Dear Coronado Community,
The positive reputation of Coronado schools has a long reach, and as a military family coming from the East Coast, it was the primary reason we moved here. As a Professor of Education Leadership and Policy, I know the effects of quality teachers and schools on students and the community. The schools in Coronado are high quality, but I hope that our community understands that even outstanding school systems are fragile.
Most of the opinions I’ve read have not addressed the true scope of our challenges. By any measure, the per student expenditure at CUSD is low compared to the rest of the nation. Education Week ranks California 49th in per pupil spending, and CUSD funding is well below the national average according to the U.S. Census Bureau. In our schools, the State budget cuts will translate immediately to a loss of highly regarded teachers and a significant challenge to attracting new teachers. Many teachers have pink slips now and will not return to CUSD unless the bond passes. These include classroom teachers and teachers who provide enrichment and intervention services whose work is essential to meeting the needs of every student. Considerable amounts of research show attracting and retaining quality teachers has the greatest impact on student achievement compared to all other school-level factors.
It is clear to us, the leaders of CUSD are dedicated to sustaining the quality of our schools, despite not having the funds afforded to most other districts in both our state and across the nation. We all benefit from their efforts. We need to do our part to support our educators and sustain our quality schools by saying YES TO PROPOSITION E on the June 3rd ballot.
Michelle Van Lare
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