Superintendents from five Northern Santa Barbara County school districts waxed poetic during a March 26 luncheon about what their respective districts were doing to help increase literacy and what was needed from the business community to push the issue.
“I’m not real fond of the adage, but it takes a village. It takes a village to pull this through,” retiring Santa Maria-Bonita School District Superintendent Phil Alvarado said.
Lunch attendees gathered at the Santa Maria Inn for an update on the Workforce Development and Literacy Initiative (WALI), which was started last year by the United Way and the Northern Santa Barbara County Economic Alliance to increase literacy in North County. WALI’s goals by 2020 are to double the number of associate’s and bachelor’s degrees and vocational certificates awarded in the county, provide 1,000 adults with literacy skills yearly, reduce the percentage of students unable to read at grade level, and double the number of children participating in early childhood reading programs.
During the luncheon, WALI asked attendees to join advisory groups and listen to local superintendents so it could establish pathways for North County to achieve those goals. Educators said parent participation and literacy was paramount and requested additional funding, as well as mentors to participate in schools and school activities.
Santa Maria Joint Union High School Superintendant Mark Richardson said his district was starting to push more technical and vocational training for students, because not everyone is built for higher education. He added that local businesses need to tell the district what they’re looking for from graduated students entering the workforce so the district could tailor its program to local needs.
For more information on WALI, contact Initiatives Director Victoria Conner at v.conner@strategicvitalityllc.com or visit econalliance.org.
This article appears in Apr 2-9, 2015.