hello and welcome. today we're talking about education for the entire half hour. what will it take for california to get back to the front of the line? ♪ we begin today with technology on the heart of the east side of san jose. a lot of the kids there are using these. they have ipads and, again,

these kids are getting this technology. this is first year that they're starting. and here is a look at that technology. >> brian is trying out the school's new ipod touch. every kindergartner through third grader will get one of these. meanwhile, this little girl is testing one of the ipads. these will go to fourth and fifth graders at san antonio elementary. >> this is pretty awesome. and so i can't wait to get to use this. >> the technology is here. thanks to federal stimulus dollars. a new air-conditioned classroom come from bond money. >> and this is a perfect example of the value that this community placed on the education of students. >> gone are the days of unbearbly hot classrooms, leaky roofs and diminishing school pride. >> the community no longer will be submisive. the community will stand up and

say our kids deserve the best. and our kids will get the best. >> there you go. very good. >> ellen is one of the poorest school districts in the state. but the bond money will transform most of the schools into something like this. then administrators say the challenge will be on them, the parents, teachers, and students. they'll have the tools. >> very good. okay. now you can roll the dice, please. >> now they have to deliver. >> our teachers stepping up to the challenge of preparing our students for jobs that do not exist yet. >> jobs that will help the valley remain cutting edge. future techie who's in a decade can perhaps say they learned it all on the east side. >> isn't that amazing? those kids with those ipads. what a wonderful thing. we have the president of the board of the school district and the superintendent of the school district. welcome to the show. >> thank you. >> give us a progress report.

how are things going now that we're a couple months into the school year with the ipads that the kids got? >> you know, it's going great. everybody's excited. the community is excited. the children are, of course, very excited. they're in their hands already, the ipad and the ipod. >> this is something that you expect at schools that are more affluent. when you hear that the heart of the east side is getting ipads, it was one of the opportunities where i guess you couldn't say no. >> we have been fortunate to have great leadership at the board level to really recognize that our students here on the east side really deserve every single tool available to them to make sure that they have access to grade a education. and so we're going to look at this as a starting point to certainly expand the opportunity that students at san antonio and the sister school right next

door have to provide this technology to all of our students. >> how soon before we can actually say that? i mean everybody is excited about this. >> well, it is certainly a goal. i can't point to a very specific time line. but we know that it's been very clear at the board level that this is a priority and so as we planned, that's something that will be at the forefront of the board's profession and my recommendations as we move forward. >> how important is it for you that your kids are not treated as second class students? that they are treated just like any other student in the state? >> well, it's a very high priority for myself and my colleagues on the board. we have really been discussing about providing, you know, the cutting edge technology for our students. not only does these schools have these kinds of classrooms, but, you know, our children deserve

that, too. they deserve the best. we don't want to be known as a district that, wow now they're doing this. no, it's like the norm. you know, our children will be learning this kind of an environment. >> and have other schools turned the corner? it's one of the poorest districts in the state. there's no hiding that fact. the test scores have been low. but they've been creeping up. the api scores are getting a lot better. are we turning the corner? >> we have turned the corner. i am happy to report that our schools have done phenomenal this year. on an average, the school went up 30 points. >> stability, how big of a factor is stability, keeping -- hiring them on permanent basis and making sure that faces are familiar to the parents and teachers and students and there is this progression there? >> that's been a real high priority for us as well as you know jose monto was with us prior to becoming a superintendent. and he just stepped up to the

plate as interim. we made him permanent. and so we hear our community. that's important. stability is important. and for us, it's important to have stability so we can move forward. >> and it's not perfect. things still need improvement. every school district around california, we're going to keep jose monto here with the principal. but we're going to ask you for any final thoughts. >> for the viewers, thank you so much to the community for going out to the polls, voting to give us the bonds that have been making -- been able to make this vision a reality for all our children in the community. it's been a dynamic partnership with the community and our teachers, our unions. they actually went out and fought for the tax that was able to keep our 20-1 class sizes intact. and our community that went out and voted for the bond that gave us this opportunity to, you know, rebuild san antonio.

