The Superintendent's Role is Key to the Future of Public Education in San Mateo County

By John W. Mehl

We empower teachers and school districts to raise student achievement by providing top-quality teacher training and curriculum assistance. We facilitate world-class educational opportunities for our students by insisting on local control of our schools, adequate funding with no "strings" attached, and strict fiscal accountability in the way our tax dollars are spent. I will see that these things happen!

On March 5th, 2002, voters will have the opportunity to help decide the future of public education in San Mateo County by electing a new County Superintendent of Schools. As leader of the County Office of Education, the Superintendent will make decisions and take actions that will have a profound impact on our twenty-three elementary, unified and high school districts, our charter schools, and our Community College district.

If elected to the position of Superintendent, I will bring the full resources of the County Office of Education to bear to accomplish the following goals for the parents, students, and educators of San Mateo County:

1. Empower teachers and school districts to raise academic achievement levels by providing top-quality teacher training and curriculum assistance.
2. Deliver fiscal accountability to tax payers by ensuring that all county school districts and charter schools operate with balanced budgets. Operating "in the red" will not be tolerated during my tenure in office. Neither will any misuse of public funds.
3. Advocate for the interest of our schools with state and local legislators. The County Superintendent can use the "bully pulpit" to keep education issues at the forefront of the public consciousness, and I fully intend to do so.
4. Promote local control for school district governing boards. San Mateo County is fortunate to have well-informed, dedicated parents and community leaders serving on district school boards. They are best able to make the decisions that affect the education of their students. They need broad flexibility and authority to do so. As County Superintendent, I will be a constant presence in the offices of our legislators to ensure that local control of expenditures and curriculum decisions is restored and maintained.
5. Fight for our fair share of school funding at the federal and state level. With the complex formulas used to allocate education funds today, it is easy for San Mateo County kids to get short-changed. For example, current law allows the federal government to fund up to 40% of the costs of special education. However, that level of support has never been achieved. And a long-standing practice of the state has been to reduce its support for special education by the amount of federal dollars the districts do receive. This is not right. I will work with our state and federal legislators and the Governor to correct this situation.
6. Work to eliminate the "strings" attached to much of today's educational funding. Increasingly, state funds for education are coming to our school districts with restrictions on their use. This ties the hands of our school district superintendents and governing boards. We get the best value for our education dollars when our local school leaders can use these funds to meet their districts' most pressing needs. I will oppose legislation that "pigeonholes" tax dollars for the pet projects of legislators.
7. Lead efforts to collaborate with other agencies to increase services for children in San Mateo County. With 28 years of experience in San Mateo County school and district administration, I have a clear vision of how governmental agencies can work together to increase the quality and efficiency of services available to our kids.

I have dedicated my entire career to the service of education in San Mateo County. I know San Mateo County schools from boundary to boundary. And I know how to fight for the kids - all of the kids - who benefit from public education in San Mateo County.