History of IDEA
Jeannie Oakes, Founder and Former Director
Youth Voice in School Finance
NEW REPORT: Los Angeles' road to A-G for all
Without Dollars and Sense Powerpoint
Past Educational Opportunity Reports
Our education disaster
- 01-25-2010
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Blog by Marina Park/San Francisco Chronicle
As reported in yesterday's Chronicle the recession is hitting kids hard. There's less at school and less at home. The article quotes the recently published California Educational Opportunity Report: "one in four California students lives in poverty and is likely attending a school with reduced funding, larger classes and fewer instructional materials." But what's the solution? The middle class is struggling too. . . The key point in the Report for me is this: "The short term is crucial for the millions of students who can't wait for the economy to improve. They only get one chance to have a high-quality and equal education." I think we are blowing that chance. In their inspiring book, Half the Sky, Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn share a Hawaiian parable about a boy walking along a beach. Thousands of starfish have washed ashore and their chances don't look good. As the boy picks up a starfish and throws it back into the water a man asks - why bother, there are too many for you to possibly make a difference. The boy answers, "It sure made a difference to that one." (more...)
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