Riverside County Superintendent of Schools Delivers 2009 State of Education Address in Riverside County

Mr. Kenneth M. Young, Riverside County Superintendent of Schools delivered the “State of Education in Riverside County” address February 6 to more than 350 education, business and community leaders.

Young highlighted the steady rise in student achievement in the county, ongoing building efforts by local districts, and new programs offered by the Riverside County Office of Education to keep students in school and boost the county’s graduation rates. His comments were made against a backdrop of a growing state budget deficit of nearly $41 billion.

“No one can deny that our national economy is in a deep recession that is growing to look more like a depression by the week, and it is likely to last for quite some time,” Young said. “But we also must understand that no other state in country is even considering the types of cuts to their public education system that are being proposed here in California.”

Young said the budget problems are dropping California to nearly last in the nation for support of public education, and that the state’s “economy is only as strong as the education and skill level of those who work and live here.”

Collaborating with business to prepare the state’s future workforce was high on the agenda this year, this is the first event held in partnership with the Riverside County Workforce Development Board.

Jamil Dada, Chairman of the Riverside County Workforce Development Board who is moving on to lead the National Association of Workforce Boards, highlighted the partnership between RCOE and Workforce Development on the new Workforce Education Coalition.

“I am honored to have established a partnership with the Riverside County Office of Education and look forward to continue our work together to benefit today’s youth,” he said.

Young highlighted districts with the highest scores on statewide tests, including Temecula Valley Unified (836), Murrieta Valley Unified (812), Menifee Union (787), Lake Elsinore Unified (775), and Corona-Norco Unified (773). (All scores are out of 1,000 possible).

The districts with the best overall improvement in state testing were Lake Elsinore Unified (a gain of 46), Nuview Union (39), Coachella Valley Unified (36), Palm Springs Unified (27), and Val Verde Unified (24).

Young praised the AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) program, which targets students with average grades who have a desire to go to college, which he said has “a proven track record of helping students get on a college bound educational pathway early in life.”

And he highlighted a new Riverside County Office of Education program called “Come Back Kids,” which targets students who have dropped out of high school.

He called on educators, business and community leaders to join with him in helping students stay in school, prepare for college, and enter higher education, which he called “Creating a Culture of Education,” and described as “sustained high educational expectations for both youths and adults.”

For information contact:
Rick Peoples, Public Information Officer
Telephone: (951) 826-6642
Fax: (951) 826-6199
rpeoples@rcoe.us