Governor Schwarzenegger Signs AB 1381, Mayor Villaraigosa's Historic Education Reform Bill, Into Law
For Immediate Release
LOS ANGELES -- Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger today signed AB 1381, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa's legislation to fundamentally reform the Los Angeles Unified School District. In a sign of the broad base of support for the legislation, AB 1381 previously passed both houses of the California State Legislature with bi-partisan support.
"Today, I am proud to stand shoulder-to-shoulder and in full partnership with the people of Los Angeles," said Mayor Villaraigosa. "Together, we took a step towards change -- a step towards giving our parents, teachers and communities a voice in their children's education -- and a step towards giving our children the education they deserve."
Mayor Villaraigosa and Governor Schwarzenegger were joined at the Los Angeles Central Library, by Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez, and numerous other elected officials, teachers, parents, clergy and community leaders to celebrate a new day for education in Los Angeles.
"Today we are proclaiming a victory for the students of LAUSD and their parents. I want to congratulate Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa for having the vision and fortitude to put our children first with this effort to increase accountability in LA public schools," said Governor Schwarzenegger. "With this bill, schools with the biggest problems can get the most attention and direct oversight by the mayor, so he can focus on what counts - moving test scores up and dropout rates down."
"The children of Los Angeles are the real winners here," Speaker Nunez said. "We have worked to strike a solid balance between the needs of the LA school district, the teacher's union and the steps that must be taken to improve school achievement and create a brighter future for our children."
AB 1381 was backed by a broad-based group of business, education and community leaders in Los Angeles. Key endorsements include: the Los Angeles City Council; the Southeast Cities School Coalition - consisting of the cities of Bell, Cudahy, Huntington Park, Maywood, South Gate and Vernon; Speaker Nunez; Senate Pro Tem Perata; Senate Majority Leader Romero; Assembly Majority Leader Frommer; Richard Riordan, Former Mayor of Los Angeles; California Teachers Association (CTA), United Teachers Los Angeles (UTLA); the Building and Construction Trades; Service Employees International Union (SEIU); California Labor Federation, AFL-CIO; Los Angeles County Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO; California Chamber of Commerce; the California Business Roundtable; Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce; Central City Association (CCA); the United Chamber of Commerce San Fernando Valley; Rev. John Hunter, Sr. Pastor, First AME Church; Rev. Henry Masters, Pastor, Holman United Methodist Church; Bishop Charles Blake, West Angeles Church of God in Christ; Charles Blake II, Community Relations Director, West Angeles Church of God in Christ; Rev. Clyde Oden, Pastor, Bryant Temple A.M.E. Church; Dr. J. Benjamin Hardwick, Pastor, Praises of Zion Baptist Church, President, Western Baptist State Convention; Dr. Frederick O. Murph, Sr. Pastor, Brookins AME Church; Dr. Roy Petitt, Pastor, Miracle Center Apostolic Church; Rev. Welton Pleasant, Pastor, South Los Angeles Baptist Church; Rev. Ferroll Robins, Chair of LAPD Religious Forum and Executive Director of Loved Ones; Rev. Najuma Smith, Pastor, St. James AME Church; Dr. Velma W. Union, Pastor, The Lord's Church; Rev. Michael Beckwith, Agape Religious Center; Rev. Norman Copeland, AME Ministerial Alliance; Rev. Norman Johnson, First New Christian Fellowship Baptist Church; Rev. Melvin V. Wade Sr., Mt. Moriah Baptist Church of Los Angeles; Rev. John Doron Johnson, Ninth Episcopal District (CME); Rev. William Thurman, Park Windsor Baptist Church; Dr. William Epps, Second Baptist Church; Bishop Henry Williamson, Presiding Prelate of the 9th CME District. ACORN; Small Schools Alliance; and the Los Angeles Parents' Union.
The guiding principle behind AB 1381 is the belief that to successfully improve student achievement, raise the graduation rate and close achievement gaps, the Los Angeles Unified School District must be fundamentally reformed. The governance structure outlined in AB 1381 will be the vehicle for achieving that fundamental reform by bringing in new leadership, creating greater accountability, empowering educators and parents, and giving local leaders a voice in their local schools.
