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Van de Kamp Proposes Fellowships to Lure Teachers

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TIMES POLITICAL WRITER

In an effort “to make California schools the best in the world,” California Democratic gubernatorial candidate John K. Van de Kamp on Monday proposed the creation of 4,000 annual fellowships for students and others who want to become teachers.

Calling for a California teacher corps, Atty. Gen. Van de Kamp said in a speech to the education department at UCLA, “I propose that we pay the full cost of up to two years of college plus a year of graduate work toward teacher certification.

“Up to 4,000 fellowships would be awarded in each of the next five years, and they could be used at any college or university in California. But they would be limited to the full amount of tuition, fees, books, room and board and reasonable subsistence expenses based on California State University campus costs of roughly $7,000 to $8,000 a year.”

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All of this would cost $80 million a year, Van de Kamp estimated, and he would raise the money by imposing a sales tax on candy, which, like other foods, is now exempt.

“In the end,” Van de Kamp said, “we have to ask ourselves what’s more important to our children: An extra Mars bar or a teacher who can show them how to find the planet Mars?”

Van de Kamp’s education proposal is the second in a week by a California gubernatorial candidate. Earlier, U.S. Sen. Pete Wilson, seeking the GOP nomination, promised that he would appoint a Cabinet-level official to help coordinate local social services with the public school system.

State Supt. of Public Instruction Bill Honig said in a telephone interview that Van de Kamp consulted him before the speech and added, “This is a good idea. He is on the right track if we are going to attract very good people to pull off this (education) reform movement.”

One requirement for the grants Van de Kamp is proposing would be academic excellence. Still to be worked out is whether financial need would also be a criterion.

“In the end,” Van de Kamp said, “we (must) make the teaching profession what it deserves to be--a career that is highly esteemed . . . the kind of career that our finest students will naturally aspire to.”

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Students receiving the grants would be required to teach in the state from two to five years, depending on the size of their grants.

This year California awarded 78,000 grants to college-level students, according to the State Student Aid Commission, which administers the grants. The $168-million cost comes out of the state’s general fund. But these students can study anything they want, and the grants generally cover only tuition and fees.

Van de Kamp’s idea is different in that it would single out students who want to become teachers. And the stipend of $7,000 to $8,000 a year would help cover living costs as well.

“I have all kinds of professionals, bright people, say to me they would love to switch to teaching if they could get a financial break. Well, this idea would appeal to them,” Honig said.

Referring to Wilson’s aim to coordinate social services and mental health counseling with the public school system, Honig said, “Both of these candidates are offering excellent ideas.”

Van de Kamp also praised Wilson’s idea, which the senator believes would reduce the problems of violence and drug abuse in the schools by helping youngsters with home-life stress.

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“I think Mr. Wilson’s idea sounds great,” Van de Kamp said. “What is needed is to get all of the particulars in place.”

Wilson has not yet proposed a way to pay for the coordination of social services with public education or for the $1,200 a year in prenatal care that he believes every California mother should have.

But Van de Kamp acknowledged that his proposed tax on candy will face tough going in the Legislature, where similar attempts have been defeated over the last 20 years.

Russ Albers, president of Herman Goelitz Candy Co. of Fairfield and a leading spokesman for the industry, said Monday: “If you are going to tax us, then also tax the other things made from the same ingredients, such as ice cream and bakery goods. It is not fair to single us out.”

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