When we think of conflict arising when it comes to education services, we would like to believe that it’s a matter of providing the best possible foundation for our children’s future. The issue that were facing in the Placer County area recently though, is one that directly conflicts with providing the best possible education and more to do with the maintenance of monopolies that have been in place over decades. This conflict reaches every student, every home and political individual across all spectrums, leading to the need for a resolution to come soon.
 
The issue that we face when it comes to the education system in the South Placer County area as of late is an embroiled battle between the public school system, which has enjoyed a long-lasting death grip on all things education related over the last few decades and the few charter schools that have been attempting to present another alternative to parents looking for the best for their children. This is much akin to smaller cell phone companies attempting to offer services that rival the big brands, often being met with hostility, lawsuits and endless lobbying.
 
The problem with it happening with our school systems though is that often it’s the students who bear the brunt of these conflicts. Educators who have come into the South Placer County area from other states are often surprised by the current norm in the area when it comes to teaching. With a high focus on test scores and less on providing quality education on an individual basis, it has done nothing but regress the level of capability that our educators have in treating each student. This becomes a downward spiral as it often works in direct contrast with propelling results forward.
 
From town hall meetings to the courtroom, the political stage to the homes of every student, the ripple effect of this constant conflict between two different educators believing that they have the best options available is felt. A particular point of worry for the public school system is that charter school options have been increasingly popular, with more parents in the area of bringing their children to these locations in order to obtain their information, which of course has a negative effect on the financial bottom line of their establishments. It can be easy to see why they’re so willing to fight.
 
Ultimately, the most important aspect of this entire conversation is ensuring that our children have the capability to get the best possible education and as long as these issues continue to pervade the entirety of the establishment, we will get no further in improving the capabilities that we provide. We want to ensure that every child in the Placer County area has the ability to enjoy their time in school, to set the foundation for their futures and to know that each individual that they interact with throughout the day, in a leadership role, has their best interests in mind. 

Once again, Placer County finds itself in the top 10 of the quality of life rankings in the state of California. This year though, we have taken the top spot, giving another title to the area that we all know and love. Not only has Placer County found itself topping the list of quality of life ranking amongst every county in California but is also found itself in second place when it comes to the general health of the community members within the Placer County region.
 
This ranking project has been carried out over the last number of years in order to establish the best places in California for individuals to choose as their home, as well as assessing the overall health of residents in the area, giving further information to not only the community members but also health specialists and other doctors in the area as a means of review. Finding ourselves so high on the list of both aspects of investigation is something to be proud of yet also something that we need to strive to maintain over many years to come, for the benefit of everyone involved
 
They say getting to the top isn’t nearly as hard as staying there and when it comes to aspects of the county such as quality of life and overall health, it’s a situation that will require continual effort from everybody involved in order to maintain our place at the top. Everyone who lives in the Placer County area understands the amount of benefits that are provided and the capabilities that we have at hand when it comes to maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Being able to take advantage of these opportunities is something that we should all strive for in our everyday life.
 
There’s a reason why the Placer County area has been such a draw for individuals and business owners the course of many years. The wide number of programs and incentives individuals to maintain their health, the capabilities made available to get out there and enjoy life all come together in order to create the foundation in which our ranking rests upon. It only takes losing sight of those goals, either as an individual or an elected official, for a moment in order to begin to see the backslide, eventually resulting in losing our coveted top position.
 
Though much of our readership in the area is already currently active, and are individuals who part of the demographic that have allowed us to take this position, we invite everybody continue with these trends and to continue to demonstrate exactly what it is about Placer County that sets ourselves apart and that has earned the yearly recognition we receive. It’s because of the efforts of the entire community, our city leaders and the various program administrators across the county that we have the capability to view ourselves as leaders in quality-of-life standard in California, and we look forward to continuing that trend.