ROMER MAKES REFORM PITCH L.A. SCHOOLS BOSS ADDRESSES VALLEY BUSINESS LEADERS.Byline: Dana Bartholomew Staff Writer SHERMAN OAKS - Los Angeles schools Superintendent Roy Romer Roy R. Romer (born October 31, 1928 in Garden City, Kansas, United States) was the 39th governor of Colorado and served as the superintendent of the Los Angeles Unified School District from 2001 to 2006. outlined his reform effort Friday before San Fernando Valley San Fernando Valley Valley, southern California, U.S. Northwest of central Los Angeles, the valley is bounded by the San Gabriel, Santa Susana, and Santa Monica mountains and the Simi Hills. business leaders eager for a district turnaround. Romer, the ex-Colorado governor turned head of the Los Angeles Unified School District The Los Angeles Unified School District (the "LAUSD") is the largest (in terms of number of students) public school system in California and the second-largest in the United States. Only the New York City Department of Education has a larger student population. , said everything is under scrutiny when it comes to his five-year plan Five-Year Plan, Soviet economic practice of planning to augment agricultural and industrial output by designated quotas for a limited period of usually five years. for reforming city schools. Tops on his list are student reading and writing skills, followed by math, teacher development and adequate classroom space. ``Let's get to the heart of the matter - why am I out here?'' Romer rhetorically asked a lunch meeting of the Valley Industry and Commerce Association at the Radisson Hotel. ``I care deeply about education - and I like tasks with a challenge,'' he said. Romer's passionate speech was well received by VICA VICA Vocational Industrial Clubs of America VICA Video Conferencing Alliance (UK) VICA Vocational Industrial Chapters of America VICA Vision Counsel of America members, with one caveat for the superintendent - the threat of breaking up the district. ``I was very impressed,'' said VICA Chairman-elect Fred Gaines. ``But proof is in the pudding. We in the Valley want to see results - the longer we go forward without results, the support builds for alternatives.'' To boost teacher performance - and student test scores - Romer announced he will send 850 coaches into classrooms across the district to guide instruction. Standards will be emphasized, and clear instruction will be given on how to meet them. ``The heart of the matter is our children aren't learning, because they aren't getting expert instruction,'' he said. ``All children can learn.'' To relieve overcrowding overcrowding overcrowding of animal accommodation. Many countries now publish codes of practice which define what the appropriate volumetric allowances should be for each species of animal when they are housed indoors. Breaches of these codes is overcrowding. and provide more space for learning, Romer reiterated plans to build 123 schools - including 14 in the Valley, plus the expansion of 10 other Valley schools - despite red tape and a lack of funds. He also said reviving the infamous Belmont Learning Center This Belmont Learning Center contains information about a building currently under construction. It may contain information of a speculative nature, and the content may change dramatically as construction progresses and new information becomes available. was not only critical for downtown overcrowding in providing 4,000 badly needed desks, but to Valley schools as well. ``I think it's absolutely not in the interest of this Valley that we kill Belmont,'' Romer said. ``If we don't build Belmont, 4,000 of those kids will be overcrowding your schools. If we do build Belmont, 4,000 of those kids are not going to be bused up here and you'll have fewer schools going multitrack mul·ti·track adj. 1. Having, using, or produced with multiple recording tracks: a multitrack tape recorder. 2. .'' ``If I lived in the Valley, I'd be hoopin' and hollerin': Build that school.'' |
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