Sunroom Desk

Two prior attempts to streamline California’s education bureaucracy focused on eliminating the elected office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. Both times voters defeated the proposals, retaining their right to choose their own advocate.

But the Superintendent has duties that overlap with other, top appointed California officials: the Secretary of Education, State Board of Education, and State Education Department. A state senate subcommittee discussed a possible separation of duties for these policymakers at a hearing in San Diego last week chaired by local State Senator Carol Liu (participants listed below).

The hearing focused on two reports’ recommendations: the 2002 California Master Plan for Education, and the 2007 Governance Committee on Education Excellence findings.

Apart from changes in duties, the only downsizing proposal targeted a second-tier Executive Director and staff for the State Education Board within the Department of Education.

Notes from the discussion:

Paul Warren reported on current responsibilities: The governor, legislature, Superintendent of Public Instruction (SPI), State Board of Education (SBE), Commission on Teacher Credentialing, State Allocation Board, (and the list could go on) all have a say in education policy, the education budget, or other aspects of K-12 administration. There is too much separation between many of these offices and the education system, and too many decision makers. This 1) reduces the transparency of the system, 2) increases the state’s role (at local expense), and 3) increases chances for conflict.

Both the SPI and SBE are responsible for education policy. Dede Alpert commented, “When everybody’s in charge, nobody’s in charge.”

Ted Mitchell commented, “The system is the problem; no piecemeal reforms will work; and any reform must recognize teaching and local leadership with decisions made closest to students. Money should go directly to districts and schools, with the state holding them accountable for results.”

Mitchell criticized current (and conflicting) accountability measures, which focus on both inputs and outputs, “It creates annoyance in the field with too much compliance checking.” He advocated a focus on outputs (results) only.

Mitchell also noted that the SPI has a conflict of interest when the office is both responsible for administering education, has fiscal responsibility, and serves as a public advocate. “What we need most is honest accountability around the outcomes; we should free the SPI from running a department that it is also responsible for evaluating.”

State Senator Gloria Romero (currently a candidate for Superintendent of Public Instruction) praised the proposal to refocus the SPI’s role, and said that the relationship between the SPI and the Secretary of Education would be a key to improving governance. Dede Alpert suggested that the politics and timing for implementing this suggestion were right, as a new SPI would be elected in the coming year, while Mitchell likened the project of changing roles and duties to a “base closing commission – we are not minimizing the politics of this!”

Panel members recommended starting a system of school inspections (later, during public comment, the cost and intrusiveness of this proposal was questioned. The commenter suggested that instead, schools and districts should be required to post all financial, program, and testing data online in one consistent format).

As new chair of the Subcommittee on Educational Governance and Accountability, Senator Liu moderated the discussion and gathered recommendations. Panel members suggested a bipartisan committee charged with improving governance as the first step.

Participants in the subcommittee hearing:

Senator Carol Liu, Chair

Senator Gloria Romero (D-East Los Angeles)

Senator Mark Wyland (R-Carlsbad)

Paul Warren, Legislative Analyst’s Office

Dede Alpert, former legislator and Chair of Joint Committee on the Master Plan for Education

Ted Mitchell, President, State Board of Education and Chair of Governor’s Committee on Education Excellence