Local Educator Joins Cal State Board
Whether discussing budgets in the governor’s office or negotiating with a high school principal, Alice Petrossian is rarely without her most distinguishing fashion accessory.
It’s a pin that reads “Children First,” a gift from colleagues in recognition of her work in education.
Petrossian, who came to America from Armenia as a child, now can add an appointment to the California State University Board of Trustees to a list of state board memberships for curriculum, bilingual education and community colleges.
The position means that Petrossian will have a central role in one of the more controversial education issues today: teaching teachers. California’s teachers this year ranked near the bottom of a national survey on preparedness.
“We have a qualified teaching force,” said Petrossian. “But teacher-training programs should take more time.” She supports longer teacher training and pre-service and in-service training.
“Teacher preparation does not end with the end of the credentialing year. After all, how many years does it take to become a doctor? Ten. How many years for a teacher? Just one.
“And teachers do as much for children as any surgeon.”
The Cal State system produces the majority of credentialed teachers in the state, so the appointment should allow Petrossian room to effect change.
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By all accounts, the 50-year-old is tireless. For the past six years, the mother of two has used vacation time from her job in Intercultural Education with the Glendale Unified School District to chair meetings of California’s Community College Board and Assn. of Administrators of State and Federal Programs. She has gone back to the University of Southern California to get her PhD in education policy and organization.
The daughter of a high school principal and military man, Petrossian moved to California from Armenia at age 9. Her immigrant roots, she said, have helped make her especially receptive to the importance of English proficiency in schools. She has become an avid supporter of bilingual education.
She opposes the Unz initiative, which comes to a vote in June, and would place 1.38 million of California’s limited-English-speaking students in a strict English-only classroom setting. The students would be placed in regular classes after 180 days.
Petrossian believes the approach does not address the individual needs of children.
“When it comes to language acquisition, I don’t believe there should be laws on what exactly is done in every single classroom,” she said. “It has to be what’s best for the child and it’s not the same for each one.”
Wilson’s office had high praise for the new appointee. “Whatever controversial matters that have arisen over the course of the tenure of service, Alice has always done a very competent, capable and savvy job. She is known as a leader throughout California,” said Julia Justice, appointments secretary for the governor’s office.
Petrossian came to Glendale Unified in 1987 and was given the task of creating a new division that would accommodate the city’s changing population of students. She now claims many supporters.
“Glendale has gone through a transition for the past 20 years,” said Glendale Mayor Larry Zarian. “I can’t overemphasize the importance now of how the schools have coped with a change in demographics. She has worked to get some of these differences resolved.”
Petrossian helped develop a special center that offers information in 11 languages in answer to questions from non-English speaking parents about the district.
She has also helped win millions in grant money for gifted and talented education, special-needs students, reading programs and after-school homework clinics.
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Petrossian has shown the same commitment to higher education, particularly community colleges. She has advocated for easier transfer mechanisms between the city and state colleges.
Last year, she pushed for changes in the community college system to use general funding to provide students on welfare with day care, health services and more flexible hours.
New state laws reforming welfare meant that the community colleges stood to lose thousands of students who had to fulfill work requirements and find alternative services. “Ten percent of city colleges students have been part of public assistance,” said Petrossian. Access to child and health care through the colleges, along with the addition of weekend and evening schedules, allowed many of those students to continue their education.
As a member of the Commission on Education Standards, Petrossian criticized the Board of Education’s approval of certain standards that the public did not have an opportunity to discuss.
She also fought against a proposed education initiative that sought to eliminate bilingual requirements.
“When she speaks, you recognize the stature with which legislators hold her opinion. She speaks the truth and they know she does,” said Sherry Salvi Leonard, an administrative director of the Lodi Unified School District.
Petrossian said she expects to have a great deal more to contribute on the Cal State Board, affecting decisions on teaching standards and all levels of education. “I know that it’s an important post and I look at it as a continuation of my service.
“I’m a product of the Cal State system,” said Petrossian, who did her undergraduate work at Cal State Hayward and her graduate work at Cal State Los Angeles.
It was there that she developed her skills as an educator, though her choice of education as a career had been made long ago.
“I’ve always wanted to be a teacher,” she said. “I don’t know that I’ve had any other calling.”
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