Agenda - 10-07-2008- 7b - Laserfiche WebLink

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Page 4 of 4 162 the high school in their district. No student should be made to feel that s/he has to acquire an academic degree in order to be a successful, contributing member of society. We need to be sure that we embrace and foster a variety of human competencies and that we pay all of them well for a job well done. This leads us on to examine what is happening in the lower grades. Educators in this county, state, and nation have all been struggling with No Child Left Behind (NCLB) legislation. However with a little scrutiny, I think one will come to realize that the children without mentally or physically handicapping conditions who have been left behind (non-proficient children, as determined by End of Grade Tests) in Orange County, as in other places, almost without exception, come from families who have been left behind. Either they are from families that do not have literate cultural traditions, or they do not have job skills. Some come from families in which substance abuse or other social issues are a problem. Others come from families in which English is not spoken in the home. Instead of laying all of the burden of educating these children at the doorstep of the school, de facto, in the laps of teachers, it is imperative that the challenging issues facing these non-proficient children and their families be addressed by the whole community, not just the schools, in order for real success to be made educationally with the children, .i.e., "failing children," as defined by End of Grade Tests come from "failing" families. What can we do in Orange County to make sure that no family fails? When we can answer that question and act upon it, we will have, with few exceptions, no non- proficient children. I thank you for your consideration of my ideas. Sincerely, Janet Schoendorf 6/6/2008