Fcik Gov Letter Ab219

December 4, 2007

The Honorable Arnold Schwarzenegger Governor of California State Capitol Building Sacramento, CA 95814 Dear Governor Schwarzenegger: As an organization of hundreds of California’s sheriffs, police chiefs, district attorneys and crime survivors, we know that there is no substitute for tough law enforcement. But we also know from years of crime-fighting experience and rigorous research evidence that, to safeguard our communities, we need to take steps to prevent kids from ever becoming involved in crime. This is why we are writing to express our support for your strong commitment to education reform. Education reform is a public safety issue. A good education is one of the most fundamental crime-prevention tools available. Kids who stay in school and graduate are more likely to become productive citizens, and less likely to turn to crime. However, California suffers from high dropout rates. One out of every three high school students does not graduate from high school, which in turn threatens public safety. Across the country, 68 percent of state prison inmates did not receive a high school diploma. Researchers studying the relationship between graduation and crime concluded that a ten-percentage point increase in graduation rates would reduce murder and assault rates by about 20 percent. This means that increasing graduation rates in California from 67 percent to 77 percent would result in approximately 500 fewer murders and over 20,000 fewer aggravated assaults each year. As you move forward in designing your reform proposal, we encourage you to consider the following:  There is an urgent need to act now to reform education in California.  Rigorous research demonstrates that certain reforms—including high-quality preschool and smaller learning communities—can improve graduation rates.  Other strategies—including dropout prevention and after-school programs— have strong potential to increase graduation rates.  Effective student data collection is essential. Specifically: There is an urgent need to act now to reform education in California.

Every day, more kids drop out of school, and follow a path that too often leads to crime. If we act now, we can keep more kids in school and our streets safer. We look forward to working with you to help ensure that 2008 is the year of education reform. Rigorous research demonstrates that certain reforms—including high-quality preschool and smaller learning communities—can improve graduation rates Education reform should begin before a child enters kindergarten. Effective preschool is one of the most effective ways to get kids on the right path to graduation and success in life. Evidence from two long-term rigorous evaluations of the effects of preschool also shows that high-quality preschool increases high school graduation rates by as much as 44 percent, while also cutting crime. A recent analysis from UC Santa Barbara’s California Dropout Research Project concluded that the High/Scope Perry Preschool program would yield 19 extra high school graduates for every 100 students served, and the Child-Parent Centers in Chicago would yield 11 extra high school graduates for every 100 students served. Ensuring access to effective preschool, particularly for low-income children and children who are English language learners, is critical to education reform. In addition, in order to ensure that preschool programs improve student achievement, the state should: • Strengthen the skills of preschool teachers and provide adequate compensation to attract and retain effective teachers; • Strongly incentivize parental involvement; and • Screen children for child abuse and neglect and developmental problems and then provide linkages to services. Investing in small learning communities at middle schools and high schools with individualized monitoring and support also boosts graduation rates significantly. For example, First Things First targets middle school and high school kids, and consists of three major components: 1) small learning communities (a “school within a school”); 2) family advocates paired with each student to monitor and assist in their progress; and 3) instructional improvement. Research shows this model yields 16 extra high school graduates for every 100 participating students. Other strategies—including dropout prevention and after-school programs— have strong potential to increase graduation rates Investing in dropout prevention programs for middle schools and high school students is also critical. For example, Check & Connect uses monitors to ‘check’ that high-risk middle and high school students are in school, then they ‘connect’ the students to needed services with the help of school personnel, family members, and community service providers. One study found that 12th grade students in Check & Connect were 33 percent less likely to drop out of school than students not in the program. Another study found that 9th grade students not in the program were three times more likely to drop out. As you know, after-school programs have potential to increase attendance, reduce dropouts and improve graduation rates. For example, Blair High School in Pasadena offers “credit reclamation” classes after school to students who need core curriculum credits in order to graduate. The program has been so successful that the school graduation rate was at 92% in June 2005—the highest it has been in 20 years. In fact, 30% of graduates at Blair High School were able to graduate only because of the credit reclamation program. FIGHT CRIME: INVEST IN KIDS is proud to have had the opportunity to work closely with you in passing and implementing Proposition 49. To ensure the continued success of Proposition 49, this state-funded program, like school-age child care programs and many state-supported education programs, should be guaranteed a cost-of-living adjustment, so schools continue to have sufficient funding to provide effective programs in the years ahead. Effective student data collection is essential California needs a comprehensive student data system to keep track of who is graduating and who is dropping out. Thanks to your signing of SB 219, schools will now be required to collect dropout rates and include them in the Academic

Performance Index. Only if graduation and dropout rates are effectively measured, can we identify which schools are, or are not, succeeding at engaging struggling students, and then encourage implementation of the best practices. We appreciate your strong support for funding of the California Pupil Achievement Data System. A properly funded data collection system is necessary to ensure effective tracking of individual students, and we encourage you to continue to make this a high priority. Research-based education reform can both help students succeed and substantially improve public safety. We appreciate your consideration of these priorities and we look forwarding to working with you to ensure that 2008 is the year of meaningful education reform. Sincerely,

