As a retired educator who has spent 20 years teaching in Santa Clarita elementary schools and have been training teachers for the past 13 years working across all types of schools — charter, private and public — I have seen firsthand what works and what doesn’t when it comes to supporting teachers and students. I understand the benefits of charter schools: for many families, they offer flexibility or a unique approach that better fits their child’s learning style. Some charter schools are doing great work. But I have seen great differences from charter to charter when it comes to standards, oversight and accountability. That’s what Assembly Bill 84 (authored by Assembly members Robert Garcia, D-Rancho Cucamonga, and Al Muratsuchi, D-Los Angeles) really tries to address by ensuring all schools have those basic elements and lifting the standards of any falling behind. When we as Californians invest in students with our tax dollars, it truly is the appropriate role of state legislators to set policy that ensures the students truly benefit from those investments.
That’s why I support AB 84, and I appreciate all of the work Assemblywoman Pilar Schiavo, D-Chatsworth, did to listen to constituents’ concerns with the bill, fight for needed improvements to the bill that protect charter funding and the wide array of educators, and create a better bill that works for all families. This bill ensures that all schools receiving public funds meet the basic standard of transparency, accountability and student support. If we want every child in California to have access to high-quality education that meets the needs of every student, we need to make sure public dollars are being used responsibly, and that teachers have the tools and support they need to help kids succeed.
Juliana Sheldon
Valencia
