LEAP takes on life of its own

Understaffed and busy with his state job, Ricardo Sanchez considered canceling the annual Latino/a Educational Achievement Project (LEAP) Conference.

Very little publicity had been produced, so the LEAP founder and chairman of the board of directors figured few people would register for the event. But after five years of successful conferences, apparently educators, parents and other supporters around the state had already penciled the conference into their calendar. Consequently, a record 400 people signed up for the Olympia event.

.Besides participating in a variety of workshops relating to education, government and political involvement, student and adult participants visit the Capitol to talk to legislators about important laws and programs under consideration.

Legislation of particular interest to LEAP participants this year related to the state WASL exam that this year’s 10^th-graders are required to pass before they can graduate from high school.

LEAP’s top legislative priority this year was to rally support for House Bill 3241, which would create college and career readiness centers at the state’s community colleges, where students 17-21 who have completed all graduation requirements except passing the WASL exam can attend classes and receive tutoring in order to successfully complete that final requirement.

A similar bill, HB2582, requiring the state’s technical and community colleges to design and offer such services free of charge, did pass the House during the LEAP conference and was on its way for consideration by the Senate.

Neither bill made it to the governor’s desk.

The importance of post-secondary education was also emphasized by numerous LEAP presenters.

Sanchez pointed out that the dropout rate in the early 1900s was about 90 percent, “but it wasn’t a problem.” People could find plenty of good jobs on farms and in industry that did not require formal education. That situation continued through the 1950s.

 “You cannot do what they did before and expect to make a good living,” says Sanchez. Researchers say 70 percent of all new jobs now require some post-secondary education.

Pasco School Board Chairman Ricardo Espinoza was awarded LEAP’s Educational Leadership Award for his efforts to help undocumented students who graduate from American high schools to become eligible for in-state tuition, federal aid and, ultimately, U.S. citizenship.

According to Sanchez, Espinoza was instrumental three years ago in getting local and state education organizations to support HB1079, which allows such students to pay in-state tuition at Washington’s colleges and universities.

Espinoza has since continued his efforts within the state and with national education organizations to rally support for the federal DREAM Act, which would provide undocumented college students provisional legal status, access to federal aid and a clear path to citizenship upon completion of their college degree.

“It’s not right that high school students are graduating at the top of their class and, because of policies that don’t make sense, can’t go to college. And if they can somehow get through college, they can’t go to work anywhere except in the fields. That’s the only place where the government doesn’t care if they work,” said Sanchez.

Espinoza said the state has a mandate to provide all children the same access to education.

“Our state constitution says, ‘It is the paramount duty of the state to make ample provision for the education of ALL children residing within its borders, without distinction or preference on account of race, color, caste, or sex,’” quotes the eight-year school board veteran.

“My fight and my whole purpose is to make our policymakers understand that ‘all children’ means our Hispanic children, too,” Espinoza said.

Over half of those attending the LEAP conference this year were students. Espinoza told them, “You inspire me and keep me going.”

Gov. Christine Gregoire, Superintendent of Public Instruction Terry Bergeson and many other public officials met with conference participants.

Espinoza led a brainstorm session for some of the adults and students attending the conference. He reported during the closing luncheon on the two key educational issues his group felt need to be addressed -– (1) making sure essentially all Latino students can graduate – not just the 25 percent who are currently able to pass the required WASL exam; and (2) getting parents more involved in education.

“Why do Latino students drop out? It’s easier to get a GED and go to work than to spend your 19^th, 20^th and 21^st years trying to pass WASL – even if you get to do it at a community college,” Espinoza said.

Espinoza’s group said getting parents more involved in their children’s education and helping parents themselves to progress educationally so they can do so more effectively should also be a high priority.

Later, Pasco High School Principal Raul Sital led a group of his students to the podium to share their feelings and ideas.

Sital told conference participants: “I believe the students need to have a voice, and I’m here to give them the opportunity. All students here should speak up. Students are the ones who are experiencing our education system every day in the classroom.”

His Pasco students did express themselves articulately and passionately, to which the conference responded with thunderous applause.

