Los Angeles and the state of California have never faced a more serious challenge regarding our education system. With our flat global economy, the success of our students has never been more important. Dramatic improvements to our education system must be made.
Last century, the United States had the highest college enrollment rate in the world, but by 2008 our standing had fallen to No. 16. Here in California, for the first time in our history, the current generation is expected to be less educated than its predecessor. Major cutbacks signaled this week in Gov. Jerry Brown’s budget add to the challenges local school officials face. This collection of issues calls for outstanding leadership. The Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) Board of Education displayed that leadership this morning when it announced its decision to select John Deasy as the district’s next superintendent.
The L.A. Area Chamber applauded the Board when it made the appointment of Ramon C. Cortines two years ago. That was the first step toward turning LAUSD around. Since then, Cortines has laid a solid foundation for success — a foundation that will enable his successor to make continued progress toward ensuring that all L.A. students can compete in a 21st century economy. Cortines has done an outstanding job of developing public school choice —a tiered school accountability system that manages competition by selecting qualified and effective internal and external school operators to lead new schools and persistently low-achieving schools. No other urban school district in the nation has embarked on a system as robust for turning around its low-achieving schools.
To some, this decision to hire John Deasy may seem like it’s come without the conventional process. However, a seven-month interview process began last summer when Superintendent Cortines recommended to the Board that Deasy join his team as deputy superintendent.
With experience as superintendent in Santa Monica and Prince George’s County Public Schools in Maryland, and his work as a top executive in the education program at the Gates Foundation, Deasy was considered a top candidate for superintendent of the largest urban school districts across the United States. He agreed to come to LAUSD as a deputy superintendent and work under Cortines before winning final approval by the Board. Working in the very circumstances he will face as superintendent, Deasy has shown himself to be a collaborative team builder with the courage, determination and spirit needed to face our historic challenges.
At the L.A. Area Chamber we have had the opportunity to work with Deasy first-hand through our joint advocacy of the L.A. Compact. In his first week, Deasy demonstrated his strength as a leader as he traveled to Sacramento to advocate for State Board of Education approval for School Improvement Grant Federal Funds. This effort resulted in an additional $50 million to LAUSD.
As deputy superintendent, he is leading a robust process to retool the district’s entire evaluation and professional development system for teachers, principals and staff. He has a sense of urgency, a clear vision and well-grounded strategies for improvement, combined with a solid grasp of the magnitude of the district’s challenges and the direction Cortines has set.
We commend the leadership of Superintendent Cortines and the LAUSD Board and encourage all Angelenos to rally around John Deasy when he assumes his new role in April. The students of Los Angeles need a village of support.