Sacramento, CA~ Good morning and welcome to Rosa Parks Middle School. I'm Renee Balestrieri, the principal of Rosa Parks. I'd like to thank the guests who are with us this morning: Mayor Kevin Johnson, the city of Sacramento; Jonathan P. Raymond, the superintendent of Sacramento City Unified School District; Margaret Fortune, member, Board of Trustees of the California State University and CEO of Project Pipeline; Dr. Glen Thomas, the Secretary of Education; Jed Wallace, CEO of Charter Schools; Branche Jones, California Charter Schools Association; Ted Mitchell, the president, California State Board of Education; Ed Manansala, the superintendent of St. Hope Public Schools.

In our audience we have the Rosa Parks AVID class. AVID is a national program that stresses rigor and individual determination to provide students with the skills and strategies that will take them through high school on to college. We also have students with us this morning from Sac High.

It is my honor at this time to introduce the Governor of the great state of California, Governor Schwarzenegger. (Applause)

GOVERNOR SCHWARZENEGGER:

Thank you very much, Principal Balestrieri. Is this right, did I pronounce it right? OK, good. And I want to say thank you for your great leadership. And I think that's why we're all here at the Rosa Parks Middle School, because this school is a spectacular school and we have heard so much about it, so I wanted to come here myself to see all the action that's going on here and the great education that all of you are getting.

But in the meantime, I want to just say thank you very much to Mayor Johnson, who is such a big believer in children. We have worked together way before he became mayor and way before I became governor, when we talked about after school programs and charter schools and all this, so it's really terrific to have him here. And also Superintendent, I want to say thank you very much, Superintendent Raymond, for his great energy and also Margaret Fortune, who has been a great education leader here in California and has worked with our administration and all the other education leaders that are here with us today.

Now, as I said, we are here today because you have shown such great, great work. And I think that, because of the great leadership of your school principal, you've done a great job with improving the grades and your scores jumped up and test scores have improved so much in these last few years in every area. And you have also coaches here that are coaching teachers how to teach and you have created a great team effort between the students and the parents and teachers and school principals, school superintendents. Everyone is working together here and that's why we have such great results here. You even brought back the PTA, which I think is very good, because without the parents' participation you don't have anything. It's a big and important part of the mix.

And so I think that we want to do the same thing all over California, what you're doing here. I think that this, the name of this school, Rosa Parks Middle School, I think says it all. I mean, Rosa Parks was a woman, as you all know, that wouldn't take the status quo. Here was this little lady that sat in 1955, on December 1st, on a bus. And because she was African American she was supposed to get up but she said no, I'm not going to get up for a white person. I'm equal. And that started the whole, the whole movement, the civil rights movement. And I think that this is why I think this school is so perfect, to come here and to do this press conference, because that's what we want to do with education. We want to basically say in education we don't want to take it any longer. The status quo is not acceptable. We can make changes.

And right now, over there in the Capitol, the legislature is voting on some very important legislation that I have proposed in the summer and that all of the people behind us and, I think, the education community throughout the state of California, is supporting. And this is to make certain changes so that the children of California get a better education, so we make sure that if children are stuck in low-performing schools they can move on to another school or to another school district.

Make sure also that the parents have the right to participate, so that if they don't like the way a school is operating and educating their kids, that they can go in there and make changes -- get rid of the school principal, get rid of some of the teachers, or change it over to a charter school -- make the necessary changes.

That's what it's all about, to be free, to have choice. It's no different than when we go to a car shop and if you're not happy with the work we don't pay for it and we go on to another car shop the next time. And you should have the same choice. If you don't like the education you get in a school you should be able to move on to another school or to another school district.

So those are the kind of things that we are fighting for. We are urging our legislators to be courageous and to go and to vote and to think, when they vote, not about the special interests, not about how much money they'll lose or gain from this, or not about the adults but to just think about one thing -- what is best for the children of California? This is what these votes are all about today.

The Obama Administration has done an extraordinary job under the leadership of Arne Duncan, who is the secretary of Education, to inspire the states to reform education, to inspire the states by giving them $4.3 billion in discretionary funds and let states compete for that money. Now, California right now, without them passing those laws, will not be able to compete. We couldn't compete because we don't have certain laws in place and certain freedoms for our students and for our parents in place. And this is why it is very important they pass those laws, so that we can go and compete for this $4.3 billion.

Now, Kevin and I, we come from the sports background. We are very competitive -- we are very competitive and so when we see $4.3 billion there, we say let's get it. Let's get it and let's do the best job, not just to the minimum in order to be able to compete but let's do the maximum. Let's do everything, let's outdo the other states. That's what we want to do and that's why we are here today, to put the spotlight on this issue.

And I just want to say that, as I said earlier, you have a great team effort here. The grownups have done a great job here in this school. And I want to say thank you to all of you for doing a great job too, because without you doing your homework and without you studying hard and listening to your mentors and to your teachers and to your coaches, this wouldn't have happened. So congratulations to all of you for the great work you have done.

