In the late sixties and early seventies a powerful tide surged across much of our world, creating a new and unexpected environment in which to work. As a graduate student, I looked at all the changes in our value system, and the foundations of our communities, family, and the church. Along with this challenge to our value system came a myriad of state and federal legislative regulations, and court cases providing a new emphasis on, and revenue for, low-income and low-achieving students, and I made the decision to become an elementary school principal. Somehow all this chaos gave me hope. After all, we would need new ideas and concepts -- the potentials were exhilarating. As a rural California Hispanic, I knew firsthand the hardship of poor children being addressed by lawmakers and other caring individuals. My fear centered on how the established educational community would react to all of this change.
Wilson Riles was elected. Coming to the Superintendency at a time of shock and sorrow, I saw how he swiftly re-established confidence in our schools and the community, and established confidence with the poor and undereducated. When he spoke, he convinced us that social ills rooted in encrusted attitudes and stubborn social structures had no single solution, and that we did not need a dramatic crusade to solve them; he said we all needed to work side-by-side.
My first assignment as principal was at McKevett School, a K-3 school in Southern California. In the early seventies, state intervention and reform increased at an incredible pace. So I supervised many categorical programs in this 80% minority, low-income and low-achieving school. Wilson Riles' hardest test came in providing quality education for all students. As we look back at the incredible accomplishments, we, in the educational community, remember that advances came not by accident but by design; not by standing idly by, but by bold and active pursuit of the just implementation of the new laws and policies. It was an enormous task, and Wilson Riles met it by providing educational leaders with an implementation order and a cooperative approach. Good laws alone do not assure good schools. Only when good laws are executed with integrity, efficiency, frugality, and sensitivity can education provide quality education for all students. We wanted to work with this man from the South who had made a personal commitment to full opportunity for all children. He would not accept less than that. And, neither did McKevett School. Parent involvement increased from 3-4 active parents to a record high of 400. Parents participated in a six-week course in parenting skills and they volunteered to help the classroom in numerous ways, including a weekly Thursday Factory where even parents who were not literate could create materials requested by the teachers. Yes, student achievement increased. Wilson Riles knew that without active parents in the schools, the children could not succeed.
As State Superintendent, Wilson Riles brought to his office the experience of more than 30 years of public service. Thus prepared, he charted bold new programs to meet the needs of all children. He knew and provided us with this inspiration -- "Each step we took was the planting of a seed".
Wilson Riles' sensitive awareness of the complex relationships that makeAmerican schools work was a major force for strengthening our educational system. I am sure I speak for my fellow principals in saying of the Riles' years that never had Sacramento treated us so well.
1971-74 STATE INTERVENTION AND REFORM ACTIVITIES
DR. MARIA NATERA-RILES , an educator, researcher, trainer and management consultant, is Founder and President of Natera and Associates. Dr. Natera has eighteen years experience as site and district office administrator, and 11 years as an organizational development consultant. Currently, she is Assistant Professor in the School of Education at National University. Her work in cross-cultural communications and organizational development consultant in the work force has earned her recognition among educators, public agencies, non-profits and the private sector.