It is based on an understanding that effective reform takes time. Districts and schools must be encouraged to take risks, understanding that wrong turns may be made along the way. Change in the master plan should occur only when adequate time and evaluation processes show that change is needed because sufficient progress is not being made. Education must be viewed within a larger context. Finally, in developing the master plan, it is important to recognize that education does not occur in a vacuum, as though schools were isolated from the realities of families, neighborhoods and society as a whole.
Children spend more time in their homes and communities than they do in schools.
In order for students to attain the desired educational outcomes, society must ultimately address the myriad needs of children and their families including such vital elements as health, nutrition, shelter and safety. In particular the needs of children prior to entering kindergarten must be meaningfully addressed. It may be outside the scope of the joint committee s current work to establish a broader policy on youth and families, but we encourage the committee to recognize the impact that social, economic and other influences have on student learning, and to call for a long-term, cohesive framework that coordinates and aligns all state and local programs impacting our youth. 1999 California School Boards Association. All rights reserved.