A worsening state financial crisis. Public education bracing for further budget cuts. A historic presidential election coming to a conclusion.
What better time for a statewide contingent of high school students, committed to change, to gather in Sacramento.
"We're interested in taking ownership over our own educations," said Nicolas Jofre, policy director for the Student Advisory Board on Education gathered this week in the state Capitol.
"It sounds sort of radical in a way," said Jofre, a senior at La Sierra High in Riverside. "But students are just another interest group."
At the end of their conference Wednesday, the students will present their ideas on improving public education to the State Board of Education and state legislators.
"We have some highly formulated solutions," said Justin Hyer of Winters High School in Yolo County.
Among their recommendations: establishing student/teacher advisory groups to review school and district budgets making recommendations on what programs work and don't work; adding a student member to the state curriculum commission; and setting up a system for students to privately provide feedback to their teachers.
The delegates have no illusions on the challenges they face.
"One of our assumptions is that education is the first thing to get cut. It should be the last thing," said Janet Basurto, a senior at Rialto High School in Southern California.
"We have little or no input on how money is spent on students," added David Schenirer, a senior at McClatchy High.
One handicap a group like theirs faces is turnover – most of the participants are juniors and seniors.
But this year's delegates are thinking ahead. Several participants are elementary and middle school students.
Gillian Moffitt, for example, is a sixth-grader at Phoebe Hearst Elementary in east Sacramento.
She's part of a committee looking at better ways students can transition from elementary school to middle school and middle school to high school.
"Open house is usually held in the first three weeks of school. Having it the day before school would be better," she said.
Call The Bee's Walter Yost, (916) 321-1146.
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