| With over 133,000 students in attendance, San Diego | | | | federal Adequate Yearly Progress tests. In fact, San |
| Schools have a lot to live up to. Parents expect | | | | Diego was the California city that placed highest on |
| excellence when they send their children off to school | | | | the test. Schools in this city have met all of their |
| each day, and that's certainly the case in this California | | | | academic achievement targets for 2007, but that |
| community. There are over 250 public schools in this | | | | doesn't mean administrators are sitting on their laurels. |
| city. San Diego Schools are viewed as some of the | | | | Only 54 San Diego Schools achieved a score of 800 |
| best educational facilities in the nation. This school | | | | on the Academic Performance Index which is a state |
| district was recently the recipient of a grant in the | | | | based evaluation system. Although this number is up |
| amount of $17.5 million dollars. This grant was awarded | | | | from last year's 53 area Schools that achieved |
| by the federal government as part of the Shining | | | | excellence, there is obvious room for improvement. It's |
| Readers program. In addition, the Government of | | | | worth noting that 12 of the San Diego schools |
| California also recognized schools in San Diego in the | | | | surpassed expectations by attaining a score of 900. |
| form of a $2.24 million dollar grant that is directed | | | | More attention needs to be directed towards students |
| towards the science program in the district's middle | | | | with disabilities in San Diego Schools. Every other |
| schools. The community as a whole is supportive of all | | | | sub-group that was tested, including Caucasian, African |
| schools in San Diego. Many of the area's businesses | | | | American, American Indian, and Hispanic students all |
| have joined together to form the Partners in Education | | | | met minimum requirements. Students living with a |
| organization. This group of individuals has contributed | | | | disability enrolled in schools in San Diego failed to meet |
| more than $8 million dollars to San Diego Schools in | | | | the necessary requirements in English Language Arts. |
| recent years. Combine that with the more than 20,000 | | | | With the community working hand-in-hand with San |
| volunteers who spend their time working within the | | | | Diego Schools the level of excellence with the system |
| schools and it's obvious that the children attending | | | | will continually increase. The state of California |
| have an advantage. There are 247 Elementary San | | | | recognizes the progress being made at the school |
| Diego Schools, 124 Middle Schools, and 87 High | | | | system in San Diego which will translate to more |
| Schools. For parents who choose not to send their | | | | funding in the future. Big districts face the increased |
| child to one of the 263 Public Schools, there are 78 | | | | challenge of even distribution of educational |
| Private San Diego Schools that may be a better | | | | opportunities among a ethnically and financially diverse |
| match. Before parents decide to spend the extra | | | | student body population. San Diego is no different. |
| money associated with enrolling their child in one of the | | | | Acknowledgment of the issue is but only a first step. |
| expensive private schools they should consider how | | | | Patricia Hawke is a staff writer for Schools K-12, |
| impressive the Public School system is. San Diego | | | | providing free, in-depth reports on all U.S. public and |
| Schools achieved an impressive 45 out of 46 of | | | | private K-12 schools. |