California lost a pioneering educational leader last week with the death of former State Senator, Assemblyman and Education Secretary Gary Hart, at age78.

Senator Hart, a Democrat who represented the central coast for twenty years, will remain best known for authoring the 1992 bill that established charter schools in California, but his contributions to the improvement of public education in California go much further. During his two decades in the state legislature, Hart promoted far-reaching education reforms from improved standardized tests to peer support for teachers.

Defying today’s labels of “liberal” and “conservative” Senator Hart’s leadership as chairman of the Senate Education Committee for more than a decade, focused on approaches and programs that promoted academic excellence and equity and empowered educators and families. He did not hesitate to challenge bureaucratic interests and special interests if he felt that was necessary to advance needed change.

David Patterson, CCAP’s co-founder and board president remembers Senator Hart as a “pleasant, caring and thoughtful person, always ready to listen to and work with others for the good of California’s families and children.”