RE: Grounding Tenet for Learning

John Vasconscellos' comment "can we ground this master plan in this basic tenet that research documents - students arrive 'wired for learning'?  . . . This is crucial to moving us toward a learning society,' and 'California becoming the learning state' supporting student learning for all" is, indeed, the clarion call and call to arms regarding current educational praxis in California.  Moreover, I am profoundly challenged by the inference that all California legislators, educators and citizens must capitalize on this present opportunity to confront the truth about our system of K-16 education that historically HAS NOT SUPPORTED A QUALITY EDUCATION FOR ALL.  The next steps require that we begin to live the truth by uprooting all forms of praxis within our educational system that denies an equal and high quality of education for all.   

This emerging K-16 Master Plan, therefore, must establish a blueprint that tells the pure unadulterated truth about education in California since the 1960 Master Plan and then set out to (a) define what it means for our cities to become "learning societies" and for California to become a "learning state," (b)describe the research based ingredients that will become the grounding tenets for learning FOR ALL culturally and linguistically diverse populations in the years to come, and then based on a foundation of truth and nothing but the truth (c) proceed to boldly go where no-one has successfully ventured to go in California by requiring teachers to be able to use instructional methodologies (inclusive of mastering learning techniques)that is responsive to all learning styles; offering all students (regardless of post high school goals) the opportunity to be exposed to a rigorous academic curriculum; and hiring only K-16 educators who can demonstrate that capacity to ensure that ALL students LEARN.