Patrick Garcia @ President’s Commission On Educational Excellence For Hispanic Americans.

The White House announced the appointment by President George Bush of Charles Patrick Garcia, Chairman and Founder of Sterling Financial Group of Companies, to the “President’s Commission on Educational Excellence for Hispanic Americans.”

According to a WHITE HOUSE press release issued on January 28th, 2002, “The commission is charged with the responsibility of charting a multi-year plan to close the educational achievement gap for Hispanic Americans. The plan will highlight models of success that will help improve achievement among Hispanic students through coordinated efforts among parents, community leaders, business leaders, educators and public officials. Recommendations will also include ways to improve on and measure Hispanic participation in Federal education programs.”

Garcia, a Florida entrepreneur, is one of 17 members from across the country appointed by the President to the commission. A powerful voice on education, Garcia was named by Florida Governor Jeb Bush in July, 2001, to the Florida Board of Education, a newly created 7-member board responsible for rewriting the State’s entire education code, reorganizing the education department, being the single strategic voice for its more than three million students in more than 3,500 schools, 28 community colleges and 11 universities, and approving a $20 billion K-20 budget.

The Commission is charged with writing a Report to the President no later than March 31, 2003 that will address the following issues:

a) The progress of Hispanic Americans in closing the academic achievement gap and attaining the goals established by the President’s “No Child Left Behind” educational blueprint;

b) The development, monitoring, and coordination of Federal efforts to promote high-quality education for Hispanic Americans;

c) Ways to increase parental, State and local, private sector, and community involvement in improving education;

d) Ways to maximize the effectiveness of Federal education initiatives within the Hispanic community.

Frank Hanna of Georgia and Patricia Janette Mazzuca of Pennsylvania, upon confirmation will serve as Co-Chair. Representatives of 8 states were selected to participate on the commission; Florida 2 representatives (Charles P. Garcia and Octavio Jesus Visiedo of Florida), Texas 5, California 2, Puerto Rico 2, Arizona 1, Ohio 1, Oregon 1. Four individuals will serve as Ex-Officio members of the Commission: The Honorable Rod Paige, Secretary of Education, The Honorable Paul O’Neill, Secretary of the Treasury, The Honorable Mel Martinez, Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, The Honorable Hector Baretto, Administrator of the Small Business Administration.

Speaking at a reception in the White House on October 12th, in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, when he signed the Executive order creating the Commission on Educational Excellence for Hispanic Americans, President Bush said:

“This nation of immigrant heritage believes that all children, whatever their circumstances, deserve a chance to learn, and rise, and succeed. This principle has guided my education reforms as we work to raise the standards of public schools across America and bring hope to every classroom for every child — I mean every child, not just a few, not just those whose parents may speak English. We want educational excellence para todos que viven in este pais. So today, I am creating a commission to help chart the path to greater achievement amongst Hispanic-American students in every part of our country.”

“The President’s initiative concerning the improvement of education for Hispanics is an excellent step towards addressing the problems facing the Hispanic community,” says Garcia. In Florida, where Garcia serves on the Board of Education, he has been a vocal proponent about the issues facing Hispanic students, throwing into the media spotlight such compelling statistics as 30% of Hispanics do not graduate high school compared to 12% of African Americans and 7% of white students. Garcia believes it is important to increase the percentage of Hispanics who enter post secondary education, and actually complete their degree. “To improve these percentages,” Garcia says, “it is imperative that we increase the number of Spanish speaking K-12 teachers — nationally only 4% of teachers speak Spanish, it’s no wonder that the education system has failed Hispanic American children.”