Debbie Pfeiffer Trunnell, Staff Writer
Posted: 03/11/2010 06:45:34 PM PST

SAN BERNARDINO – During his 11 years as superintendent of the biggest school district in the county, Arturo Delgado has dealt with challenges ranging from homeless students to high dropout rates and low test scores.

This week, just days before kicking off his campaign for county superintendent of schools, 11 San Bernardino City Unified schools landed on a list of California’s worst five percent of public campuses.

The abysmal showing sent district leaders scrambling for solutions – which could include replacement of principals and teachers – and forced the school system’s top official to defend his record as an effective educator.

“I have to take this seriously and it requires immediate attention, but if that is a reflection on my leadership, then so are the positive things like Richardson PREP HI Middle School and Middle College High School which have some of the highest test scores,” he said.

Delgado took exception with the state’s approach in identifying the worst five percent of schools.

“We have to look at the bigger picture because we have more successes than failures,” he said. “And I think it is a big mistake by the state to label schools as failing because in this particular case, the schools labeled have made big improvements.”

Teachers and principals face daunting obstacles in educating the city’s children, many of whom come from low-income families, Delgado said.

There are currently 2,500 homeless students in the district and 80 percent of the district’s students are on free or reduced lunch programs. Many of the students don’t stay in the same schools for very long and the economic downturn has only made things worse, he said.

The county superintendent’s post provides leadership to all of the county’s school districts and acts as unofficial secretary and executive officer to the county board of education.

Delgado will challenge incumbent county superintendent Gary Thomas.

Delgado started life in another city with a big set of problems, East Los Angeles.

After earning a doctorate in educational management from the University of La Verne, he began his teaching career in Baldwin Park.

Delgado went on to work for the Norwalk/La Mirada and Azusa Unified school districts before working at the Alvord Unified School District in Riverside and subsequently becoming assistant superintendent of human resources in the San Bernardino City Unified School District.

Since becoming superintendent, he says he has worked to raise academic achievement and implemented programs aimed at reducing the high dropout rate in the district, and a program that allows students to accelerate their credits for graduation.

Since he came on board, the district’s dropout rate declined slightly, from 24.1 percent in 1997-98 to 22.7 percent in 2007-08. That remains higher than the state’s 18.9 percent dropout rate.

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