so we did it with a partnership. >> you say where is my money going? you saw that right there at the elementary. and it happened at other elements are schools and hopefully more schools. there is the web address. find out where that bond money is going. find out what the api scores and how they've been slowly improving over the last couple years. stay with us. we'll talk more about education when we continue. can lulu have some beef pasta, too? -here you go, lulu. -hey?! you had an imaginary friend once, too. she's full. [ female announcer ] hamburger helper beef pasta. helpers. forty dishes, all delicious. gives us the most nutritious of gifts. but only when they are ready to be given.

that's why we pick vegetables at their peak. ...and freeze them fast, locking in nutrients ...for you to unwrap. ♪ ho, ho, ho. green giant we're talking about education. joining me is the principal who you saw there at the san antonio elementary school and jose mond. so back us with. give us a progress report. how well have these kids adapted to this in my 3-year-old twins go crazy it with. they find apps that i didn't know exist. they're doing this and that. how are your elementary kids doing? >> you know, my elementary kids

are doing really well. but in honesty, the ones that are having a blast are really the people. talk about the shift. in terms of the students now have something to teach the teachers. >> isn't it something? >> it is incredible. as you know, we are the -- the technology immigrants. and so our kids are the natives. and so they are now in power to teach us. and for us to be humble enough to learn from them. >> how does this help them maybe in the future? she's working on an app here. how does this help her develop her own app when she's in college or maybe even before that? >> actually, funny you say that. there is one student in particular whose name is mario and benjamin. both are fifth grader. they already are thinking what kind of apps they're going to be inventing. you might want to talk to them.

because they're already thinking about it. >> how inspirational is that? >> very inspirational. >> norma was selected as principal of the year for the entire state of california. what does it take to get to that level? and what does it mean to you that you were recognized in that way? >> you know, the recognition, it's unfortunately there is only one person that gets the recognition. the recognition really goes to the entire community and the teachers. it requires a community who gets involved and it requires the teachers to be well positioned and together we can make a huge difference in our community. and so really i -- that recognition really is -- it belongs to the entire community. i just am happy to take it but it belongs to the community. >> my daughter is a stubt at alum rock. i want to make sure that we're all clear on that.

test scores are important. and we talked about how low they were a few years back. they're changing. talk about the api scores, if you will, and test scores in general. >> we would be happy to. but before we go to that topic, i just want to mention one other detail that miss rodriguez which is very modest as can you tell by her response, but was also selected as the national principal of the year for the entire united states. >> i just covered the state one. >> yes. congratulations. >> i certainly would agree that it doesn't all happen with one person. but certainly leadership is one of the key factors that allows that to happen. so certainly want to recognize that and mention that on her behalf. >> we have the red carpet in the back. >> yeah. >> go ahead. >> the test scores, it has been a very systematic approach to

how we provide support, structure and very focused attention to best practices in the classroom. because it's all about powerful first instruction. and so certainly the tools that we're discussing to day helps us refine that to another level. but our test scores over the last three years have doubled the state average. and have doubled actually the county average for santa clara county. and so that progression is pretty substantial. we're very proud of that. and, again, that progress, it's not isolated to any one individual. it's really broader than that and much richer than that. because obviously teachers are in front of kids every single day. and we have a host of professional staff members from

cu custodians to food service workers to our folks in the classroom and then the offices and our principals that make part of that success. and we're very proud of that. but as you mentioned, we still have work to do. >> we're excited that things are that -- going that well in the district. but there is still work to do. >> absolutely. we've had three successive years of double digit growth that puts us at an average 18, 20 api points per year growth. and the area that we still have significant work to do is with some of our subgroups, english language learners. obviously an a student is learning a second language. there is some time element in terms of catching up language with the curriculum content. and so we have some good structures in place in our schools. and we have our duel immersion school that is doing very well and helping us with that work.

