program. it's less than half a block away from the parking lot. and i've been a student there and i'm also came back to work there and i know that they have been writing letters yesterday and today and they will be sending their letters of support for all the middle schoolers and high schoolers. i think it's good to have a park right next to the center instead of having to go to delores which is really crowded all the time and no running space. or franklin which is always busy with soccer players. and it's a little bit farther. they are really in support of this park, and a lot of the staff and a lot of the youth organizations around there would also really benefit from having an extra open space around there. so i just wanted to share my personal experiences with you guys and ask for your support for this park. president buell: thank you. >> thank you. >> raul and charlie.

>> good afternoon, everyone. my name is raul. this is my fifth year in the u.s. it's really interesting how like it's really sad to see even in a country that has almost everything there's no like services for kids or for children. which are the most important -- especially because they're groipping and learning all these things from their environment -- they are growing up and learning all these things from their environment. i got accepted to training -- to the poder organization and it's really like -- it's really hard to get in those organizations. there is a few, there is poder, mission, and they have really limited spaces. if the city is not willing to offer spaces for kids, for

children, at least make parks where they are able to get in those programs are able to like share their experience or leave -- in open spaces like parks. i feel like a park on 17th street where it's really crowded, is really dense, is a really important place to put a park in that space because it's really crowded and everything. kids, they grew up in a dense area. in school it's not going to be a space where they can -- where they can experience like healthy environment because all these kids are growing up in a really stressful environment. and basically what they do is they tend to be more violent.

like in other neighborhoods. and a park like this will make the kids feel that they can do things that they can't do at school or can't find or new ways to express themselves. i consider myself an immigrant. it's really important for the immigrant community, the especially the youth that are growing up in these places, they are learning from thistheyd getting these experiences. they are not growing up as healthy as they could be. i've appreciate you for hearing my comments.

>> thank you. >> good afternoon, commissioners. it was over 10 years ago that members of the community came to city hall to advocate for a new land-use plan in the neighborhood. one of the crowning achievements of that land use plan was to rezone the and the site into 100% of the space and affordable housing. they did not hand the victory to the city. when we think of planners, we think of institutions, the planning department, harken director. in this project, we brought that expertise from the city, but the community stepped up as members themselves. we have organizers that came

together to facilitate workshops, organize different educational activities, conduct surveys. and really bringing together the expertise to create a vision for this site. the community has brought their heart and soul into this project and we hope that we can create a genuine partnership with the park and recreation department with long-term public investments to make this project successful. >> anyone else that would like to comment? could you please come forward and the light out by the door? thank you. >> my name is victoria with that neighbor's parks council. i am here to support the transfer from the wreck and park department.

and i am here to really support the park in general. there was an independent study in 2003 and 2007 data is available on our web site where we really focused on achieving equity and open space throughout the city. it is really in an efficient neighborhood is considering the density and population growth over the last 10 years. it is our belief every resident deserves a access to parks and open space. what we're hearing today is that some of the great community members and organizations are seeing that we need a card. with that comes a great assets of the parks department to have these health and from the beginning conception to where it exists in the future and having

a love and ownership creating an amazing part that will connect to the mission even further. it is really a critical part of the eastern neighborhoods plan. the transfer of the property is really the critical first step. will be continuing along the way to make sure that the spark has great success in the future. >> i have been living here for almost 10 years, and i will tell you how much i support the park. i see a lot of little kids in the neighborhood, and definitely needs to be more green space. he needs to also help with the over flooding that we have in the corner.

>> patricia is my name, you have seen me before. i am emission residents. it is the industrial zone, so we have not had the parks in our area before. we did that a number of years ago, we built it and they have not stopped coming. >> i am coming to say a few words in support of this project. when land becomes available, it is not necessarily that it is available. as you heard previously, the

size fits very well with the focus concept. the rose document has yet to be adapted and if it's very well with the new acquisition policy that will be presented to you where and special needs are defined by less than half an acre within half a mile radius. again, it is important to have a recreation site at that area. the documents for acquisition emphasizes the importance of leveraging. as the policies adapt, it will go right to the head of the list. because of the acquisition recommendations have not been implemented, on this particular item that not appear prior to being on the agenda. i hope that in the future, as

the policy is adapted, and it will provide an opportunity to facilitate a more meaningful exchange on future acquisitions. >> anyone else that wants to comment on this item? commissioners? >> i think there is no question that this is an underserved area and it is a unique opportunity to add an asset to the department and i want to commend the neighbors and the community for their hot tenacity over the years, and i think you can be very proud of what you're doing and how you're doing it. with that, i will entertain a motion. all those in favor? it is unanimous. [applause] >> of like to thank a couple of people that were working on this

before my time. for years, they have been shepherding this to the place where i was able to get and work on and harder. and the landscape architects for making this happen. >> we are on item 12. is there anyone that like to make general public comment who did not comment under item 4. general public comment is closed. commissioner's matters? commissioner lee: last month, asked about giving a presentation on the recreation and advisory policy. the recreation advisory committee. the recreation the advisory committee counsel.