Chief Jerry Adams Lodi Police Department

Chief Randy G. Adams Glendale Police Department

Chief Steve Adams Upland Police Department

Chief Rick Alves Lake Shasta Police Department

Chief Michael Avery Ridgecrest Police Department

Chief Aaron Baker Pittsburg Police Department

Chief Ken Barnes Alturas Police Department

Chief Scott Berry Truckee Police Department

Chief Landy Black Davis Police Department

Chief Mitchel Brown Oroville Police Department

Chief James Bueermann Redlands Police Department

Chief Richard Bull Ripon Police Department

Chief Thomas R. Bullard Rohnert Park Police Department

Chief Kevin Burke Lakeport Police Department

Chief Brad Burris Stallion Springs Police Department

Chief Scott Capilla Red Bluff Police Department

Chief Bob Carden Visalia Police Department

Chief Gerald Carrigan Paradise Police Department

Chief Stephen Cercone Seaside Police Department

Chief Jim Copsey Grover Beach Police Department

Chief Paul Cooper Claremont Police Department

Chief Joseph Cortez Montebello Police Department

Chief John Couch Pismo Beach Police Department

Chief Garry Couso-Vasquez Atascadero Police Department

Chief John Crombach Oxnard Police Department

Chief Bruce Cumming Morgan Hill Police Department

Chief Timothy Dabney Lompoc Police Department

Chief John DeRohan Morro Bay Police Department

Chief Mark DeRosia Delano Police Department

Chief Pete Dunbar Pleasant Hill Police Department

Chief Dan Drummond West Sacramento Police Department

Chief Jeff Dunn Kingsburg Police Department

Chief Jerry Dyer Fresno Police Department

Chief Richard Ehle Capitola Police Department

Chief Fernando Estrella Port Hueneme Police Department

Chief Mark Evenson Brentwood Police Department

Chief Heather Fong San Francisco Police Department

Chief John Foster Grass Valley Police Department

Chief Robert Garcia Azusa Police Department

Chief Mark Gillmore Brawley Police Department

Chief Gregory Giusiana Gilroy Police Department

Chief Adolfo Gonzales National City Police Department

Chief Phillip Green Twin Cities Police Authority

Chief Dave Gundersen Blue Lake Police Department

Chief Bruce Hagerty Chico Police Department

Chief Douglas Hambleton Berkeley Police Department

Chief Gary Hampton Turlock Police Department

Chief Valerie Harris Auburn Police Department

Chief Stanley Henry Cathedral City Police Department

Chief Scott Holder San Ramon Police Department

` Chief Steven Hood Petaluma Police Department

Chief Wayne Hose Stockton Police Department

Chief Ken Hughes Fairfax Police Department

Chief James Hyde Antioch Police Department

Chief Timothy Jackman Santa Monica Police Department

Chief Lynne Johnson Palo Alto Police Department

Chief Roger Johnson Monrovia Police Department

Chief Susan Jones Healdsburg Police Department

Chief Keith Kilmer Bell Gardens Police Department

Chief Thomas Klose Sanger Police Department

Chief Joseph Kreins Novato Police Department

Chief Alan Lanning La Mesa Police Department

Chief Deborah Linden San Luis Obispo Police Department

Chief David Livingston Concord Police Department

Chief Stephen Lodge Santa Clara Police Department

Chief Edward Lopez Baldwin Park Police Department

Chief Richard J. Lyons Maywood Police Department

Chief Dan Macagni Santa Maria Police Department

Chief David Maggard Irvine Police Department

Chief Chris Magnus Richmond Police Department

Chief Susan Manheimer San Mateo Police Department

Chief Donald Mattei Belmont Police Department

Chief Allan McClain Clearlake Police Department

Chief Mace McIntosh Sonora Police Department

Chief Chuck McMillan Porterville Police Department

Chief Mike McQuiston Albany Police Department

Chief Terry Medina Watsonville Police Department

Chief Edward Medrano Gardena Police Department

Chief Bernard Melekian Pasadena Police Department

Chief Richard Melton Napa Police Department

Chief Carlos Mestas Hanford Police Department

Chief Patrick Miller Ventura Police Department

Chief Don Mort Dixon Police Department

Chief Jones Moy Monterey Park Police Department

Chief Albert Nájera Sacramento Police Department

Chief John Neu Torrance Police Department

Chief Robert Nichelini Vallejo Police Department

Chief Martin Nicholas Weed Police Department

Chief George Nielsen Placerville Police Department

Chief Matthew Odetto San Rafael Police Department

Chief Robert Ordelheide San Fernando Police Department

Chief Daniel Ortega Salinas Police Department

Chief Scott Paulin Sausalito Police Department

Chief Joe Pecsi Bishop Police Department

Chief Scott Pickwith La Verne Police Department