And now I would like to bring out Mayor Johnson to say a few words. Thank you very much. Thank you. (Applause)

MAYOR JOHNSON:

Come on, let's give another round of applause for our Governor. (Applause)

I too want to start by thanking the principal and the students at Rosa Parks as well as the students at Sac High. You guys are why we do what we do. I look out here and I see all this potential of young people who are eager to go to college. Raise your hand if you're planning on going to college. Is your hand -- OK. (Applause) All right.

So thank you again, Governor, thank you for the introduction. Some of you may be wondering why I'm here today but the Race to the Top is not just a federal and state issue; it's a local issue as well. It's a local issue that impacts all of our cities and as the mayor of the capital city of California I felt it was very important for me to weigh in on this particular issue. I strongly believe that in order to have a great city you have to have great schools and you've heard me say that over and over again.

But this is not just an issue that's important to me as a mayor, it's also an issue that's important to California cities throughout the state. In fact, I'm here today on behalf of nine of California's largest cities. We wrote a letter to the state officials, including the Governor, Senator Steinberg and Speaker Bass and our message was simple; it's time to put aside our differences and do what's in the best interests of children. So again, the Big 10 mayors in the state of California, nine of us got together and sent a letter to the Governor and the key state leaders.

This is a historic moment when it comes to public education reform in the state of California. Over the last two decades, as a state, we've gone from first to worst. That's not acceptable. We went from having the best public education system in the country to one in which too many of our students are dropping out of school, too many of our students are not graduating and too many of our kids lack the skills and knowledge to be productive members of society. Again, I say that's not acceptable.

In this time of economic hardship it's easy to focus on bailout plans and stimulus packages but those are short-term strategies. The long-term success of our country depends on our ability to fix our public school system. The Obama Administration, they know this. They've designed Race to the Top to inspire states to reach for their very best, not to seek incremental change or marginal change but to dream big. And that's what the Governor refers to. We've got to dream big and be bold. They knew that this was a time that they could inspire states to stop frittering around the edges and to seek real dramatic reform. They set the bar high, skeptical, wondering if California and other states would accept the challenge.

But I'm here today to say that I think we have, as a state. Today we stand together to show that this state, we are willing and able to put aside adult interests and politics and to push an agenda forward for children. This is exactly how it should be. As a state we are ready to take the first steps to meet the assurances required to be highly competitive -- not just eligible but highly competitive -- for up to $700 million for Race to the Top funding. And as the Governor talked about, we are very competitive, so we're not just in it to just be competitive, we want to win it. We want to ultimately grab as many of those dollars as we can.

And we also want to demonstrate to our citizens what we as elected officials are capable of doing when we work together. We want to be a shining example to the Obama Administration so they can point to California of what can be done. And this is the first step and that first step must happen if the legislature votes favorably in terms of this key legislation.

I want to thank, before I sit down, Margaret Fortune. She and I have been in the trenches together for many years and she's a big advocate for children. She helped make Sac High a reality, so you folks of Sac High, let's give Margaret Fortune a quick round of applause. (Applause)

I want to commend the Governor and the legislature for working together to put their differences aside on behalf of California's children. I talked to U.S. Secretary Arne Duncan this morning and told him about our efforts in California. I told him the same thing I tell you; this should not be about politics, what we're doing should transcend politics and, at the end of the day, it's about children. Our children are our future, the future of our cities, the future of our state and the future of our country.

We are at this great school called Rosa Parks. How long ago was it that we changed the name? So two years ago we took on the name Rose Parks and in honor of Rosa Parks -- think about this quote she said. "Each person must live their life as a model for others." As leaders of this state, we can operate a model system and ensure future generations of students thrive for years to come. Today and this week can be a great week for the state of California. We're going to put children first. Today we are beginning a step to make very significant history and I'm very excited to be the mayor of your city.

So I get the honor of introducing the superintendent, who's only been with us four months and he hasn't run away. (Laughter) He's a guy that likes to take on tough challenges. Let's give a warm round of applause for Superintendent Jonathan Raymond. (Applause)

SUPERINTENDENT RAYMOND:

Thank you, Mayor Johnson, for that introduction. It's a pleasure to be here. Renee, thank you for hosting us. I know you were a bit nervous but don't be nervous. We're all here because we're proud of what you're doing here and proud of our kids.

I do want to thank and certainly recognize the president of our School Board, Ellyn Bell is here this morning, vice president -- our most recent former president Roy Grimes -- Roy, where are you? There you are, Roy. And our board member for this area, for this particular district, Diana Rodriquez -- Diana, thank you. And also I want to recognize our country superintendent, Dave Gordon, is here. Dave, we really appreciate all of your fine leadership.

And it is a terrific day and I'm so pleased that Governor Schwarzenegger has taken time from his day to come to Rosa Parks to talk about a very important message. And I want to the Governor to know we have a few things in common, not just the great support for this Race to the Top legislation. It isn't just that I also have a sports background from my college days but I also want him to know that the two of us both married Democratic women with strong ties to Massachusetts (Laughter), so we have that in common as well.

