State senator, district president vie for superintendent position

Next week, voters will choose whether a veteran legislator or
the president of Anaheim’s school board will oversee
California’s K-12 school system for the next four years and
sit on the UC Board of Regents.

While the candidates for State Superintendent of Public
Instruction differ on their ideas for K-12 education, both said
state universities must train more teachers. However, they disagree
on what the nature of that training should be.

Both state Senator Jack O’Connell, D-San Luis Obispo, and
Katherine Smith, president of the Anaheim Union High School
District Board of Trustees, said they would use the position of
superintendent to try and improve how the university trains
teachers.

Primary schools and public universities are expecting a teacher
shortage over the next ten years, and O’Connell said the
university will need to produce more teachers to meet the
demand.

But Smith wants to focus on how the university instructs
teachers, not on how many future teachers they instruct.

She wants teachers to focus on passing on the fundamentals
““ reading, writing and math ““ which are needed before
students can learn advanced concepts, she said.

“You need to have someone that serves on Board of Regents
that has some sensibility,” Smith said. “You have to go
back to the tried and true.”

O’Connell criticized this philosophy as “moving
backward” and said students also need to know how to analyze
and evaluate what they learn.

“I don’t think we want to move the clock back 40
years,” O’Connell said.

For O’Connell, to be successful in his main goal ““
expanding class size reduction to as many grades as possible
““ he will need the state’s universities to train more
teachers.

O’Connell sponsored the original state bill to reduce the
size of all classes through third grade to 20 students at most.

Expanding the program would require the state to find more
teachers and classrooms at a time when there are shortages of
both.

It would also cost the state $1 billion, Smith said.

Because of the cost, O’Connell said he would wait for the
state’s economy to recover before implementing further class
size reduction in as many grades as possible.

Whoever is elected superintendent will not be able to meet any
of their goals working alone. The winner will need to work closely
with the governor and the legislature to get things done.

The two candidates are seeking to replace current superintendent
Delaine Eastin, who is being forced out of office because of term
limits.

The position has weakened during Eastin’s term and many
observers ““ including Smith ““ expect the position to be
diminished even more in the future.

Having served 20 years in the state legislature and sitting on
both the Assembly and Senate education committees, O’Connell
said he has the experience to be effective immediately.

But Smith has attacked O’Connell’s record, claiming
he is only in the race because he cannot run for the state Senate
again due to term limits.

She also criticized his work in paving the way for the
state’s high-stakes high school exit exams, saying, “I
think kids are being overtested. We are spending so much precious
time teaching to the test.”

Not all of her recommendations are based on the curriculum,
however.

While on Anaheim’s school board, Smith instituted a
mandatory moment of silence for all students after the Pledge of
Allegiance.

This is intended to improve students’ behavior and make
them ready to learn, she said.

The campaign has been one of contrasting styles and behaviors,
showing party lines even though superintendent is technically a
non-partisan office.

O’Connell has raised over $5.1 million for his campaign
““ more money than any previous candidate for the position
““ and he receives strong support from teacher’s unions
and Eastin.

Smith, who has received the endorsement of most Republicans, has
only raised around $138,000. She said that unlike O’Connell
she would not accept money from teacher’s unions, who
represent the status quo in education.

While O’Connell will likely use more advertising in the
final week of the campaign, Smith is relying on a grassroots
campaign to get her message out to voters.

“If people see the value of what you are talking about and
reason for your goals, they will vote for you,” Smith
said.

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