COMMUNITY FOR
EXCELLENT PUBLIC SCHOOLS

1. To promote a shared community vision for excellence in our public schools that includes early childhood and post-secondary education;
   
   
2. To evaluate and pursue a range of short and long term funding measures through state, city and school district policies and elections;
   
   
3. To identify and support issues that will support education and public schools, including early childhood education, after-school programs, and post-secondary public education;
   
   
4. To increase public awareness of the value and uniqueness of our public schools;
   
   
5. To promote accountability for high quality public education by public institutions and public officals.

CEPS Press Release, October 11, 2004 SANTA MONICA – After a month-long evaluation process, Community for Excellent Public Schools (CEPS) rates 8 of the 14 Santa Monica City Council Candidates running for four open seats “reliable” supporters of public education.

Acknowledging that education is one of a group of important criteria that voters must assess in making their council choices, CEPS chose a reliability rating system for City Council candidates rather than a more traditional endorsement. CEPS announced its School Board endorsements for Dr. José Escarce, Maria Leon-Vazquez and Dr. Kathy Wisnicki last week.

CEPS rated City Council incumbents Richard Bloom Ken Genser, and Herb Katz “reliable”, as well as Matteo Dinolfo, Patricia Hoffman, Maria Loya, Kathryn Morea, and Bobby Shriver. Leticia Anderson and Linda Armstrong were not rated as CEPS felt there is “insufficient information available [for these candidates] to make a determination.”

Bill Bauer David Cole, incumbent Michael Feinstein, and Jonathan Mann were rated not reliable supporters of Public Education.

Community for Excellent Public Schools candidate evaluations followed a three-step process. Candidates were asked to answer a comprehensive list of questions that were developed to touch upon a broad spectrum of educational concerns specific to SMMUSD. The full list of questions as well as each candidate’s complete answers are available to the public at excellentpublicschools.org/pledge.html.

Candidates were then invited to answer questions from the public at the CEPS Candidates Forum, which took place at Franklin Elementary School on September 20th. Finally, candidates’ backgrounds, qualifications and track-records were analyzed. Endorsements were made based on a compilation of all three criteria.

In addition, candidates were asked to sign the CEPS Pledge, which read:

“I pledge to support the agreement between the City of Santa Monica and the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District that provides significant city funding to the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District. I will vote to affirm that agreement when it appears on the City Council agenda and to provide necessary funds at budget adoption. I pledge to increase City support to the School District whenever the City’s revenues will allow such an increase, as provided by the agreement.”

While all candidates signed the Pledge, incumbent Michael Feinstein was a vocal opponent of the City/School District Funding agreement and the citizen group that pushed it forward, calling it “slash and burn politics.” Feinstein did not vote in favor of the agreement.

CEPS also voted to endorse Santa Monica College Bond, Measure S and the increase of Santa Monica’s Transit Occupancy Tax, Measure N.

CEPS PRESS RELEASE May 12, 2004
In a spirited and, at times contentious meeting last night, the Santa Monica City Council approved the School Funding Agreement released Tuesday, May 4th by SMMUSD Superintendent John Deasy and Santa Monica City Manager Susan McCarthy. The Santa Monica-Malibu Board of Education expressed their unanimous approval of the Agreement May 6, 2004.

Community for Excellent Public Schools (CEPS) Co-chair Shari Davis comments, “CEPS is so proud to have been able to lead this extraordinary community-wide effort to bring our public schools the long-term, stable local funding that they need to provide students quality educational opportunities. We live in a unique community, one which was able to work together to craft and approve this agreement. We would like to thank the many volunteers whose hard work helped make this resolution possible. And we would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to Superintendent Deasy and City Manager McCarthy for the dedicated, professional manner in which they crafted this agreement. “

The School Funding Agreement provides SMMUSD with base funding of $6 million per year for a five-year term. The agreement also includes escalators and renewal clauses. This agreement was released just one day before CEPS was to submit the approximately 15,000 signatures it had gathered from Santa Monica voters in favor of placing its Excellent Public Schools Measure on the November ballot. The CEPS measure would have amended the Charter of the City of Santa Monica to provide funding to SMMUSD. The CEPS Steering Committee, after carefully reviewing the Agreement reached by Dr. Deasy and Ms. McCarthy has voted to hold off submitting the signatures for its measure and looks forward to a time in the near future when the Board of Education and the City Council approves and signs a fully-executed School Funding Agreement.

“This agreement represents Herculean efforts put forth by everyone in this community,” says CEPS Co-chair Louise Jaffee, “most notably Dr. Deasy, Ms. McCarthy and the hundreds of volunteers and thousands of residents who support increased funding for schools. We believe that this agreement establishes the respect and recognition that public education demands. CEPS also wants to thank Council Members Katz and Genser, and Mayor Bloom for their part in helping make this agreement reality, as well as our own outstanding Board of Education.”

CEPS PRESS RELEASE May 6, 2004
Community for Excellent Public Schools (CEPS) steering committee has carefully reviewed the proposed School Funding Agreement released yesterday by SMMUSD Superintendent John Deasy and Santa Monica City Manager Susan McCarthy.

When the agreement as currently written is approved and executed by both the Board of Education and the Santa Monica City Council, CEPS will not feel the need to submit the more than 15,000 signatures collected in support of its Excellent Public Schools Charter Amendment.

CEPS is a grassroots community organization dedicated to ensuring excellent public schools for our community. CEPS supporters include: Santa Monica-Malibu Classroom Teachers Association, Santa Monica-Malibu Council of PTAs, Santa Monica Chamber of Commerce, Service Employees International Union, parents, teachers, business leaders, and hundreds of individuals dedicated to improving public education.

CITY OF SANTA MONICA PRESS RELEASE
(May 5, 2004)
http://www.smmusd.org/press/press0304/smcityfundingrls.htm

CITY OF SANTA MONICA PROPOSED AGREEMENT
(May 5, 2004)
http://www.smmusd.org/press/press0304/drafttermsheet.htm