The Problems:

• No Child Left Behind (NCLB) sets up schools to fail.
  
  The level of improvement the schools are required to show does not take into account such factors as students with learning disabilities and the number of students who are not native speakers. According to the New York Times: “More than 1,000 of California`s 9,500 schools are branded chronic failures, and the numbers are growing.” This one-size-fits-all approach hurts all children. No Child Left Behind has been consistently under-funded. The devastating shortfall in promised federal support since 2001 now exceeds $55 billion.
  
  Funds to support retention of highly qualified teachers have been cut by more than $33 million, no state in the nation has met this requirement. This includes California whose standards for certificated teachers are among the highest in the nation.

• Class Sizes. California has some of the largest class sizes in the country and ranks 49th in the number of teachers per student.

• Dropout Rates. America has one of the highest dropout rates in the industrialized world. In California, only 71 percent of high school students graduate with a diploma, and minorities are significantly less likely to graduate than their white peers.

• Teacher Retention. This is a problem at both ends of the spectrum: Thirty percent of new teachers leave within their first five years, and about a third of the teaching force is nearing retirement. It is estimated that California will need an additional 100,000 teachers over the next decade.

• Higher Education. California is 48th among the states in the percentage of high school students going directly to college, including both 2- and 4-year colleges. Middle-class students, as well as the working poor, are losing access to colleges and universities, in large part because of out-of-control fees and tuition.

Bill Hedrick`s Solutions:

Children need a fair chance to succeed. I will work to see that we both rededicate our resources to the improvement of the primary grades and restore affordable access to higher education. With proper oversight, the return on those investments will far outweigh the costs. It`s time for a change!

Preschool Accessibility. It is in our national interest to make preschool programs more accessible to all children. Research has consistently found a high correlation between preschool attendance and future academic success. It`s time for a change!

Improved School Performance. Instead of punishing under-performing schools, it is critical that we provide better support so those students can excel as well. It`s time for a change!

Qulified Teachers: Training and retention of highly qualified teachers and paraprofessionals in all of our schools must be a priority. It`s time for a change!

Smaller Class Size: Smaller class sizes have been shown to improve student learning and significantly close the achievement gap. I will fight to have school policy follow what has been shown to work. It`s time for a change!

Funding Higher Education: I will work to improve access to higher education for students from middle- and working-class families through several avenues. We need better oversight for tuition and fee increases. We must increase Pell Grants, HOPE scholarships, and low interest loans. And, finally, federal subsidies for tuition and fees should be made available to students willing to work their way through college through on-campus or other approved non-profit programs. It`s time for a change!