LOS ANGELES -- Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger today signed AB 1381, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa's legislation to fundamentally reform the Los Angeles Unified School District. In a sign of the broad base of support for the legislation, AB 1381 previously passed both houses of the California State Legislature with bi-partisan support.
"Today, I am proud to stand shoulder-to-shoulder and in full partnership with the people of Los Angeles," said Mayor Villaraigosa. "Together, we took a step towards change -- a step towards giving our parents, teachers and communities a voice in their children's education -- and a step towards giving our children the education they deserve."
Mayor Villaraigosa and Governor Schwarzenegger were joined at the Los Angeles Central Library, by Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez, and numerous other elected officials, teachers, parents, clergy and community leaders to celebrate a new day for education in Los Angeles.
"Today we are proclaiming a victory for the students of LAUSD and their parents. I want to congratulate Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa for having the vision and fortitude to put our children first with this effort to increase accountability in LA public schools," said Governor Schwarzenegger. "With this bill, schools with the biggest problems can get the most attention and direct oversight by the mayor, so he can focus on what counts - moving test scores up and dropout rates down."
"The children of Los Angeles are the real winners here," Speaker Nunez said. "We have worked to strike a solid balance between the needs of the LA school district, the teacher's union and the steps that must be taken to improve school achievement and create a brighter future for our children."
AB 1381 was backed by a broad-based group of business, education and community leaders in Los Angeles. Key endorsements include: the Los Angeles City Council; the Southeast Cities School Coalition - consisting of the cities of Bell, Cudahy, Huntington Park, Maywood, South Gate and Vernon; Speaker Nunez; Senate Pro Tem Perata; Senate Majority Leader Romero; Assembly Majority Leader Frommer; Richard Riordan, Former Mayor of Los Angeles; California Teachers Association (CTA), United Teachers Los Angeles (UTLA); the Building and Construction Trades; Service Employees International Union (SEIU); California Labor Federation, AFL-CIO; Los Angeles County Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO; California Chamber of Commerce; the California Business Roundtable; Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce; Central City Association (CCA); the United Chamber of Commerce San Fernando Valley; Rev. John Hunter, Sr. Pastor, First AME Church; Rev. Henry Masters, Pastor, Holman United Methodist Church; Bishop Charles Blake, West Angeles Church of God in Christ; Charles Blake II, Community Relations Director, West Angeles Church of God in Christ; Rev. Clyde Oden, Pastor, Bryant Temple A.M.E. Church; Dr. J. Benjamin Hardwick, Pastor, Praises of Zion Baptist Church, President, Western Baptist State Convention; Dr. Frederick O. Murph, Sr. Pastor, Brookins AME Church; Dr. Roy Petitt, Pastor, Miracle Center Apostolic Church; Rev. Welton Pleasant, Pastor, South Los Angeles Baptist Church; Rev. Ferroll Robins, Chair of LAPD Religious Forum and Executive Director of Loved Ones; Rev. Najuma Smith, Pastor, St. James AME Church; Dr. Velma W. Union, Pastor, The Lord's Church; Rev. Michael Beckwith, Agape Religious Center; Rev. Norman Copeland, AME Ministerial Alliance; Rev. Norman Johnson, First New Christian Fellowship Baptist Church; Rev. Melvin V. Wade Sr., Mt. Moriah Baptist Church of Los Angeles; Rev. John Doron Johnson, Ninth Episcopal District (CME); Rev. William Thurman, Park Windsor Baptist Church; Dr. William Epps, Second Baptist Church; Bishop Henry Williamson, Presiding Prelate of the 9th CME District. ACORN; Small Schools Alliance; and the Los Angeles Parents' Union.
The guiding principle behind AB 1381 is the belief that to successfully improve student achievement, raise the graduation rate and close achievement gaps, the Los Angeles Unified School District must be fundamentally reformed. The governance structure outlined in AB 1381 will be the vehicle for achieving that fundamental reform by bringing in new leadership, creating greater accountability, empowering educators and parents, and giving local leaders a voice in their local schools.