but certainly an area of focus for us and our work in our middle schools. our middle schools not just in alum rock but in the state and really in national dilemma is that dropoff between elementary and when students step into middle school. and so we're very interested in our focusing on that dilemma within our district and create a focus group with our middle schools and some of our partners that we have, partners that is supported by applied materials, the foundation and to help support making sure that as our students go through our continuing with education that we do our very best to not have those kinds of dips. >> because you are that bridge between elementary and middle school. any final thoughts, national

principal of the year. i don't know how to address you anymore. >> just normal. you know, i really want the parent kpoen secomponent is cri. i really want the parents to get involved and really start working with their kids. their an integral part and they are most important partners in this journey in creating a really ample opportunity for students to succeed. they are the future. they need to see their children as the holders of that bright future. >> and whatever we said here on this show goes for every school in the state. i mean this is -- it involves every school. you never know. your kid might be developing the next app for the next ipad 10 maybe by that time. thank you so much for the work that you're doing at alum rock and in education in general. >> come willing up next, a man who is also familiar with the education, joe coto, former chairman of lat tino caucus in

sacramen sacramento.

here swus the former head of the loo tino caucus in sacramento, we're happy to be joined by joe corto who is here to talk about education in general. give me your thoughts on what you heard here by the leaders over at alum rock. >> it's very exciting what they're doing. you know, it's so critical. because we're finding as we look at the convergence of information technology with the globalization of the economy, people all over the world now have access to all of the information, to all of the software, to all of the intelligence that's out there. we have to make sure that our kids in san jose are able to utilize that information via

technology. in this case ipads and ipods. >> you know, i was impressed when i saw the kids using the ipad in fourth and fifth grade. i shouldn't be. this should be the norm in every education. >> it should than way. we shouldn't be dependent upon just what a teacher teaches us from 9:00 to 3:00 in the afternoon. i mean you ought to be able to take the technology, take it home, study 24/7, use it to develop your language skills. use it to develop your mathematic skills, particularly. you know, the -- there is such a difference now between what a person will be able to earn, right, once you graduate from high school and college, big difference between what you're going to be able to earn if you do well in school and you're learning is higher. you earn more money. and, you know, you're just more successful. so what they're doing is very, very exciting. because that is what it's going on all over the world.

now young people, you know, they read about it all the time. people all over the world are creating new ways of doing things. we're no longer just learning and then moving on. now in order for us to remain competitive as a society, as a society, we're going to have to develop the skills to take all of the information that's out there, utilize it to create new products and new ideas, new ways of doing things. cures for different diseases. any number of ways like that. and by starting the kids at alum rock the way they're doing that, they will be in a position to be able to do that. very exciting. we ought to be supporting them. >> absolutely. >> we ought to make sure that every one of our schools in, fact, has that level of capacity to support our students. the other part that's very exciting, i think, is the notion that teachers make such a difference.

and teachers are the more we invest in our teachers and the better we pay them and the more we invest in our public schools, the more excitement gets created by the kids and better we'll all be able to do. >> the world is competitive with cloud computing now. can you access all of the information that's out there, all of the software that's been developed by all these, you know -- >> and why can't one of them be the next steve jobs? let me show you numbers, if i can. this was sent to me. these numbers staggering. this is the number, the number of latino who's dropped out of school in 2010. 696 on the east side union high school district. santa clara county, 1648 n california, almost 41,000

latinos dropped out of school in the last academic year. that's unacceptable. >> we can't afford to have one of them fall out. who is going to become the engineers and doctors, lawyers, teachers, technicians, computer specialists? >> not those 40,000. >> that's what i'm saying. we can't afford to let one of those youngsters drop out. the teachers need to work closer with those students in more favorable situations to make sure they stay in school.

huge difference in what you achieve academically and earning power as an adult. >> joe used to be in sacramento. he wants to head back to sack men the yoe. in our next segment, we'll talk about what can be done. money? there is no money there. we keep cutting education. we'll ask a couple of the tough questions in our next segment. a good website for you to log on to is the silicon education foundation. they have a lot of great information. [ female announcer ] these are the grands! biscuits you love with dinner. and these are the ones you'll love as dinner. grands! mini pizzas. grands! biscuit dough... plus 3 ingredients make an easy dinner everyone loves. grands! mini pizzas... from pillsbury.

