The Learning Curve, Part I

A Three-Part Series

This is a test you cannot afford to fail:

1. What percentage of the state's mega-billion-dollar general fund goes to education?

2. Why do so many high school seniors think the U.S. fought Russia in World War II?

3. How much of a role should teachers have in determining classroom curriculum?

4. Do parents have any power when it comes to their own children’s education?

5. Why is the rest of the country looking at school reform in San Diego as a bellwether for the future of public education in the United States?

In the next three issues of San Diego Magazine, we’ll answer those questions—and a whole lot more. We’ll also ask our share of questions as we examine the state of public education in our city and region.

As we began laying the groundwork a year ago for a two-part series on education, we wondered if the subject matter was compelling enough to capture and hold the attention of San Diegans through two issues of the magazine. After we started digging, we decided the answer was yes—and we expanded our series from two parts to three.

Even if you don’t have a school-age child or grandchild, the answer to the first question ought to grab you: Some 35 percent of California’s $75 billion general fund budget goes to public education. That’s the highest dollar figure—and highest percentage of taxpayer dollars—devoted to education in any state in the U.S. Moreover, approximately 80 percent of a school district’s budget goes for wages and benefits. Yet our annual per capita spending on students ranks only 33rd among all states. And there is no solid mechanism to track the quality of the end product—student graduates.

Education gets the biggest share of the state budget in a state that has the fifth-largest economy in the world. California taxpayers are the shareholders. And yet most of us have little understanding of the business of education and rarely show real interest in product development. Are we getting what we pay for?

This month, our package of stories will concentrate on the politics of education in San Diego. It’s all about power. The package includes a detailed look at the ongoing struggle between teachers and the San Diego Unified School District over Superintendent Alan Bersin’s controversial reforms, dubbed the Blueprint for Student Success. Jonathan Freedman chronicles the previously untold story of the shuttle diplomacy that went on behind the scenes as the reform was first being implemented. Thomas K. Arnold succinctly captures the burning issues in other county school districts. We look at the fiery recent history of the divided San Diego city school board and the future of school boards in general. Dan Walters cleanly navigates the murky waters of public school financing. Len Novarro explores the divisive politics of race in education.

In Part Two, in March, we’ll focus on performance. We’ll feature an easy-to-comprehend analysis of state test scores; a look at what kids think of their own education; a contrasting view of a veteran teacher and a rookie; a story on public versus private schools; a look at parental involvement; and an analysis of what’s being done to prepare our children for the workplace. We’ll also get a teacher’s side of the story in an in-depth interview with San Diego city schools teacher of the year Maureen Nolan. And we’ll have Jonathan Freedman’s insider look at Blueprint progress in “Angel’s Story,” the chronicle of a crack baby and her struggle to learn to read.

In April’s Part Three, the series examines the possibilities for education in San Diego—the myriad progressive educational programs and teaching techniques in schools across our region that are leading the way to a new era in public instruction.

The story of education in San Diego is a story of money, and power, and clashing egos. It’s a tale of class struggle, politics and race. Is it compelling enough to hold our attention? For the sake of all of us, it must be.

—Tom Blair

Editor:
Tom Blair

The Writers:
Margie Craig Farnsworth
A contributing editor at San Diego Magazine, Farnsworth has written extensively on education issues over the past 25 years. She is co-editor of this series on education.

Jonathan Freedman
A Pulitzer Prize–winning reporter, Freedman has authored several books and is currently at work on a book about educational reform in San Diego.

Dan Walters
Syndicated columnist Walters is the award-winning capitol correspondent for The Sacramento Bee.

Thomas K. Arnold
Editor of Video Store magazine and a veteran San Diego freelance writer, Arnold has been a contributor to San Diego Magazine for more than 20 years.

Leonard Novarro
A longtime freelance writer, Novarro is editor and copublisher of Asia: The Journal of Culture and Commerce.

This series is made possible through the support of lead underwriters SBC and The Workforce Partnership and contributing underwriter SDG&E, a Sempra Energy Utility.

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