Candidate for
Member Governing Board; Riverside Unified School District

It is time for a change. The three incumbents against whom Armando is running have approximately 100 years of experience with the school district, and they have perhaps naturally lost the sense of what needs to be done to make our schools models of high student achievement. They seem to be happy maintaining the status quo. The status quo is not good enough. Our students and the local economy cannot afford a status quo education. The challenges of the 21st Century demand Riverside have world-class schools. While honoring the hard work and dedication of our teachers and principals, Armando knows other districts in our own county are beginning to do world-class work in raising the achievement levels of all students. This is not only true of economically disadvantaged students and schools. According to the State, a number of schools in more affluent areas are lagging when compared to similar schools across California. We must give our teachers and principals the tools, programs, and leadership to close the gap. The question is one of leadership and appropriate priorities. Why, for instance, are Riverside schools not enthusiastically participating in the Riverside County Achievement Teams program, which is producing remarkable growth in student achievement?

A vote for Armando is a vote for . . .

A Change

It is time for teamwork and collaboration. In truly high achieving systems, whether they be school districts or Hewlett Packard or the award-winning Poly High School Mock Trial Team, there is a spirit of teamwork and high collaboration. No one would identify Riverside Unified as being such a place. Why isn?t the District collaborating with the ? ? Teachers ? enough of seeing our teachers marching up and down Magnolia Avenue. ? City of Riverside ? why are we not collaborating on multiuse facilities like libraries and childcare facilities? ? Riverside County Office of Education ? why aren?t we participating in the County Office?s exemplary County Achievement Team program? What will it take to get the right answers to these questions? New leadership. Armando will provide that leadership. He will insist on honest efforts to engender such an atmosphere. He is already in communication with leaders of the teachers, the City of Riverside, and the County Office of Education. In each instance, there is a willingness to work together for our children. These are all steps that are long overdue.

A vote for Armando is a vote for . . .

Collaboration

It is time for a new fiscal responsibility: A fiscal responsibility, which puts children first. As an economist, Armando is uniquely qualified to bring his qualifications to bear on these important issues. The same old practices are not working, will not work. Admittedly these are very difficult financial times for school districts, cities, and counties all over the State. Times like these cry out for the expertise Armando possesses. The current Board has a whole series of important questions to answer, such as . . . ? Why does a district of 40,000 students have only 2 nurses? ? Why do Riverside elementary schools have only half the number of computers as the average California school? ? Why can?t our children access adequate counselor resources? ? Why do the highest paid teachers in Riverside make $5,000 less than their counterparts in Alvord? ? Why doesn?t the District collaborate with other public entities to stretch scarce public dollars? We can do better with the scarce dollars now available to all our public institutions. Armando will lead the way. It is a matter of putting the children first.

A vote for Armando is a vote for . . .

A New Fiscal Responsibility

A fiscal responsibility, which puts children first. As an economist, Armando is uniquely qualified to bring his qualifications to bear on these important issues. The same old practices are not working, will not work. Admittedly these are very difficult financial times for school districts, cities, and counties all over the State. Times like these cry out for the expertise Armando possesses.

The current Board has a whole series of important questions to answer, such as . . .
- Why does a district of 40,000 students have only 2 nurses?
- Why do Riverside elementary schools have only half the number of computers as the average California school?
- Why can?t our children access adequate counselor resources?
- Why do the highest paid teachers in Riverside make $5,000 less than their counterparts in Alvord?
- Why doesn?t the District collaborate with other public entities to stretch scarce public dollars?

We can do better with the scarce dollars now available to all our public institutions. Armando will lead the way. It is a matter of putting the children first.