Two from Las Virgenes Unified School District to serve on state committee

Two officials from Las Virgenes Unified School District have been called upon to help the California state legislature form a new master plan for public education.

Chaired by state Sen. DeDe Alpert, a bipartisan committee that includes both public and private officials will develop recommendations for a comprehensive education plan to lead the state’s public schools into the 21st Century.

Las Virgenes School Board President Judy Jordan has been assigned to a governance subcommittee, while Las Virgenes Deputy Superintendent Donald Zimring will serve on a finance subcommittee.

The two will work on developing a plan that will help all levels of public education in California, from kindergarten through university, achieve success.

Jordan, who’s been a Las Virgenes school boardmember for 12 years, said a master plan is essential to keep California ranked among the top public education systems in the country.

"The master plan developed by the state many years ago for post-secondary education had a tremendous impact on how decisions and allocations are made for our colleges and universities," Jordan said. "It would be a wonderful achievement to have a similar plan for K-14 schools."

Jordan said she wants local school districts to have a bigger say in the state’s educational process.

Zimring said he hoped to make the state’s public education financing system less complicated.

"California has the dubious distinction of having one of the most complex and convoluted systems of school finance of any state in the nation," Zimring said. "There’s a general agreement that the system must be both simplified and stabilized if California students are to enjoy the world class education to which they are entitled."

The subcommittees will be meeting during the next six months and make recommendations that will be taken to the full legislature next year.

––John Loesing