♪ in the rhythm of my weekday flow ♪ ♪ something new -- ooo! ♪ just what i want ♪ prepared for me and ready to go ♪ ♪ taste...mmmm a brand new morning ♪ [ female announcer ] new pillsbury egg scrambles. ♪ a brand new morning we're back with joe coto here. and we see the numbers. the numbers are staggering. the dropout rate is not where it should be. but we're not investing a lot in education. in fact, sacramento is taking a lot of money back from higher education, lower education. you name it. the money is going in the opposite direction. what's the answer? you want to go back to sacramento? what is the first thing we need

to do to turn the gear in another direction? >> there are 37 latinos in the state legislature. we have the latino and african-american and asian legislators. we get to about 40. we're close to a third. in all of our discussions, education is our number one priority. education is our number one priority. and we're committed. we were committed as legislators to do all that we could to introduce legislation that would increase the level of funding for schools who have the greatest needs. right? to making sure that kids have the greatest needs. so we're going to begin to get to that one. the second part is that in california, we used toub number one in the country in terms of how much it invested in public schools and students. now we're down in the 40s. so we've got to reverse that pattern. >> can we afford to do that? >> yes, we can afford it. california is the eighth largest

economy in the world. the eight rnlg largest economy in the world. it's a question of will. we just need to rethink just like they're doing in information technology and how the globalization of the economy is occurring and people are changing. you know, china emerged. all these things are changing. we need to do the same thing. >> and corporate america is going to take parents, it's going to take teachers, everybody i guessworking as a team. >> everyone working together. there's not one single answer. we know teachers make a big difference. we know principals make a big difference. the difference between the successful child and child that's not so successful is a level of involvement of the parent in their education and their schooling. corporations can play a big role by making sure that there is access to technology and to identify the skills that they want our schools and students to lead. they have to be clearer about saying these are the type of skills that your youngsters need to leave school with and to work

with us to make those happen. it's got to be a total community effort. >> do we have to make sacrifices on other things? >> yes. we have to do that. we have to invest greater amounts of resources in terms of the education of our kids and unless in the incarceration of our kids. the budget for the department of corrections has increased dramatically over the last ten years. we have to reverse that pattern. put more in preventative work. we see the amount of money they use, you know, to keep kids incarcerated. we do boar job, we do a very poor job of rehabilitation. >> and still costs more to incarcerate them than educate them. >> it costs you more to incarcerate a youngster in an institution than it is to send them to harvard. we need to change that around. >> give us your final thoughts. >> my final thought is that the

world is changing so rapidly. the globalization of the economy, the convergence of that with information technology is challenging us to do things better, more effectively, to all become involved in the education of our kids. because in the end, that's what's going to make the difference. >> joe coto is the former head of the latino caucus in sacramento. he might be on his way back in the next election cycle. so congratulations and, joe, on your success and for caring about the kids. good luck you to in your endeavors and for enlitening us on what we need to do to turn things around. >> thank you. i appreciate all the work you do. >> way want to thank you our up into reporters for their continued support. remember to pick up a copy of the paper and support your bilingual weeklies all across the bay area. thanks for watching. we'll see you again next week. hey!

you want that? you want a warm, super-delicious strawberry toaster strudel yeah but now i have nothing to eat sure you do. hey! you can have the pop tart! pillsbury toaster strudel. the one kids want to eat ♪ whoa! do you know what our favorite part of shooting hoops is? 3...2...1...