Education Forum Aims to Connect Community Members

Wondering what is happening with public schools in Orange County and across California?

A free forum happening this Saturday, September 6, in Rossmoor aims to provide some answers. According to the Public Education Forum’s website, attendees can expect to “connect with panels of education stakeholders including teachers, school board members, mental health counselors, legislators, students, and families.” 

The event runs from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. at the Rush Park Auditorium and will feature keynote speakers, panels, breakout groups, Q&A sessions, and refreshments.

Joel Block, an attorney, longtime labor union leader, and activist, is spearheading the event. “We’re facing harder times in education,” said Block, the father of two sons who attended local public schools from kindergarten through 12th grade. “There is so much pressure on school districts to do more with less.”

Block cited changes in federal education priorities as one issue he believes makes community engagement and peer-to-peer connection important.

Since returning to office, President Donald J. Trump has moved to implement his administration’s priorities which include calling for the closure of the U.S. Department of Education. The administration said its goal is to shift federal education responsibilities to states. 

In May, the White House issued a budget proposal that called for cutting the department's budget by 15%. The proposal boosts funding for charter schools, largely maintains funding levels for special education and low-income students, and scraps programs serving migrant children and English Learners. Most Orange County school districts are funded primarily through state and local sources, but they also receive some federal education dollars.

Public schools are also dealing with a drop in state funding due to declining student enrollment. Between the 2022-23 and the 2024-25 school years, enrollment dropped by around 10,000 students or 2.4% across O.C., according to EdSource. 

Block, a Rossmoor resident, said he hopes the event provides an opportunity for people to network and discuss what values they want in their children’s schools. “I hope parents learn to be advocates for their kids’ future by getting more involved,” he said.

Among the forum's speakers is Los Alamitos Unified School District Board of Education President Marlys Davidson. In a recent phone interview, Davidson explained that she hopes people with different perspectives looking to learn more about the issues facing public schools attend the event.

“I hope that this forum will not only provide answers for our communities, but also empower people to engage at a grassroots level,” Davidson wrote in a follow-up text message. “It is important to those representing our schools, cities, and state to hear diverse perspectives and find a way to work together for the good of our children and families.” 

Davidson stressed that she is not representing or speaking on behalf of the school board. She was a middle school teacher in the Los Alamitos USD for more than 20 years before she was elected to the board in 2018. 

Davidson will be joined by another elected official as a participant, Assembly Speaker Pro Tempore Josh Lowenthal. He is a Democrat representing the 69th district which includes Long Beach and Carson and his children have attended Los Alamitos USD schools.

Former California Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon is also scheduled to speak at the event. In July, Rendon announced he is running for State Superintendent of Public Instruction. Rendon is one of many politicians seeking to succeed Tony Thurmond as California’s top schools chief (Thurmond is running for governor). Other candidates include former State Senator Josh Newman, a Democrat who represented parts of Orange County while in office; Assemblymember Al Muratsuchi (D-Torrance), the chair of the Assembly Education Committee, and Chino Valley Unified School District Board of Education President Sonja Shaw, known for passing a parental notification policy.

Block said perhaps the most important speakers and participants at Saturday’s event are current students. He said at least one local student is expected to speak about mental health.

“That is the perspective that the general community needs to hear from,” Block said.