Issue link: http://educator.cta.org/i/882783
'm not slowing down one bit," asserts Tom Torlakson, who is fast approaching his final year as California's superintendent of public instruction. "I'm moving full steam ahead. I'm planning on doing incredible work during the next months. Watch me." ere's been much to watch since this former science teacher, cross-country coach and state legislator was elected to lead the state's public education system in 2010 and again in 2014. Education funding went from a state of emergency to stability. e California Depart- ment of Education put in place the Local Control Funding Formula to provide more funds for vulnerable students. New standards were implemented. e high school graduation rate rose to an all-time high of 80 percent, hitting nearly 95 percent for students in career preparation programs. Prekindergarten programs expanded. e Smarter Balanced assessment system now measures what students know and can do, instead of asking them to fill in the bubbles. Nonetheless, California remains 45th in the nation in per-pupil spending, and public edu- cation advocates are battling billionaires seeking to privatize schools. ere's also financial uncertainty due to a new administration that wants to cut school spending and penalize states and school districts that have declared themselves "sanctuaries." We recently visited with the superintendent in Sacramento, who reflected on his work, the coming year and the state of public schools. " I want to be seen as someone who helped create measurable improvements in student outcomes — and someone who helped create a strong foundation for even greater success that will follow my term in office." A Leader Looks Ahead California's top education official pursues multiple goals in his final year By Sherry Posnick-Goodwin Photos by Scott Buschman I 31 O C T O B E R / N O V E M B E R 2 017 Feature T O M T O R L A K S O N Q&A