to see if we can get that on the calendar for next month or october. >> is there any public comment on commissioners' matters? new business? any public comment? communications? is there any public comment? we are on the adjournment. >> i want to ask the general manager to make a couple of comments and adjourned and the memory of an important civic contributor. >> i would request that we adjourn today in honor of civil service commissioner who passed away this week. he was a friend and an

important and well respected member of the city family. he was struck by a hit-and-run vehicle while jogging. he will be sorely missed by all who knew him. he was a fourth generation san franciscan, an attorney, and a very avid runner. i had the pleasure of going on more than a few evening runs with him. i got to work with him and my prior role as human resources director. his mother was a library commissioner and he himself served on the civil service commission for many years. he was truly passionate about public service. his conscientious, fair minded, principal exercise of these told him in great respect and affection of many.

he probably knew the mets' system better than anybody else. there are memorial services scheduled in washington square monday evening. the feeling is at 5:00. the funeral of the tuesday morning at 10:00. >> i entertain a motion to adjourn in his memory. all in favor? thank you.

>> we are going to start today first talking about the data and

then after that, we want to actually put some faces behind the data, so we will hear from some of our district leaders as well as a school principal and a student here at washington high school. we will try to make it sink, and we will stick around at the end to answer questions, of course -- we will try to make it sink -- we will try to make it succinct. >> thank you so much, and welcome to our press conference. i have the opportunity to present these wonderful results. we see an upward trend for this year. the students were tested in the month of may. as you can see, they have moved in english language from 47.5%

to 57.4%, so you do see a double-digit increase from 2006 to 2011 in an english-language arts. we have seen over these years a 10% -- approximately 10% -- increase. come on, let's hear it for san francisco. [applause] and our spectacular students, outstanding teachers, and greek leaders. let's move on to mathematics. the mathematics test is given from grades two to seven, and after that, they start taking algebra, geometry, algebra ii. you see that the scores have gone from 56.6% to 66%.

again, an upward trend every single year. again, let's hear the joy. [applause] ok, when we look at other content areas like science and social science, we do see similar patterns. especially in science, both at the middle school and elementary school -- grade five and a grade 8 -- you see almost 60% of the students performing at advanced. in social science, both at the middle and high school levels, you see the students performing at proficient or advanced, more than 50% of them. ok? those are the other content area scores. the other thing the district has been charged with, and it is always focusing itself around, is narrowing the achievement gap.

here are the results for our targeted students. we say we are narrowing the achievement gap if the student groups as a whole showed greater improvement than even the district. ok? so, they have to show greater improvement than even the district. this year, for the third year in a row, i am proud to announce that the african-american students in english language arts and the latino students in math and samoan students in both are narrowing the achievement gap. come on, let's hear it. [applause] ok, so those were some of the results you have seen charted in here. if you picked up the press release, some of our school- level successes are also included in there, so i would ask you to look at those. as compared to the state, we are higher than the state in ela and

math. we look at the results for our program students as well, both english language learners and math, and we saw similar success is where they are going -- growing at a great rate. last were our superintendent zone schools in both the mission and the bayview. successes as well, and i think that deserves a mentioned. with that, i will turn it over. >> thank you. she brings all the good news. first, i wanted to recognize a few of our board members who are here. emily, grace, joe, and dennis, one of our partners, president of the teachers association.

welcome. this is really exciting, not only because it is the first day of school -- you always feel like a kindergartner all over again because you get a chance to start over again -- and running around our schools makes you realize how lucky we are to have such a dynamic, great teachers that are doing a fabulous job -- to have such a dynamic, great teachers that are doing a fabulous job -- to have such dynamic, great teachers. you are wondering how we can do all this when in reality, if you look at our funding, it would be a steeper decline in terms of how much money we get, and yet, we are improving student achievement. especially in a school like this that took it upon themselves. the staff here -- they had some assistance by different groups. what is the name of the group that helped you guys quite a bit?

