Improvement needs to start at the schools

We have often pondered what the Westside of Costa Mesa would look

like in the future -- vibrant shopping centers, streets with medians

and trees, well-kept homes and clean parks with the sounds of

children laughing.

And we know that those who call themselves improvers have a

similar vision.

But what cannot be left out of that equation as the “improved”

Westside of the future emerges are schools that regularly perform in

the top percent of the state.

Which brings us back to the here and now.

Last week, the state released its API testing results, and once

again, Newport-Mesa Unified School District had bittersweet results.

On the sweet side, 18 schools posted rankings that were the same

as before, and four schools, College Park, Paularino and Woodland

elementary and Orange Coast Middle College High School, saw their

rankings improve over last year.

And seven of those 18 schools that remained the same, stayed at a

10 ranking, the highest in the state.

As for the bitter, seven schools experienced a drop in rankings,

with four in the heart of the Westside -- Wilson, Whittier, Pomona

elementary and Estancia High School -- at or near the bottom of the

statewide rankings.

Newport Harbor High also dropped, as did Adams and California.

We acknowledge that there have been serious efforts to improve the

rankings at these schools. Notable are reading programs and the

efforts of such people as Sharon Blakely, the principal at Whittier

Elementary, who has instituted reading programs for immigrant,

non-English speaking children and their parents.

And the Westside schools face a daunting challenge. A large

portion of the school population consists of Spanish-speaking

children who have little or no literacy.

Many have parents who live nomadic lives, traveling from job to

job, city to city, giving the children little chance to gain any

academic momentum.

Still, we can’t help but pine for the future. We long for a time

when Costa Mesa’s schools will be on par with schools like Andersen,

Eastbluff, Lincoln, Harbor View, Mariners, Newport Coast and Corona

del Mar High, which all hold the top state ranking.

So we lay down a challenge: To those who have cast themselves in

the roles of improvers of Costa Mesa, we say, take the battle to the

school grounds.

Instead of spending energy trying to close down the Job Center and

local charities, we urge those improvers to focus on the classroom

and find a way to improve the academics at Westside schools.

Perhaps to set the example, Councilmen Chris Steel and Allan

Mansoor could volunteer for the successful Reading by 9 program.

Either way, the Westside and those members of its improvement

movement have done much to call attention to their plight. And for

that, they will most likely reap the benefits of a better community.

We just want to make sure the schools don’t get left behind.