Fixing Schools Together

Fixing Schools Together Fixing Schools Together

SAC CITY UNIFIED NEEDS COMMUNITY’S HELP TO IMPROVE

BY CYD JAGHORY

As a new school year begins, it’s time for Sacramento City Unifi ed parents, administrators, teachers and staff to think big about how we can revitalize and improve our schools.

No community can thrive without great schools. After years of fi nancial uncertainty and labor disputes, the moment has arrived for Sac City Unifi ed to invite the community to help solve its problems and build a school district that’s healthy and prosperous for the long term.

If we miss this opportunity, we will face the same disruptions, inequities and outrages that have characterized Sac City Unifi ed for the past decade. We can build a best-practice school system, a California leader, but only if we work together.

Sacramento is home to experts in virtually every fi eld where the school

To start, let’s talk to families about what they need to support their children as we ramp up learning and get our children back to grade level— and ideally beyond. The opportunities are endless for transforming our schools and, by extension, our neighborhoods.

Let’s open inexpensive, highquality, afterschool care and enriching activities. Let’s create spaces for teens to explore professional careers and vocational passions. And how about providing evening language classes for community members?

This is the perfect time for creative solutions and planning to ensure Sac City Unifi ed offers the best opportunities for every local child and family.

The new state funding is unprecedented and must be spent wisely, not set aside for special interests or programs that don’t specifi cally and directly benefi t students. We must build for tomorrow.

Lodi Unifi ed took this opportunity to heart and sent its kids to camp this summer. It’s time for optimism and community-engaged planning to use these dollars wisely and get our kids the best advantages.

With Sac City Unifi ed’s fi nancial condition relatively stable thanks to state and federal dollars, let’s make sure the district never faces state receivership again. School district leaders can accomplish this goal by providing the community with a transparent budget and spending system easily accessible and coherent.

The opportunities we have today will not last. We must act now to ensure our children’s educational future.

district needs help. Public fi nancing? Curriculum? Mental health? Facilities? Career and technical training? Countless local residents have devoted their professional lives to those subjects. Many have children who attend or graduated from Sac City Unifi ed schools.

To engage even a fraction of these professionals on critical issues would immensely benefi t local schools and their students.

We have last year’s data on student performance, so we know where to shore up learning. The Sacramento County Offi ce of Education is working to place mental health specialists on every campus. Gov. Gavin Newsom signed historic increases in spending for our children. We have climbed to the 15th position nationally in state funding per pupil.

Let’s use this time to return the focus to what makes learning fun and schools a safe place, full of joy.

Cyd Jaghory is a member of Sacramento City Parents and Caregivers Union. She can be reached at saccityparentsandcaregivers@gmail. com. n