yes, national urban alliance actually stepped up to do a lot of training. it makes people realize that if we really do want to close the achievement gap, it will not happen by accident. nothing happens by accident. we have to be strategic and ask ourselves what we can do better. if we cannot do better, we ought to get out of the way and let somebody else do the job. the reality is teachers here in san francisco, principals, staff can do it better. i am really proud when we took on a strategic plan that we adopted in 2008, we said that we would make a priority to have african-americans, latinos, and pacific islanders to show some growth. unfortunately, they have always kind of been at the lowest levels, and that has been unacceptable to the board and, i think, to our community. everybody stepped up and said that it was a social justice issue, and modern-day apartheid,

having an achievement gap. who is affected by it? the neediest people in our city. we made a point, and every school convened with their staff and community and say -- and said, "what can we do about this? this is a civil rights issue. what difference can we actually make?" everyone got together and started thinking differently. we noticed in some of the schools, some of the kids did not have access to things that ought to have access to. we started thinking about what an equity-centered school will look like. what you see is the dreams and aspirations of a great community like san francisco with the school board, the teachers' union -- everybody, administrators, classified workers saying this is a civil rights issue and our children deserve a better education.

and they are doing it. that is a tribute to the folks out there. the doctor does not want me to brag a lot about stuff, but why not? everyone is always pointing out what is wrong with education. today, i am going to tell you what is right. 82 percent of our students now are graduating from our high schools -- 82% of our students now are graduating from our high schools in san francisco. it is only 74% in the state of california, so we are doing with better than everyone else. when you look at drop out rates, the state is 18%. our rate is 11%. we are doing some great things. when you look at suspensions' over the last few years, in the last five years, we have reduced over 1000 kids getting suspended in the school district -- when you look at suspensions over the

last few years. what good is it to suspend the same kid over and over again? let's find out why they are getting suspended. we talk to their families. everybody is pitching in to make a difference, and it is paying off. one of the things that we brag about, 10 years now, we have had increasing test scores in this school district, for 10 years. that is something that is amazing. if you look at the last three years, what we have done with african-americans, latinos, our samoan brothers -- they are showing the most growth of any group in san francisco. they are showing the double digit -- they are showing double-digit growth. find me anywhere else in america where that is happening. when you start looking at some of our superintendent zones. we identified some of our

schools under the school improvement grants, and when you look at the growth they showed this year -- go visit everett middle school. go see why they had double-digit growth in math and language arts. we were at paul revere this morning. look at the growth they had. i always tell people those people in the public who are the naysayers who do not believe it can be done -- to us a favor -- get out of the way of the people in the school districts who are doing this fabulous work because they get it done every day. i think this is something we ought to be celebrating, the success of our children. we want to continue because even though we are closing the gap, that is not good enough. we have to eliminate the gap. until we eliminate it, shame on us. there is still work to be done. our goal is sunday, the word

does not exist in our vocabulary. there is no such thing about talking about a gap because we are providing equity and access in the basic fundamental civil rights to a proper education that every child in san francisco deserves. you're so excited that all of you came -- i am so excited that all of you came. has the mayor had a chance? then he ought to get a chance to speak. mayor lee: it is my pleasure to be here and, certainly, to come to one of the most beautiful campus is in san francisco, by the way. washington high -- when you go out there, it is a wonderful campus. [applause] there are so many things we are doing to engage and be supportive of the school district. even the physical place we have here, we will be sponsoring a

$30 million bond this november to help make sure that all of our schools are seismically safe. i will be a leading proponent of that because it is so important to have every school site as safe as possible for our kids. i have been here many times, and i want to thank the kids that are here today, the students that are here. you have probably seen me before. we were doing this saturday cleanups' together in the whole neighborhood and respecting the neighborhood where the school is located, and that has been wonderful, but these data -- i do not have to repeat them, but they are worth always paying attention to because they do tell the story of what we're doing here. i am not a teacher. i am not a principle -- principal. i am the mayor of san francisco,

and i know at the heart of those relationships, it is about the school district. years ago, the school district was seen as separate, and when they failed, it was seen as their problem. never again will that happen in san francisco. it is our kids, our residents, our families that are here wanting to see help from the city, whatever we can do, and we have been helping a lot, and it has been something i have been proud to do. when i heard, for example, earlier this year that may be about 900 kids from all over the city might not be able to make it through graduation because they had failed their courses in math and science, we went right to work. we found extra money for summer school, and those kids got that summer school where every other jurisdiction in the whole area cut off their summer school. we found that money to make sure kids got a second chance. there are many reasons why they t