 “This LEAP Conference has been a wonderful experience for us students,” said Neddy Martinez. “I believe our government is making the requirement that we must pass the WASL to graduate, so the government should also provide the support that we need. The government should provide what we need so students can graduate and achieve their dreams and become successful. Despite any obstacles or barriers or walls that we Latino students may face, we will believe and we will succeed.”

“This conference has been an eye-opener for me,” said Manuel Isiordia. “It’s important to know what’s happening to our schools and that many of our people are being left behind.

 “The Latino population is too big to be categorized by the WASL test. I’m not saying get rid of it. It’s great. But I am saying don’t use it as your way of defining our culture by a piece of paper,” Isiordia said.

“I came here knowing that the WASL was a problem for Hispanic students,” said Edgar Hernandez. “But then I saw the data that shows that only 25 percent of the people like me who I consider my brothers and sisters will pass the WASL and reach their dream.

“That means there are 75 percent who may not be able to reach their dreams and go to college. I stand here as a proud Hispanic student to tell you I won’t let that happen. That is unacceptable for me; it is unacceptable for all Hispanic students. I’m standing here to say we will change it. We must show people that we can change those statistics.”

“When I came to the LEAP conference, I met people from Quincy, Walla Walla and Moses Lake, and I began to realize we are a very big people and we are able to help make changes,” said Jared Reyna. “We have a lot of voices. But if we have one dream and one voice, we can do it!”

State officials encouraged students to work hard and to share their new-found passion with other students back home who could not attend.

“You have your dream. Each of you is a special person, and you have power in you,” said Supt. Bergeson. “Follow your dream. I’m proud of you, and I’m glad you are here to make a difference in our state.”

Gov. Gregoire warned the students that in the 21^st century, they are no longer competing just against each other for the best jobs and business opportunities.

“You’ll be competing with the millions in China and India and Ireland and others around the world,” she said.

For that reason, the governor said, high standards must be maintained in Washington’s schools.

“We must prepare a world-class system of education for you and all children across the state,” Gregoire said.

Thanks in part to the $48 billion lawsuit settlement she helped achieve previously as attorney general, she said, “we are beginning the biggest investment in education ever in our history.”

The state legislature is recognizing with her the need to fund early education for preschoolers and to provide additional funds for the K-12 system, as well. Bill Gates, whose foundation is helping fund some of the reform efforts in the state, met with the governor’s Washington Learns group of government and private leaders from across the state.

“We built an education system that met the needs of yesterday,” Gates told the state’s leaders. “But will it meet the needs of tomorrow. I don’t think so.”

The governor noted that half of the children who enter kindergarten are already 1-2 years behind in their development, and it is very difficult for them to catch up. Many of them never do, she said, which is why so many students drop out of high school.

“I don’t want our schools to be compared to other states,” Gregoire said. “They need to be compared to China’s and India’s and Ireland’s.”

Preschool programs are essential in “breaking down the achievement gap,” she said. Studies now show that for every $1 invested in preschool programs, $16 in dividends are paid later in lower dropout rates, less incarceration, more college attendance and less welfare.

“It is the smartest economic investment we can make in our future,” Gregoire said.

The governor defended the state’s reform efforts, although she agrees they have not gone far enough yet, and she understands the concern many students feel about the WASL exam.

“I know there is controversy about our standards, but we do not let students down by holding them to higher standards. We let them down by NOT holding to higher standards,” Gregoire said.

She pledged support for extra tutoring, preschool programs, summer school and “whatever it takes” to help students succeed.

She also wants to expand the state’s Running Start program, which allows high school students who achieve certain standards to begin taking college courses, which count both toward high school and college graduation. She wants the program to include vocational programs for students who want to become carpenters or pursue a trade rather than a professional career.

Gregoire noted that she grew up the daughter of a poor, single mom who worked as a short-order cook.

“She gave me one lesson over and over again: education. She let me understand that education would open all doors and break down all barriers,” Gregoire said. “I’m governor because of my mother.”

She challenged the students attending the LEAP Conference, “Be all you can be, and don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t succeed in life.”