It was interesting to me to confirm what we have found in
California---that is is difficult to keep the discussion of this issue
from rapidly becoming polarized--a situation to which the news media
contribute mightily. I encourage everybody to actually read the full
text of the AAUW report "Separated by Sex." Whatever your opinion of
single-sex schools, the report is a fine overview of the entire topic
from a research and public policy perspective (for the legal overview, I
encourage a re-reading of the opening statements to this discussion; I
can also be contacted for the California Department of Education's legal
memo, which says some of the same things). The AAUW report is not
exactly what was depicted in news reports; it is--along with the
organization's 1992 report on bias and sex discrimination in education--a
very serious effort to inform the dialogue.
I hope we will be able to do a statewide evaluation of the California
program and that what we learn from it will be helpful to people in the
future as they debate whether or not to try such an experiment in
other places. California policymakers initiated this as an educational
option, and we as administrators are determined that it will be an
educationally and legally sound option, which we believe it is as it is
being offered here. As administrators, we have urged the legislature to
provide a comprehensive evaluation of the entire program so that we can
see the whole picture, not just results from a somewhat disparate group of
individual programs; and so we may have a chance to contribute meaningful
information to future public policy considerations. We are optimistic
such an overall evaluation will be conducted, although it will be at least
two years before any final report could be submitted.
As the agency charged with ensuring equity in California schools, we are
also engaged in an array of strategies and programs to support and extend
equity throughout our state's schools. I am transitioning to work on
vocational education sex equity grants; and we hope over the next months
to identify other strategies to expand CDE's work in supporting gender
equity across the board. We are committed to gender equity in the larger
context of eliminating bias of all kinds in California schools and
ensuring a quality, world-class education to each and every student.
This means high standards which we know all students can achieve if we
support them; fair assessment of their progress toward those standards;
and a system which holds schools and districts accountable for the
quality of education they provide every student.
For those interested in the California experiment, the following is a
list of contacts for the schools in our pilot program:
Jason Messer, Principal
Mary McLeod Bethune & Horace Mann Academies/Brookside School
Stockton, CA
(Lincoln Unified School District)
PH: (209) 953-8641 or 953-8642
Linda Massey & David Van Scoyoc, Instructors
Dorris Elementary School
Dorris, CA
(Butte Valley Unified School District)
PH: (530) 397-2518 (Girls' Academy)
(530) 397-2521 (Boys' Academy)
John A. Michaelson, Principal
Arthur Ashe Academy for Boys/Sally Ride Academy for Girls, Marina Middle
School
San Francisco, CA
(San Francisco Unified School District)
PH: (415) 749-3495
Susan M. Condrey, Ed.D., Principal
Linda Holland, Vice-Principal
Single Gender Academies
Fountain Valley, CA
PH: (714) 418-0303
Ken Geisick, SGA Site Coordinator
Andrew Hill High School
San Jose, CA
(East Side Union High School District)
PH: (408) 227-8800
Michele Murnane, Executive Director
San Francisco 49'ers Academies
East Palo Alto, CA
(Ravenswood City Elementary School District)
PH: (650) 614-4303 or 614-4300
After this week, I am moving to a different assignment in the Career
Development Office of the California Department of Education,
coordinating gender equity grants under the Carl Perkins Vocational
Education Act. Carol Barkley will take over coordination of the Single
Gender Academies program. I will continue to work with her, but I
encourage those wanting more extensive information after this week to
contact her as follows:
Carol Barkley, Consultant
Coordinator, Single Gender Academies Pilot Program
Career Development Office
California Department of Education
560 J Street, Ste. 290
Sacramento, CA 95814
PH: (916) 322-1755
e-mail: cbarkley@cde.ca.gov
If you want information related to the Governor's proposal for the Single
Gender Academies Pilot Program, or additional information on their budget
proposals for 1998-99, you should contact Michael Jett, who represents
the administration in working with CDE on this program:
Michael Jett, Deputy Secretary
Governor's Office of Child Development and Education
1121 L Street, Ste. 600
Sacramento, CA 95814
PH: (916) 323-0611
Again, my thanks for the opportunity to participate in this discussion.
Karen Humphrey, Consultant
California Department of Education
PH: (916) 322-5048
e-mail: khumphre@cde.ca.gov