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David Long, superintendent of one of the nation’s fastest-growing county school systems, will now move from Riverside County to California. The superintendent of schools was recently named as the state’s secretary of education by the governor. “David will add tremendous knowledge and skill to our great education team,” Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said in a statement. Long, 67, has more than 40 years of experience in education and is in his third term in Riverside. He began his tenure as superintendent in 1999, working with Riverside County’s 23 individual school districts that have a total enrollment of more than 400,000 students. While the county is not a single school district, if it were, it would be the third-largest in the United States. Long begins his new duties in the governor’s cabinet on July 1. “I deeply appreciate Gov. Schwarzenegger’s confidence in me,” he said. “Throughout my many years in education, I have remained focused on the student in the classroom. As a teacher and coach, superintendent and now secretary of education, my focus remains on each and every child and what he or she needs to achieve and be successful in life.” Long’s new position is seen by some as largely ceremonial with no real policy-making power. However, his reputation as an innovator and a close working relationship with state Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O’Connell in recent years may enhance his level of influence as a Schwarzenegger adviser on matters of education and as a shaper of policy with elected leaders. Among those innovations as Riverside County’s superintendent, Long assembled teams of specialists called Riverside County Achievement Teams, RCAT, to work in about 100 of the county’s lower performing schools. RCAT is credited with helping Riverside County outpace the state in improving test scores. He also worked to develop the Riverside County CAHSEE Excellence Program, RCCEP, to help those students who were having trouble passing the state high school exit exam. In a 2006 interview with Inland Empire Family Magazine, Long explained RCCEP as a pre-test for the state exit exam. Through field testing, this pre-test was boiled down to the two or three main concepts that most students were having trouble with. Assisted materials were then developed to target those difficult areas. There has been positive reaction from local political and education leaders to Long’s selection. “Dave is a dynamic leader who is known around the state and nation for innovative programs to improve student achievement,” said former state Sen. Jim Brulte. “He knows what we need to do and will help the governor make the right decisions to benefit each and every student.” Frank Passarella of the Lake Elsinore Unified School District noted, “I think that our governor has made one of the best decisions for the students throughout the state of California.” He describes Long as “a leader among educators throughout the state and will provide a clear focus in moving public education in the right direction.” Long, a resident of Canyon Lake, will establish a part-time residence in Sacramento. His wife, Jo Mellilo, is principal at Susan B. Anthony Elementary School in Corona. The Longs have two school-age daughters, Angelica and Vika, four adult children, and 12 grandchildren. To fill the vacancy left by Long’s departure, the Riverside County Board of Education on April 11 named Kenn Young to be the new Riverside County Superintendent of Schools, effective July 1. The elected term lasts until 2010. Young, 52, has been the deputy superintendent of schools, the No. 2 county position, since 2004. “The Riverside County Board of Education has entrusted me with the responsibility to carry out the mission of the Riverside County Office of Education in an extraordinary way,” said Young. “They will not be disappointed.” Young’s duties as deputy superintendent included oversight of all internal and external business functions, information technology services, and legislative advocacy. Before joining RCOE, he served as deputy superintendent of the Lake Elsinore Unified School District. Prior to his career in public education, Young worked in the field of civil engineering and construction for 19 years, spending 14 of those years as president of an engineering construction firm. m Michael J. Medley is senior writer for Inland Empire Family Magazine. For Letters: inlandempirefamily.com and click on Feedback. |
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