There’s Reason to Be Proud of O.C. Schools

Orange County public school students are returning to award-winning schools in record numbers. Almost half a million children will crowd into mostly aging schools, an enrollment increase of 140,000 from a decade ago.

Real estate brokers report that the quality of public schools is the primary concern of prospective home buyers, and the media continue to report astronomical home sales throughout Orange County.

SAT-9 test scores in grades 2 through 11 revealed Orange County students scored at or among the highest in the state in both reading and mathematics. This performance on a nationally normed test is remarkable primarily because some of the material tested was never introduced to the students in the state-adopted curriculum nor in state-approved textbooks. Recently adopted “world-class” standards by the state Board of Education have not yet been supported by textbook purchases or translated into class-by-class and grade-by-grade curriculum guides. Without question, with the addition of appropriate textbooks and curriculum guidelines, our students will once again lead the nation.

Beyond the statewide Field poll that found greater parent-student satisfaction with their schools over the other 57 counties, and supported by Mark Baldassare’s UCI annual demographic survey, there is more evidence of the quality of Orange County schools. Almost 500 public and private elementary schools across the nation were nominated as Blue Ribbon Schools.

Forty-nine California schools won nomination; only 39 met the criteria for site visits, and all were named Blue Ribbon Schools. Six public schools are here in Orange County; the two private schools nominated are also in the county, and both won. Orange County has eight national award-winning Blue Ribbon Schools, more than any other county in California.

Among the award-winning elementary schools are Concordia and Moulton in Capistrano Unified, Fullerton School District’s Laguna Road School, Irvine Unified’s Meadow Park and Westwood Basics Plus and Newport-Mesa Unified’s Lincoln School. Private school award-winners are Heritage Oak in Yorba Linda and Tarbut V’torah Community Day in Irvine.

Our dropout rate of 1.7% is lowest among all but the smallest counties. The recent Safe Schools publication from Sacramento identified our schools as among the safest statewide.

In our 60 high schools, as many as 95% of the graduating class qualify and choose two- and four-year colleges and universities.

For Orange County schools to maintain their quality, hard choices lie ahead for local boards of education and their communities. Boards recognize that good, well-maintained schools attract business and affect the well-being of the community.

The leaders of tomorrow are in our schools today, and they are counting on us to prepare them well for the challenges of the new millennium.