SOUNDING OFF:

The issue is the education of our kids, for nearly 30% of them have failed grade-level tests. Here is how I see it.

We rank 48th in the nation while spending more than $11,800 per year for each K-12 child (one of the highest of all 50 states). Meanwhile, private schools generally charge less than those in our district and have scores one or two grades above grade level. Continuous increases of funds for many decades have not returned performance at the classroom at sufficient levels. California sets the ranking through its own established test, and it also largely controls the curriculum. Without these tests, the public would not know that their kids are not at grade level.

A high school diploma only reflects an achievement at the ninth-grade level, not 12th, since that is the threshold. Yet we still get graduates who fail the outgoing test — why?

English as a second language (ESL) is a farce. Extra funds go the districts for the programs based on the number of students. Bonus pay goes to the ESL teachers. Some districts hold the pupils in the program despite parent protests. Immersion is not used because it is the most rapid and effective means to mainstream ESL pupils. In total, it is in the financial interest of the districts and teachers to hold students in the program and brings into question their motives. Most importantly, it ill serves the long-term needs of the student.

I am the proud product of California’s public school system. Both of my children (English-only speakers) were forced into immersion while attending grade school in France when I was given a foreign assignment. They entered the French education system that does not believe in coddling foreign families. My kids became fully fluent and productive within the first six months. My daughter today is an accredited grade school teacher and like her peers sends both of her children to private schools because of the dismal record in the public school system. We have six other members of the family who have or are working in the public school system. And so, I am fully versed in the excuses given for non-performance. I agree that progress has been made. I offer the following to reach 100% grade-level performance:

 Do not accept ESL program funds. It encourages perpetual non-performance.

 Establish schools for troublemakers staffed with high ratio and training to socialize the kids. This removes a major problem within the classroom and increases the pace to one that nearly eliminates boredom. Carrying disruptive kids in the regular class punishes those who are willing to learn and degrades the effectiveness of the teacher.

 Demand that performance at grade level is the only way to move to the next grade. Keep in mind that the state’s benchmarks are lower than national norms. Offering summer school and tutors to help is a must but result is non-negotiable.

 Do not force the “mainstreaming” of special-needs children without the expressed written approval of their parents. These children often require a unique environment to thrive followed by a slow introduction to socialization based on learned skills. Public schools repeatedly adopted trendy programs without full study of the long-term effects, and I view the rush to mainstream is just one of them. I do recall that it was a result of one parent’s lawsuit for their child but it is a not proper mandate for all students. Thus, the district policy should be changed.

 Establish college prep as the goal for more than 90% of the students. The goal should be to eliminate the need for colleges to demand bonehead classes to help the high school graduates unprepared for college-level work. Global competition has escalated to one that requires more college graduates with each passing decade. Much of the outsourcing has gone to foreign nationals on visas. The report card for each high school should include the percentage of college-bound graduates.

 Place non-college bound students into trade school prep and/or skills classes to fast track them into the work force including time for internship during high school.

 Bar gang recruitment activities. This means attire, signs, language and mindset. Gangs have moved from middle school to elementary in recent years.

 Adopt a voucher system. Some parents actually do know more about the needs of their kids than the school system machine. Our kids are forced customers and it has proven to be a poor method of preparing them for the future.

As an aside, the special needs program has the same potential for corruption as ESL but has not reached that point. So care should be maintained in this area.

I sincerely hope that this helps the districts. It is so important to future generations.

ROD KUNISHIGE is a Huntington Beach resident.