Jack O’Connell was inaugurated as California’s superintendent of public instruction at a Jan. 5 ceremony held at the State Assembly Chambers in Sacramento, Calif.
O’Connell took oath in front of family, friends and colleagues during the two-hour ceremony. After being sworn in by San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown, he reiterated his commitment to improving the California public education system through class-size reduction. In his brief speech, he also promised to try to keep the state’s recent budget cuts as far away from the classrooms as possible.
A former state senator and assemblyman, O’Connell replaced Delaine Eastin, who was the head of the California Department of Education for the past eight years.
In addition to supervising K-12 education throughout the state, O’Connell will also serve on the UC Board of Regents, who have recently voted on a $135-per-quarter increase in student fees. This is the first time in eight years that the University of California has faced a raise in fees.
California State schools and community colleges throughout the state are also experiencing the hike in tuition payments.
O’Connell enters the executive office of the state’s Department of Education at a time when California faces a $35 billion deficit. Schools all over the state are facing budget cuts that will affect programs, administrations and student services alike. Among these are the K-12 Outreach Programs, which had already been allocated $10.9 million less than in the 2001-02 budget.
Other officials present during the inauguration included assemblywoman Hilda Solis and Rules Committee Chairman Joe Nation. Solis and other close friends, including O’Connell’s sister, also spoke during the occasion. One highlight of the ceremony was when the Oxnard High School marching band from O’Connell’s alma mater played music to kick off the event.
“”It was a really special moment to have the kids there,”” said Molly Culver, a representative of the O’Connell Inaugural Committee. “”It was exciting to see Jack come in full circle in his professional career.””
Responding to a speech by the governor that called to expedite $5.5 billion from the new Proposition 147 school bond passed in November 2002, O’Connell also said, “”Recognizing that we are in difficult financial time, it is crucial that we maximize our historic investment in public education.””
Born in New York, O’Connell moved to Southern California with his family when he was 7 years old. He received degrees from California State University Fullerton and got teaching credentials at California State University Long Beach.
O’Connell taught in Ventura County for five years before going into the political arena. In 1982, he became the 35th District State Assemblyman and was elected to the State Senate in 1994. In his two decades in the state legislature, O’Connell promoted such issues as increased salaries for teachers and funding for school construction.
“”A key factor to ensuring that our children are ready to learn when they walk through the school door is making sure they enter a building conducive of learning,”” he said.
O’Connell also wrote the bill that allowed no more than 20 students per classroom in kindergarten through third grade.
Superintendent Jack O’Connell will be hosting receptions throughout the state of California this week for a series of inaugural celebrations. He will be at the Joe Rindone Regional Technology Center in San Diego on Jan. 18 to meet with local school boards, educators and other community leaders.