West Sacramento Mayor Christopher Cabaldon recently appointed a 12-member group of community, business and education leaders to a new Blue Ribbon Commission on School Excellence. The commission will make recommendations about improving the Washington Unified School District.

"The time has come for our community's civic leadership to take responsibility with the school district for the success of our children," Cabaldon said.

Cabaldon's endeavor mirrors an effort by the late Sacramento Mayor Joe Serna Jr., who organized a campaign to reform the Sacramento City Unified School District four years ago. Serna formed a commission to study the schools and backed a slate of candidates who won seats on the school board; their reforms have contributed to improved student performance in reading and math.

The West Sacramento commission, which will be led by Wes Beers, a former mayor and two-term city councilman, is expected to report back to the mayor by Nov. 1.

Washington Unified Superintendent Dennis Kelleher said he initially was bothered when he heard about the task force, thinking, "Well, gee, how come I wasn't consulted?" but has become comfortable with the idea.

Cabaldon said he didn't consult Kelleher or school trustees because he wanted people he approached to take on the job with no preconceived ideas.

Cabaldon applauded the successes of some Washington Unifed schools including Bryte, Southport and Westmore Oaks elementary schools but noted disparity within the district.

At some schools, students cannot read, write, spell or do math at the appropriate grade level.

Two of the city's elementary schools, Westfield Village and Elkhorn Village, rank well below the national average in math and reading.

Although about 90 percent of students at the two schools qualified for free or reduced-price lunches, and about 40 percent of those students were not fluent in English in the 1998-99 school year, Cabaldon said, "we need to toss out traditional excuses."

"Each school and its teachers must make a difference," he said. "No matter the economic or language challenges, every child in West Sacramento deserves to learn and to succeed."

Kelleher said that along with language barriers and the lower incomes of the students, the skill of district teachers was another challenge. Westmore Oaks elementary, one of the better performing schools, has the highest number of experienced teachers, Kelleher said. Elkhorn Village elementary has the most new teachers.

For 17 years, the district had a state mentoring program for new teachers. Last year, it was replaced by the Beginning Teacher Support and Assessment program, which is more formal and focuses on strengths and weaknesses, how and what to teach, and getting to know the school, officials said.

Two years ago, the district started a program focusing on standards and teaching practices. It requires teachers to develop lesson plans and principals to spend a significant amount of time in the classroom to ensure teaching standards and adequate materials. "It has worked," Kelleher said. "We have seen growth."

But he said that he would like to see better results.

School board President ArdeeneWestvik said the district was on the right path by finally focusing on the basics.

Westvik said that she supported the mayor's initiative, but cautioned that there was no "quick fix" to solve the complicated problems of educating children in a diverse school district. Still, she said she welcomes "the concern, interest and positive recommendations of the commission."

Cabaldon joins mayors from Boston to Oakland who have taken leadership roles in public education.

Mayors are increasingly seeing public schools as vital to the city's health, said Michael Casserly, executive director of the Council of the Great City Schools in Washington, D.C. In 1995, Chicago's mayor replaced the elected school board and appointed his own.

West Sacramento City Council members Greg Potnick, Bill Kristoff and Mayor Pro Tem Mark Montemayor expressed strong support for the mayor's commission. Councilman Jim Cahill said he wanted to see what develops.

Cabaldon said one of the lessons learned from Sacramento City Unified is that progress comes slowly. What works are talented and enthusiastic teachers who have resources to help students learn, such as textbooks and access to technology. The district needs active and involved parents, high expectations, decentralized decision-making and rigorous accountability.

Beers said the commission had a relatively short time to work on recommendations.

Cabaldon said now is the right time to take advantage of the enthusiasm in the city.

Voters in November approved a $17.5 million bond for modernization and renovation of West Sacramento school buildings. Two previous bond efforts -- in 1992 and 1993 -- failed. The district sought significantly larger amounts of money and construction of a second high school.

Also, Cabaldon said, against the odds West Sacramento astonished the region in opening Raley Field and the Riverwalk, a waterfront park area.

"Surely," Cabaldon said, "we can do no less for the education of our community's children."