Nominee's Background:
ghart@calstate.edu
Mr. Gary K. Hart has been involved in education policy formation for many years, most recently as California Secretary for Education in the administration of Governor Gray Davis. His principal responsibility as Secretary for Education was helping craft and pass the Governor's 1999 education reform program. Before this, Mr. Hart helped found and direct the California State University Institute for Education Reform, which develops polices in the areas of Humanities. He is an active member of NEA; has written two books, several articles on issues in contemporary education, and Technical Writing Curriculum Guide, a model for courses in technical writing throughout the state.
Gary Hart served 20 years in the California State Legislature and chaired the Senate Education Committee from 1983 until his retirement in 1994. He is currently co-director (with Sue Burr) of the California State University Institute for Education Reform located on the CSU Sacramento campus. The Institute promotes education reform efforts aimed at improving pupil academic achievement.
A former high school teacher by vocation, Gary Hart authored a wide range of legislation on education topics, including performance-based student testing, school restructuring, charter schools, and latch key child care programs. He authored SB 813 of 1983, a landmark school reform and financing bill. Mr. Hart returned to the classroom in 1992 to teach history at Sacramento's Kennedy High School.
Mr. Hart earned a Baccalaureate degree in history from Stanford University and an M.A. in education from Harvard University.
Nominating Speech:
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Progressive Criteria:
The Education Department will
Support true academic standards and reject punitive standardized testing that deprives schools of funding solely because of low test scores;
Support not penalize school districts that need extra help because they have many poor, minority or immigrant students;
Work to restore public education as an effective vehicle for social mobility, as it has been for so much of our country's history;
Open up many routes to higher education;
Improve teacher pay, dignity and respect;
Reject voucher systems and other privatization schemes;
Protect our students from commercial influences and marketing in their schools;
Understand that in addition to training for good jobs, the public education system must educate responsible, engaged citizens.
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