February 2002
Dear Friends of Education:
One of the most vexing problems facing our nation, and California in particular,
is how to improve our systems of K-12 education to ensure excellence for
all students in an extraordinarily diverse, ever-growing, and rapidly
changing society. Many factors are known to influence students’ opportunity
to learn, such as availability of adequate instructional resources, level
of familial support, and the presence of a “culture of expectation”that
students will learn and excel. I believe the presence of a qualified teacher
in every classroom represents the most critical resource necessary for
all students to truly have a chance to succeed. Indeed, it is only through
improved teaching and increased K-12 student achievement that we will
ensure that children from all of California’s communities have the
opportunity to fulfill their promise.
For the last 25 years, the California Subject Matter Projects (CSMP) have
worked to support and strengthen teachers’ subject matter knowledge and instructional
effect-iveness. Today, CSMP sites all across California are dedicated to meeting the needs
of teachers from our lowest-performing schools. The CSMP partnerships with
these schools and districts signal a new era of collaboration and commitment
to expanding educational opportunity for our state’s most disadvantaged students.
Given California’s critical need for qualified teachers, it is essential
that the state and California’s education community continue to work
together to invest in high-quality professional development. California’s
universities are uniquely positioned to provide world-class academic resources
to support professional advancement and learning for teachers.As you will
see when you review the California Subject Matter Projects Triennial Report:
1998-2001, the California Subject Matter Projects provide access and create
a myriad of bridges to disciplinary learning, research, and professional
development.
Though I am a newcomer to the Office of the President, my career in education
spans many years. As a former high school teacher in Los Angeles, I experienced
firsthand the extraordinary dynamic between teacher and student and between teaching
and learning. My appreciation for both the value and the difficulty of the work of the
CSMP is immense. I hope you will share my enthusiasm for this endeavor that has been quietly
improving the lives of our children and enhancing their futures by investing in
teacher excellence.
Sincerely,
Winston C. Doby
Vice President -Educational Outreach
UC Office of the President
California Subject Matter Projects Triennial Report: 1998-2001
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