Issue link: http://educator.cta.org/i/1035650
T O M T O R L A K S O N is finishing his final term as California's State Superintendent of Public Instruction. As he looks back at the progress made in education during his tenure, he is thankful for educators' help and optimistic about the future. We've come a long way together. Eight years ago we faced devastating budget cuts, program reductions and the elimina- tion, either through layoffs or attrition, of about 30,000 teaching positions. Morale in our schools was in free fall. Now, California is in the middle of an educational transformation , with increased funding, more resources to those with the greatest needs, higher academic standards, online testing, and a new accountability system that consid- ers more than a single test. In addition, the public has trusted our education system enough to vote state- wide three times in six years to increase our public investment, and is willing to do more. Teachers working with me and the education team in California have helped make positive change for our students. As a teacher and former coach, I am a firm believer in TEAM — Together Everyone Accomplishes More. The work by the Superintendent of Public Instruction — and by extension, all of you — can be felt in schools and c o l l e ge s a c r o ss C a li f o r n i a , w h i c h i s why this November's election is so crit- ical. It's vitally important that you elect a champion for all students and support a candidate who will listen to the experts — California educators. Yo u r v o i c e a n d e x p e r t i s e h a v e b e e n i n v a l u a b l e t o m e . I n C a l i f o r - nia, we have a strong education team POSITIVE CHANGE TOM TORLAKSON'S TEAMWORK WITH EDUCATORS MADE "THE CALIFORNIA WAY" A NATIONAL MODEL By Tom Torlakson — administrators, classified employees, parents, the governor, legislators, com- munity and business leaders. But perhaps the strongest, most inspiring members of our team are teachers, who work directly with our students, especially the mem- bers and leaders of CTA, including my good friend and fellow teacher, CTA Pres- ident Eric Heins. During the great recession, teachers endured layoffs, and lived with the con- stant threat of layoffs. ey did without pay raises and endured unfounded criti- cism and teacher bashing from so-called school "reformers." But you did not quit. You did not give up. Instead, you worked extra hard to teach your students and to seek political solutions. Memb ers of C TA w ere w ith m e on the campaign trail, knocking on doors, m a k i n g c a l l s , a n d t e l l i n g v o t e r s t o invest in our students and our future. Voters listened, passing Proposition 30 in 2012, and again in 2016 by passing Proposition 55, which extended the tax i n c re a s e o n h i g h e r - i n c o m e e a r n e r s , and will raise between $4 billion and $9 billion a year. In 2016, v ot ers al so approved P rop o sition 51, w hich sets aside $9 billion to renovate and upgrade California's schools.Teachers welcomed changes that help students, such as: • th e hi stor y/so cial science fram e- w ork th at c el ebrat e s C ali for ni a's diversity and the contributions and challenges faced by the disabled, the LGBT community and other groups and individuals who might have been overlooked in the past; • Next Generation Science Standards that integrate science with engineer- ing and teach students how to act like a scientist; • Common Core, which emphasizes critical thinking, communications Continued on page 46 45 O C T O B E R / N O V E M B E R 2 018