By Kevin Beiser
I’m not done yet. Despite the early successes of a balanced budget and improved academic performance, there’s still more work to be done at the San Diego Unified School District.
When I took office representing San Diego Unified’s District B, the district faced crippling budget cuts, low test scores and even lower morale among teachers, who after years of being handed layoff notices at the end of each school year had little or no job security.
There was a lot of work to do, but that’s never bothered me. I’ve never shied away from hard work or tough choices. I rolled up my sleeves and went to work with one goal in mind, putting students first.
By any measure, San Diego Unified is better off than it was four years ago.
We balanced the district’s budget and did it without any teacher layoffs. We reduced class sizes, re-opened all our schools’ libraries, installed air-conditioning in 2,000 of the hottest classrooms and restored funding to music and arts programs.
These sweeping changes had two measurable impacts on students: we’ve improved academic performance to the point where we now have the lowest dropout rate in California among large urban districts, and we’re ranked first in the state in English and science achievement.
For me, a full-time math teacher, those results mean everything.
Growing up in a very poor family, I was the first to graduate high school and go on to graduate college, so I know the importance of an education. In fact, I’ve dedicated my life to it.
After college, and several years working in the private sector in business-management roles, I returned to graduate school to fulfill my dream of helping children, earning a master’s degree in education for both social sciences and mathematics.
I started as a middle school math teacher and was later recognized as the Math Teacher of the Year in 2008-2009. My students have voted me the “Most Inspirational, Most Caring and Most Effective Teacher.”
In my bid for a second term as the president of the San Diego Unified Board of Trustees, I’ve earned the endorsements of the American Federation of Teachers, the San Diego Education Association, the San Diego City Firefighters, the San Diego Police Officer’s Association and the San Diego Schools Police Officer’s Association. I’ve also been endorsed by the League of Conservation Voters and the San Diego chapter of the Sierra Club for my work to reduce education’s carbon footprint.
But there’s still more to do, and I hope to have an opportunity to continue. If communities, families, students and teachers work together towards a common goal, there is no limit to the greatness our children can achieve.
Kevin Beiser is seeking a second term on the San Diego Unified Board of Trustees. He lives in Serra Mesa and is a math teacher in the Sweetwater Union High School District.