GOVERNOR SCHWARZENEGGER:

How about our biceps? (Laughter)

SUPERINTENDENT RAYMOND:

I'll defer on that last one. (Laughter)

You know, taking risks for kids was the advice given to me by a parent on my very first day as your superintendent in Sacramento city and it's advice that I take to heart as I began my journey here. I think it's the most profound advice that I've been given to date and I think it really means what we're all here about today. You know, Race to the Top simply is about doing things further and doing things faster and I know you know that here at Rosa Parks in particular. We've seen improvement over the last few years. But in talking to Ms. Balestrieri and as she talks about it with her students, you know, she is profoundly, I think, impressed daily, as are you, by how much you can do and how much more there is to learn and how much harder she has to continue to push you, right, as I heard about the homework assignments.

And I know, in talking to Jose and Anthony, they want to go to college. And going to college today is a competitive venture. It isn't for those that just simply want to show up. You've got to show up and you've got to work hard. And that's what Race to the Top is all about, because I can tell you, coming from across the country a few months ago, these are the faces of America here in California. And as President Obama said, those countries that educate will be the ones that compete. Right now we're being out-educated around this world and we're being out-competed with around this world.

So there's more that has to be done and that's what really today is about. It truly is about putting children first. And I can't tell you how delighted I am that the Governor and the Mayor are here to shine this light on how important it is for our families and how important it is for our children, because yes, they are the future. And this opportunity is for you and that's why we're here, because of the care, the concern and truly the love that we have for our students, not only here in Sacramento city but around the state of California.

And I want to thank your team and our staff that's here today for all of their hard work and dedication. They deserve a big hand, so if we could give the team of educators a big hand also. (Applause)

And now I'd like to take a moment just to quickly introduce Margaret Fortune. She's the California State University trustee and she's chief executive officer of Project Pipeline. Project Pipeline is the California Teacher Preparation and Internship Program. Yes, they focus on single subjects and special education but what they're trying to really do is make sure that we have adults that are prepared to educate the children that are in our classrooms, the children that are here today. So please give a warm, another welcome to Margaret. (Applause)

MS. FORTUNE:

Thank you, Superintendent Raymond. And the real push begins now. This whole bill on Race to the Top has been about providing parents choice, being aggressive when it comes to turning around schools that can achieve better. And the legislature right now is taking up measures that will allow parents and kids and educators to aggressively begin that work with a renewed fervor.

We're at a school that is in the process of creating change. The important thing about turning around schools is being real about it. The reality is that these kids from Sac High, two of these senators here, went around the halls of the Capitol and spoke to the legislative leadership and said, we've experienced change and it's worked well for us. Can you raise your hands, those two of you who went and talked to your legislators? (Applause)

Parents went and talked to legislators about what it means to have change, about what it means to have a choice when your kids are in schools that are low performing and you want a different option, about putting options before school boards to say be aggressive. We want it as parents and we want it as educators. As an educator, I want to work in an environment that is competitive, that is preparing kids for college, that is preparing kids for work, where I'm tested and where I know I have the buy in of families. And the ultimate buy in of families come when the families are there by choice but they can also choose to walk away if I don't do a good job in serving them, or the best of my ability.

What parents need are extraordinary efforts. This is about a moment in history where we have a bipartisan coalition behind extraordinary efforts for kids. It allows open enrollment for kids in the bottom, in schools that are in the bottom 10 percent. It allows parents to come forward, half of them to come forward and say, to petition school boards to choose school turnaround strategies that may not have been considered before. It allows innovative teaching programs for STEM, which is science and technology and engineering and mathematics and for career-technical education.

But let me tell you, none of this works unless you as students and we as educators buy into it and make it happen. The real change happens in schools, boots on the ground. It doesn't happen in the halls of government. It's what the people use that leverage to create.

You should be hopeful today but you should also be gearing up for some extraordinarily hard work, some hard work that will make us uncomfortable. It will make us uncomfortable. It's just like when you work out; you feel uncomfortable because you're pushing your body. I know I feel uncomfortable. But you build your muscles and you build your strength. You kids here at Rosa Parks -- Rosa Parks was no accident. She was chosen on purpose to sit on that bus and make a change. Your success will be no accident but it will also require you to make incredible sacrifices. And I think the adults around you, if they're being honest with you, will say we've made some gains but we have to do more and we're on fire to do it faster. But you've got to buy into that.

And let me tell you what's at stake and what I represent. I'm a trustee of the largest university system in the United States, the California State University. Right now, as we sit here today, 80 percent of African American students who graduate from our public schools here in California are not even eligible to apply to our public university. That's a crisis. That means we're setting them up to go to prison. That's not an exaggeration; it's a reality.

So when the president says Race to the Top, even if you've got to run and sprint a marathon -- which is what we did for Sac High with Mayor Johnson -- you sprint a marathon and race, because right now you have a moment in history when the public and the politicians are on your side. Grab it. Take it seriously. Earn it.

This is a good day. I'd like to bring the Governor up for questions and answers. (Applause)

QUESTIONS/ANSWERS: