schools as anything other than very rare gems requiring fierce protection from the ravages of relentless state budget cuts.

Santa Monica Mourns the loss of Mayor Ken Genser, Friend & Education Activist

2010-01-10T15:45:00.000-08:00

Santa Monica Mayor Mayor Ken Genser passed away today at the age of 59. A fourth-generation resident of the city, Mayor Genser was a beloved, much-admired champion for all Santa Monicans.

His work around land use and traffic issues is well known here in his hometown. What might be less known is his strong advocacy in support of our local public schools. Ken Genser understood that excellent public schools are an integral component of a strong, healthy city.

Santa Monica is one of just a few California cities that makes a direct financial contribution to its public schools. When that idea was first floated by Community for Excellent Public Schools, it was met with significant resistance. However, Ken worked with his colleagues to help formalize the City’s support.

Helping forge the agreement to provide stable, predictable local funding for public schools in the face of unstable and shrinking state funding should be considered one of Mayor Genser’s many enduring legacies.

Santa Monica Mayor Pro Tempore Pam O’Connor said of Genser's passing:

"It is with deep sadness that we mourn the loss of our Mayor Ken Genser, an indefatigable champion for quality of life in Santa Monica. Ken distinguished himself with a fierce intellect, passion for progressive social policy and compassion for people. He served the Santa Monica community throughout his lifetime and will be greatly missed."

Louise Jaffe, Santa Monica College Board of Trustees member and former CEPS co-chair says in her Lifelong Learning newsletter, "The local press is writing about Ken’s decades of service to Santa Monica and about his strong role in supporting affordable housing, protecting rent control, and restraining overdevelopment. Ken also proved himself to be a strong supporter and key partner for our public schools. He played a key role in bringing about a new constructive partnership between our schools and our city; our lifelong learning community is stronger because of his leadership.

As a City Council member, Ken was accessible, intelligent, and articulate. He was responsive to public concerns and public opinion and he did his homework thoroughly. He was deliberative and thoughtful and honest and respectful. And he has been one of the most influential City Council members in recent history. Ken’s life has been Santa Monica and Santa Monica reflects his work. He leaves a legacy and a record of service and professionalism; he too will be deeply missed."

For more information about Mayor Genser, please go to www.surfsantamonica.com. Funeral and memorial service arrangements have not yet been announced.

COMMUNITY FOR EXCELLENT PUBLIC SCHOOLS

STATE OF OUR SCHOOLS - from the SM Daily Press

State of Our Schools shows positives, negatives in district

SAVE THE DATE! -- January 30 & 31 State of Our Schools

Best Wishes for a Happy New Year from Community for Excellent Public Schools

Happy Holidays for SMMUSD?

Schools tighten belts, but not too tight

Cuts to K-12 less severe than anticipated

STATE OF OUR SCHOOLS! Save the Date

Shortening the School Year -- What, Again!?

California State PTA supports this important school funding initiative

SMMUSD Districtwide Fundraising vote tonight

A Decade of Community for Excellent Public Schools Advocacy

Celebrate a Year of Advocacy and Partnership

HAPPY BIRTHDAY Y + YY

The Start of a New School Year – and Other New Beginnings

CEPS In the News

NEWS, SANTA MONICA, SCHOOL, EDUCATION, SANTA MONICA-MALIBU SCHOOL DISTRICT (SMMUSD)

Local School Advocates Celebrate Years of Work

POSTED AUG. 8, 2011, 7:37:00 AM

HANNAH HEINEMAN / MIRROR CONTRIBUTOR

Take the CEPS Survey

No Budget, No Election, No Future for California's Schools

California's Budget News Hit Hard Locally

Thoughts about Election Results and the future of Santa Monica Malibu Schools

Propositions Y + YY PASS!

VOTE TODAY to PROTECT Excellent Public Schools

120 Hours to Go -- All Hands on Y+YY Deck

Election Alert! From Community for Excellent Public Schools

EXTRA! CEPS makes endorsements for November 2nd Election

CANDIDATES STATEMENTS for CEPS/LEAD Education Community's Candidates Forum -- Monday September 27

CHRIS BLEY

OSCAR DE LA TORRE

A Leader with a Purpose

A Personal Commitment to Serving our Students

Experienced Leadership You Can Count On

Education Community's Candidates Forum -- Monday September 27

Emphasis on Community

Open Letter to Santa Monica City Council and City Manager Expressing CEPS's Support for the City's Transaction Use Tax

COMMUNITIES RALLY TO SAVE OUR SCHOOLS

SAVE OUR SCHOOLS Campaign on KCRW's Which Way LA?

Private Sector Steps in to Save Our Schools ( mydate=new Date('Mon, 28 Jun 2010 19:06:19 -0700');mydate=fdDateWithOffset(mydate);document.write( mydate.formatDate('g:iA'));7:06PM)

Guests:

SAVE OUR SCHOOLS Campaign on NPR

Teacher Tenure -- Is Colorado moving in the right direction? Or closer to Arizona?

In bold move, Colorado alters teacher tenure rules

Measure A Failed -- NOW WHAT?

SAVE OUR SCHOOLS CAMPAIGN

MEASURE A SUPPORT LAGGING

Historic Numbers of Teachers Pinkslipped

Say No to State Education Cuts

Community for Excellent Public Schools

Our kids are back from Spring Break and the campaign to save our teachers is going strong.

SAVE OUR TEACHERS! A Message from Shari Davis, President of Santa Monica Malibu Council of PTAs

CEPS Press Release -- Support for Santa Monica Malibu School Funding Measure

Achievement and State Cuts and More Cuts, Oh My!

Anything Scarier Than the School Funding Crisis? – Check out Two Recent Studies on Adolescent Brain Development

Rare Gems needing Protection

Santa Monica Mourns the loss of Mayor Ken Genser, Friend & Education Activist

Private Sector Steps in to Save Our Schools (7:06PM)