ZACARIAS GETS TOUGH; POOR-SCHOOLS PLAN INCLUDES ULTIMATUM.

Byline: Sherry Joe Crosby Daily News Staff Writer

Preparing to launch an attack on low achievement, Los Angeles School Superintendent Ruben Zacarias said Wednesday that he will place failing campuses on probation and dismiss or demote ineffective administrators and teachers if they fail to shape up.

In his first concrete proposals to turn around the 100 worst-performing schools, Zacarias said he will provide troubled campuses with after-school programs for students and expanded training for the many inexperienced teachers - and then hold them accountable to produce sharply improved results.

He said basic skills will get a greater emphasis in the classroom and that he will expand the role of mentor teachers in supplying guidance to new staffers.

``After the proper assistance and if improvements are not forthcoming, the ultimate action you have to consider is a personnel change,'' Zacarias said in a lengthy interview at the headquarters of the Los Angeles Unified School District.

It was the toughest talk he has made in his seven months as superintendent and is part of a planned crusade for excellence that he plans to begin carrying out in coming weeks.

For the past several months, Zacarias and Assistant Superintendent and Chief of Staff Dan Austin, have interviewed more than 600 teachers, administrators, staffers and students from 100 schools with low standardized test scores, high dropout rates and poor teacher attendance. In the San Fernando Valley, only a handful of schools made the list.

Zacarias has allowed each school, in consultation with him, to set its own goals of improvement. At the end of the year, he will analyze their progress and determine the next step.

Those who continue their downward slide will be placed on probation, which could lead to the dismissal or demotion of principals and teachers.

``I had them come up with a numerical goal but I will hold them to it,'' Zacarias said. ``I will analyze each school, one by one and I will take the appropriate steps. That could include additional resources to probation for a year. And without question, I will consider staff changes.''

Among the chief complaints of those interviewed by Zacarias were the high number of inexperienced teachers at their schools.

At most failing campuses, 30 percent to 50 percent of teachers had less than two years of classroom experience.

Last year the district hired about 8,000 new teachers, primarily to comply with Gov. Pete Wilson's class size reduction program that calls for 20 students to a teacher in kindergarten through third grade.

The poorly-performing schools have such high numbers of inexperienced teachers because they are located in poor or working-class neighborhoods and have trouble attracting veteran teachers, principals of some of the schools have said.

In an effort to boost teacher training, Zacarias called for more professional development days and backed Wilson's proposal for a longer school year, which would include seven extra days of instruction for students.

``Professional development has to be a top priority for the school system,'' Zacarias said.

Under his plan, new teachers would receive a primer in how to teach the basics to their pupils.

``We need to improve student achievement through the basic subjects of reading, writing and arithmetic,'' he said.

Already Zacarias has begun negotiations with United Teachers Los Angeles to provide more teacher training. He also has doubled the number of mentor teachers to 900 districtwide and decreased their workload from four teachers each to only two teachers each. Mentor teachers are experienced professionals who provide a supportive shoulder to new teachers.

Zacarias also has established $1.5 million in additional funds for textbooks and made available about $7,000 in federal funds to each of the 100 schools to establish after-school programs for those who need remedial help.

``All schools and offices including mine need to improve,'' said Zacarias, adding, ``I'm comfortable that these 100 schools will all show improvement.''