Randy Barth, the Think Together CEO, pictured on the right
The Santa Ana Unified School District’s best public schools are those that operate as “fundamental schools.” The parents of kids at these schools promise to be involved with their kids and to make sure they study and do their homework. The kids have a strict dress code and they typically perform better than kids at other SAUSD schools – most of which are not doing well and in fact have not done well for some time. Only 13 out of 56 SAUSD schools have met the state’s API minimum in the past year.
There are a few negatives with regard to fundamental schools. They don’t bus kids in or out. And they don’t offer much in the way of after school care. That is a problem since these typically are not neighborhood schools so kids cannot really be expected to walk home after school.
There is a non-profit called Think Together that operates after school programs at several SAUSD schools. The YMCA used to offer similar programs but I don’t think they are active at many if any Santa Ana schools now. My wife says they were very expensive. Continue reading