Chief Mark Raffaelli South San Francisco Police Department

Chief Bradley Ramos Indio Police Department

Chief Janet Rasmussen Hughson Police Department

Chief Lisa Ravazza Piedmont Police Department

Chief Tony Ross Tulelake Police Department

Chief Greg Rothaus San Carlos Police Department

Chief Camerino Sánchez Santa Barbara Police Department

Chief Randy Schienle Mammoth Lakes Police Department

Chief Scott Seaman Los Gatos Police Department

Chief Joshua Short Etna Police Department

Chief David Singer Whittier Police Department

Chief Ishmael Solis Parlier Police Department

Chief Tom Sonoff Signal Hill Police Department

Chief Frank Steenport Huron Police Department

Chief Greg Stewart Union City Police Department

Chief Carey Sullivan Woodland Police Department

Chief Walter Tibbet Alameda Police Department

Chief Robert Todd South Gate Police Department

Chief Steve Towles Vernon Police Department

Chief Michael Trevis Huntington Park Police Department

Chief Tommy Tunson Arvin Police Department

Chief Rod Uyeda Manhattan Beach Police Department

Chief Jack Van Etten Burlingame Police Department

Chief Jay Varney Chowchilla Police Department

Chief Brian Vizzusi Lincoln Police Department

Chief Paul Walters Santa Ana Police Department

Chief Jeffrey Weaver Sebastopol Police Department

Chief Dale Webb Anderson Police Department

Chief Ken Weldon El Monte Police Department

Chief John Welter Anaheim Police Department

Chief Chris Wenzel Danville Police Department

Chief Robert Whitney Blythe Police Department

Chief Mark Wright Murrieta Police Department

Chief John Zapalac Woodlake Police Department

Chief Ron Ace (Ret.) Concord Police Department

Chief Burnham Matthews (Ret.) Alameda Police Department

Sheriff Greg Ahern Alameda County

Sheriff James Allen Mariposa County

Sheriff John Anderson Madera County

Sheriff Tom Allman Mendocino County

Sheriff Leroy Baca Los Angeles County

Sheriff William Brown Santa Barbara County

Sheriff Michael Carona Orange County

Sheriff Bill Cogbill Sonoma County

Sheriff Lorrac Craig Trinity County

Sheriff Adam Christianson Stanislaus County

Sheriff Jim Denney Sutter County

Sheriff Robert Doyle Marin County

Sheriff Steven Durfor Yuba County

Sheriff Curtis Hill San Benito County

Sheriff Larry Jones Glenn County

Sheriff William Kolender San Diego County

Sheriff Raymond Loera Imperial County

Sheriff Jim Mele Tuolumne County

Sheriff Steve Moore San Joaquin County

Sheriff Greg Munks San Mateo County

Sheriff Clay Parker Tehama County

Sheriff Greg Penrod San Bernardino County

Sheriff Gary Philp Humboldt County

Sheriff Ed Prieto Yolo County

Sheriff Perry Reniff Butte County

Sheriff Steve Robbins Santa Cruz County

Sheriff Richard Scholl Mono County

Sheriff Gary Stanton Solano County

Sheriff Steve Warren Lassen County

Sheriff Bill Wittman Tulare County

Sheriff Donny Youngblood Kern County

Hon. Lawrence Allen Sierra County D.A.

Hon. J. Kirk Andrus Siskiyou County D.A.

Hon. George Booth Mono County D.A.

Hon. Gerald Benito Shasta County D.A.

Hon. Edward Berberian Marin County D.A.

Hon. Robert Brown Mariposa County D.A.

Hon. Ronald Calhoun Kings County D.A.

Hon. Dolores Carr Santa Clara County D.A.

Hon. Bonnie Dumanis San Diego County D.A.

Hon. Bradford R. Fenocchio Placer County D.A.

Hon. Birgit Fladager Stanislaus County D.A.

Hon. Dean Flippo Monterey County D.A.

Hon. James Fox San Mateo County D.A.

Hon. Paul Gallegos Humboldt County D.A.

Hon. Michael Harper Trinity County D.A.

Hon. Kamala Harris San Francisco County D.A.

Hon. Robert Holzapfel Glenn County D.A.

Robert J. Kochly Contra Costa D.A.

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Hon. Gary Lieberstein Napa County D.A.

Hon. Patrick McGrath Yuba County D.A.

Hon. Clifford Newell Nevada County D.A.

Hon. Thomas Orloff Alameda County D.A.

Hon. Stephan Passalacqua Sonoma County D.A.

Hon. David Paulson Solano County D.A.

Hon. John Poyner Colusa County D.A.

Hon. Michael A. Ramos San Bernardino D.A.

Hon. Jeff Reisig Yolo County D.A.

Hon. Todd D. Riebe Amador County D.A.

Hon. Michael Riese Del Norte County D.A.

Hon. Jan Scully Sacramento County D.A.

Hon. Gerald T. Shea San Luis Obispo D.A.

Hon. Christie Stanley Santa Barbara County D.A.

Hon. Gregory Totten Ventura County D.A.

Hon. Jeffrey Tuttle Calaveras County D.A.

Ms. Maggie Elvey Crime Victims United of California

Mr. Marc Klaas KlaasKids Foundation

Ms. Alexandra Matteucci-Perkins The Joseph Matteucci Foundation for Youth Non-Violence

Ms. Luisa Prudhomme Parents of Murdered Children

Ms. Harriet Salarno Crime Victims United of California