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SACRAMENTO — State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell today issued the following statement regarding Governor Schwarzenegger's veto of two bills: AB 45, which would have changed the process for determining how local control would be returned to the Oakland Unified School District, and SB 123, which would have modified the California High School Exit Exam requirement for students with disabilities:

On AB 45

"I commend Governor Schwarzenegger for vetoing AB 45 by Assemblymember Sandré Swanson (D-Oakland), which would have instituted an unworkable process for determining the timeline for return of local control to the Oakland Unified School District. I appreciate Assemblymember Swanson's passion for improving public education in Oakland, and I share his commitment to our students. I am pleased that Oakland Unified is making progress in both student achievement and fiscal stability, and that the district has resumed local control in the area of governance and community relations. However, this bill would have created a new bureaucracy for the process of determining the return of authority to the local school board. This process would not serve the best interests of the students of Oakland Unified."

On SB 123

"The California High School Exit Exam is a vital and proven tool for ensuring that all students who graduate from high school have mastered critical skills in reading and math. While I commend Senator Gloria Romero (D-Los Angeles) for her efforts to find ways to gauge the progress and development of students with disabilities, it is important that we ensure all schools help all students meet the same high standards. We live in a rapidly changing and increasingly competitive world that will demand the very best from our students. Meeting the CAHSEE requirement ensures that our students have at least the basic skills in reading and math that will help them meet this demand.

"I applaud the Governor for his unwavering support of the CAHSEE as a tool to help ensure students are prepared for life after high school, whether they plan to head to college or directly into the workforce."