Jon M. Stordahl, 44, of Laguna Beach, has been appointed to the
Commission on Teacher Credentialing by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.
The commission oversees the process by which the state's public
school teachers are certified.
Stordahl, a Republican, has already begun serving his
three-and-a-half year post, although he has not yet been confirmed by
the state Senate, as required.
"The orientation was a real eye-opener," Stordahl said. "There are
a lot of issues involving teacher credentialing, so I am on a steep
learning curve."
One of the major issues is whether the Cal State University system
is adequately preparing teachers to cope with the new, stricter
education standards being imposed on students -- including measures
in the "No Child Left Behind" act.
Another hot topic is bilingual education, Stordahl said. Stordahl
believes that students with limited English skills must be given the
opportunity to master the English language as a priority.
"English is the key to success, because this is an
English-speaking country," he said.
Stordahl has taught history and United States civics classes at
Trabuco Hills High School since 1989. In addition, he has served on
several school site committees, including Powerful Teaching and
International Baccalaureate. He earned a teaching credential from Cal
State Long Beach.
The appointment-- which is not paid -- will require Stordahl to
travel to Sacramento about 10 times a year.
The Senate has one year to confirm the appointment.
