Models of Excellence

With the continuing decline in the educational achievement levels of America’s young students, the recent article about the extraordinary performance of South Bay Union Elementary School District came as a pleasant surprise (“No Easy A’s in Top South Bay Schools,” Nov. 26). With a student population of 68% nonwhite and 57% working poor, the superintendent and his staff observe that their students acquire basic skills in reading and math similar to districts servicing the economically advantaged.

Why should the South Bay schools be, as state schools Supt. Bill Honig suggests, a shining star among the schools in California? Many reasons may be offered, but in all outstanding schools there exists one or more persons connected with the schools that provide leadership with a “vision of excellence.”

In the industrialized world, America’s students perform poorly when contrasted with students of other nations. In order for our level of performance to improve, more leaders in communities and the nation must adopt this “vision of excellence.” This vision must be communicated by business, civic, political and educational leaders with such fervor that the idea becomes a cultural norm.

My commendation goes to South Bay Supt. Philip Grignon. May he be an example for others to follow.

ROBERT A. EVANS JR.

Escondido