Adams parents:

Adams Elementary School supporters pushed back at critics who said the school is not good enough for their kids.

At Tuesday’s Newport-Mesa school board meeting, nearly 30 parents raised their hands in support of Adams, a highly diverse school with rising state and federal test scores almost on par with district averages.

The Adams parents were responding to a group of parents calling themselves the Mesa Verde Education Committee, which criticized the school and listed reasons why their children attend other schools. Their criticisms ranged from test scores and administrators to the school’s English-learners dragging down other students’ learning.

Adams parents Tuesday gave their response.

“We wanted to make sure the board heard from an actual Adams family,” said Steve Forbath, who has a second-grade son at Adams. “Many of the parents were worried that a class with English-learners and Hispanics hindered their child’s education. Our son has never been short-changed.”

Adams Elementary’s state Academic Performance Index score is 760 on a scale of 200 to 1,000. The district average is 791. The state’s goal is to have every school at 800. Adams also met both federal No Child Left Behind requirements. According to state rankings, Adams is at a 5 on a scale of 1 to 10 compared to similar schools. It’s highest ranking was a 9.

“I’m sure [the critics’] fear is real, but it is unjustified,” said Kathy Esfahani, who went to Adams as a child and has sent three kids to the school. “When our kids left Adams they left with an education in diversity and tolerance.”

The school board also heard the annual report from the Superintendent’s Task Force on teachers’ salaries. Last year’s findings showed the average teacher salary was the lowest in the county. A bargaining agreement over the summer aimed to raise them above the county average within three years.

“We’ve made vast improvements,” said Newport-Mesa Federation of Teachers President Jim Rogers. The report showed Newport-Mesa teachers are barely below the county average.

With the slowing economy, there’s no telling what other school districts in the county are doing, Rogers heeded.

“Are we raising the bridge or lowering the water?”

JOSEPH SERNA may be reached at (714) 966-4619 or at [email protected].