Gavin Newsom has something to say about Fresno: I’ll be back here ‘until they kick me out’

In perhaps one of the only unscripted moments during Tuesday’s news conference announcing massive new investments in education, Gov. Gavin Newsom acknowledged visiting Fresno, at least in part, to send a message.

“I want folks here in the Valley, no matter where you were in the recall, you could have been 80% pro recall, just (to know) you matter. And we got to do more to demonstrate that,” Newsom told reporters Tuesday while speaking at Fresno’s Sunset Elementary School. “And so, I’m going to be back here until they kick me out, many, many times to make that point.”

With more than 60% of voter support, Newsom cruised to victory less than a month go, beating a Republican-led recall effort fueled by anger over the governor’s aggressive stance on coronavirus safety measures.

But not in Fresno County, where a slim 51% majority of voters said they wanted a new governor. Heading into a re-election campaign next year, Newsom may not need California’s central San Joaquin Valley to win, but he said he hopes to bridge political differences. He mentioned Mayor Jerry Dyer, a Republican who was in attendance Tuesday, multiple times in his remarks.

“I love Fresno. I love the Central Valley. I mean it. You matter. We care,” Newsom said. “I’m deeply concerned about our politics. I’m deeply concerned about our divisions.”

Newsom also said he was “humbled” by the challenges confronting the Valley, specifically noting air quality issues, among others. Fresno this week has been plagued with hazardous air quality from several regional wildfires.

Newsom also noted workforce development and water issues, among other challenges facing Central California.

“We have work to do,” Newsom said. “And so I’m here in that spirit.”

A ‘big, big deal’ for education in Fresno

But Newsom also noted Fresno, in particular, stands to benefit from key pieces of the state’s new education plan, including providing seed money for some low-income families to establish college savings accounts for their children.

“I really believe this is a big, big deal,” Newsom said. “So, one of the reasons I wanted to come here, in particular, Fresno, (is) because a disproportionate number of your kids are going to get this advantage. It’s really exciting.”

The budget carves out $1.9 billion to establish college savings accounts of up to $1,500 for vulnerable students. An ongoing $170 million will be used to set up accounts for every vulnerable student when they enter first grade.

Newsom said legal status would not have a bearing on whether people will have access to the programs in the legislation.

“I want all members of the Latino community, all members of this community to have the same opportunities as the folks down in, you know, Beverly Hills. Because if they do, there’s nothing to hold back this region,” he said.

“That’s why we’re here to highlight our responsibility to more than rhetoric to deliver that opportunity in an equitable manner.”

Speaking before the governor on Tuesday, several Fresno-area political leaders took turns touting various aspects of the state’s massive new schools plan.

Fresno Unified Superintendent Bob Nelson praised the effort to make free universal preschool a reality.

“We want every 4-year-old to have the opportunity to be in school every day, all day, all the time,” he said.

California ranks 15th in the nation for access to preschool for 4-year-olds, according to the National Institute for Early Education Research, which publishes an annual State of Preschool report.

Only 37% of California 4-year-olds, or about 182,000 kids, were enrolled in a preschool program in the 2019-2020 school year, according to the report. States such as Vermont, Wisconsin, and Florida enroll more than 70% of their 4-year-olds into a program.

Dual-language immersion programs highlighted

Newsom’s office said they chose Sunset Elementary School in Fresno for Tuesday’s signing ceremony, at least in part, to highlight the budget’s roughly $10 million in grant funding to beef up dual-language immersion programs around the state. Sunset Elementary is one of Fresno Unified’s dual-immersion schools.

Such programs have been touted as one of the best ways to help English-language learning students become fluent, helping them be more successful in school.

According to the California Department of Education, the overall graduation rate for Fresno Unified students in 2018-19 was 85.8%. But, for the district’s long-term English-learning students, that rate was 68.1%, according to district officials.

EL students have some of the lowest graduation rates and, according to 2021-2022 LCAP reports, among the highest dropout rates at FUSD. According to the 2018-2017 school year report, FUSD EL students had a dropout rate of 13.80%, compared to the overall FUSD rate of 8.70%.

Some parents of EL students in Fresno have expressed frustration and have asked for more dual immersion programs in city schools.

This story was originally published October 5, 2021 at 1:57 PM.