[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 146 (2000), Part 12]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 17206]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



TRIBUTE TO CASTRO VALLEY UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT AND ST. MARY'S COLLEGE 
                          SCHOOL OF EDUCATION

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. ELLEN O. TAUSCHER

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, September 6, 2000

  Mrs. TAUSCHER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor an outstanding 
public-private partnership in my district and all the participants who 
share a deep commitment for the education of our children. Castro 
Valley Unified School District and St. Mary's College of California 
have developed and implemented a partnership that has led to a 
comprehensive literacy development program at kindergarten through 
post-graduate collegiate levels.
  I commend St. Mary's College of California for forming a public-
private partnership with the Castro Valley Unified School District. 
This commitment to the betterment of children and education by 
extending professional learning experiences and teaching strategies has 
greatly increased the school district's ability to deliver a 
comprehensive literacy program. Because of their efforts, almost all 
Castro Valley Unified School District students completing third grade 
are at or above reading level, student achievement is up, literacy 
attainment is heightened, and teaching strategies are being redefined 
and better directed.
  I take great pride in honoring the dedication and professional 
leadership that St. Mary's College has taken in establishing this 
partnership. The partnership has helped expand the role of the public 
school teacher to a researcher, writer, and facilitator and created a 
model for successful literacy teacher-training programs. I believe that 
this public-private partnership should serve as a model to school 
districts and colleges across the country in order to create higher 
standards of literacy and literacy education at kindergarten through 
post-graduate collegiate levels.

                          ____________________