by Krystal Paco

Guam - Interim Education Superintendent Taling Taitano delivered the State of Education Address on Friday evening at Okkodo High School. The speech addressed challenges, embracing opportunities, and moving forward.

Adapting and adjusting to ensure the island's school children are learning is what Taitano said she and the Department of Education is focused on. In her Address, she admitted that improving the learning experience for students will be difficult considering the 15% budget reserve that was imposed on all line agencies. For DOE, that equates to $30 million, which she says will have a significant impact on the agency's current fiscal year budget, impacting the department's ability to operate and sustain services.

Taitano says if the reserve is effectuated and not restored, DOE will run out of money to make payroll by next June, so substantial cuts will have to be identified. She noted that federal funds have been a main factor in DOE's ability to survive from year-to-year.

Aside from the financial challenges the department faces, Taitano also reported on graduation rates that she says has increased. Of the total number of freshman that entered high school four years ago, 68.9% graduated last year. When it comes to reform programs, success for all schools outshined Direct Instruction and Metgot schools.

To address problems with alignment of curriculum, Taitano guides will be available to assist teachers with their instruction and will include sample lesson plans as well as supplemental resources to help with their instruction of the content. And despite challenges with bullying, vandalism, a shortage of resources and personnel, Taitano is happy to be part of the chance for the agency to move forward.

READ THE 2001 STATE OF EDUCATION ADDRESS