[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 208 (Wednesday, December 9, 2020)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1120]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]





                         IN HONOR OF ROD HSIAO

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. JACKIE SPEIER

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, December 9, 2020

  Ms. SPEIER. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Rod Hsiao as he 
leaves the San Mateo County Board of Education after 14 years of 
service to the public. Rod is an outstanding public servant and he will 
be missed by those who follow his work on the board.
  Rod Hsiao strongly supports inclusivity. While working in Washington, 
D.C., he cofounded CAPAL, a 31-year-old nonprofit for students 
interested in public policy. He is the founder of nonprofit InPlay 
which combats the loss of educational progress that occurs amongst 
children during the summer break. InPlay provides a single point where 
parents can go to sign up children for free or low-cost summer 
education and recreational activities. He worked with the U.S. Small 
Business Administration's Council on Underserved Communities and has 
served on the boards of various nonprofits. He was the co-founder of a 
local group encouraging Asian and Pacific Islanders to participate in 
elective office.
  The county board of education hears appeals from parents denied 
inter-district transfers by their district of residence. These are 
emotional moments when parents are hoping to have their children attend 
a different school. Rod asks probing questions to determine if there is 
any legal rational for the transfer to be granted. He looks to the best 
interests of students and works hard to balance the interests of the 
home district with the student's needs.
  Granting a charter to a proposed charter school is one of the more 
fraught activities of the county board of education. The issue only 
arises when the district in which the school is proposed to be 
established has denied the application. Again, Rod seeks to improve 
public education through many avenues, including charter schools. These 
choices sometimes generate friction with one or more vocal groups, but 
he tries to ensure that the underserved communities of San Mateo County 
have access to the best possible education.
  One example of ensuring access to high quality education is the 
countywide program known as The Big Lift. It is an initiative that grew 
out of a group in which Rod participated. The goal is to ensure that 
San Mateo County students are proficient in reading by the third grade. 
Rod served on the Peninsula Partnership Leadership Council and worked 
with its successor agency as part of a team to design and launch The 
Big Lift. Although the pandemic has created obstacles, the program 
remains strong.
  Jones Gulch is the beloved outdoor education program offered by the 
San Mateo County Office of Education, operating for generations. It's 
been said that, in some instances, students arrive with their 
grandmothers who once went to Jones Gulch back when the grandmother was 
a middle school student. The camp is owned by the YMCA and operated in 
cooperation with the County Office of Education. In recent years, Rod 
is credited with maintaining the relationship and with strengthening 
the program by finding ways to do camp upgrades after decades of use. 
He has pushed hard to build housing at the site so that staff can 
fulfill their duties without having to sometimes sleep on the floor of 
the camp office.
  Rod is a graduate of Oberlin College with a BA in Economics, and 
holds a Masters in Public Policy from Harvard. Aside from his 
achievements in education, he has also consulted to global companies 
and founded or worked for nonprofits that promote entrepreneurship and 
inclusivity.
  After nearly a decade and a half in a position of educational 
leadership, Rod will now be able to spend more time with his wife, 
Linda, and sons Anthony and Timothy. He has burned the midnight oil on 
many occasions, and they will likely welcome him home on a more regular 
schedule. However, I know that Rod Hsiao will also remain active in 
public affairs in San Mateo County. An advocate is relentless by nature 
whether or not in elective office. I expect that Rod will remain 
engaged in creating educational opportunity and in encouraging 
participation by all segments of San Mateo County. We thank him for 
years of effort dedicated to building an America of which we may all be 
proud.

                          ____________________