June 1, 2010
"Loyola Marymount University has been named the preferred California partner for Teach For America, now serving the San Francisco Bay Area in addition to the Los Angeles region..."
Get to Know Richmond
The story of education in Richmond is a like phoenix rising from the ashes.
Over two decades ago, the Richmond Unified School District went bankrupt and planned to close all of its schools. Concerned parents, led by Tom Butt, had to sue California to keep the schools open, which required the state to lend the district $29 million. At a 5.7 percent interest rate, however, the district continued to struggle. To help turn the tides, Wendy Gonzalez, a concerned first-year teacher, and others marched to Sacramento on a hunger strike to lower the rates. Even with lowered rates, Richmond became the first district in California – and possibly the nation – to be taken over by the state.
After 21 years of receivership, the district has successful repaid all of its debt and renamed itself the West Contra Cost Unified School District.
The leadership of Superintendent Bruce Harter in this debt-free environment has helped to revive the district by focusing on the core curriculum and multicultural literacy in order to serve the diverse study body. In addition to providing teachers with additional curriculum and technology resources, Harter has worked to ensure that additional in-school interventions and after-school programs are available to struggling students.
Joining the efforts are Teach For America corps members and alumni working alongside parents – just like in tougher financial times – to take advantage of the progress that can be made with the extra $1.4 million that would have otherwise gone toward repaying the loan.
Region Leadership
Tyler Hester, Senior Managing Director, Richmond
Tyler grew up just across the Richmond-San Rafael bridge and attended Stanford University as an undergraduate. He then worked for the U.S. Department of Education and studied education policy and politics at Cambridge University as a Gates Scholar, where he became convinced that educational inequity is the civil rights issue of our generation. Inspired to make change for kids in California, Tyler joined the corps to teach middle school English in Los Angeles, then taught high school English in Richmond as an alumnus. He is thrilled to now be leading Teach For America’s efforts in Richmond.
Region Timeline
-
Augustin S. Macdonald helped to build a transcontinental rail terminal and ferry service to provide a direct route from Richmond to San Francisco, effectively paving the way for Richmond’s industry.
-
At the onset of WWII, the small town of Richmond becomes a booming industrial city. Local shipbuilding companies employ thousands of migrant workers from all over the country, most of whom are African-Americans and women.
-
Post-war Richmond sees the decline of the population, as well as fluctuating industrial production since the shipyards closed. Chevron, however, continues to grow steadily as the City's major industry and employer.
-
The Richmond Unified School District is created, serving the children of many of the families employed by the shipbuilding industry.
-
This decade sees the Asian Pacific Islander American population growing by three times and the Latino Hispanic population becoming 14.5% of the population. Demographically, Richmond is 44% African American and 36% Caucasian.
-
Richmond Unified School District files for bankruptcy, damaging the city’s credit rating. As a result, the West Contra Costa Unified School District forms, with a debt of $42.5 million.
-
Finally financially independent, the West Contra Costa Unified School District is now free to focus on multicultural literacy in support of the vast diversity of languages spoken by its 29,215 students.
Overheard
I have five first-year Teach For America teachers this year, which is really exciting because they come with a different energy and they come with a purpose.
Principal,
West Contra Costa Unified School District, Lincoln Elementary School
