Educator John Solomon Honored with Key to the District Award Amid Rialto Unified Education Updates

John Solomon, a lifelong tutor and educator known for his passion and dedication, was presented with the Key to the District award in a standing-room-only crowd at Wednesday’s board meeting. The ceremony preceded presentations on the Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP) mid-year report and district assessments. 

Solomon, a California native born in Los Angeles and raised in Duarte, studied accounting at the University of Houston in Texas after graduating from Duarte High School, where he earned a “four-sport scholarship in track and field.” Involved in leadership organizations as a member of the Delta Psi Phi business fraternity and former president of the National Association of Black Accountants (NABA), Solomon expected much of himself, his students and, especially, their parents. 

“Inspired by Marva Collins, a pioneer in education, who founded the West Side prep school of Chicago to serve underserved African American youth,” said Board of Education President Dr. Stephanie E. Lewis, “he believed that for students to succeed, parents had to be actively engaged in their learning. Parents were not allowed to simply drop off their children . . . They had to stay and participate and support [their] child’s education.” 

Solomon was unwavering in his commitment to improving lives through education. For 35 years, he tutored children in the region, participating in UCLA’s free summer math program, for example. But his dedication was not limited to young children and highschool students. 

“When teachers could not pass their test and they couldn’t get their certification, he tutored them until they [passed],” Dr. Lewis said. 

As Dr. Lewis presented Solomon with the Key to the District award, the room erupted in applause. At the podium, he recalled an article that cited the difference between East and West, a distinction in attitudes and styles of education. 

The American temptation is to say that “if the child cannot learn, then the child has a problem,” Solomon said. “In the Asian community . . . if the child doesn’t learn, then I have a problem, and we have to take it from that standpoint.”

Jason Shirley, a former student, is a testament to Solomon’s commitment. 

Solomon explained that he worked with Shirley one summer to increase his SAT scores, which sat 200 points below the minimum requirement to attend university. 

They worked together and “Jason was 200 points over,” Solomon said. 

Shirley then attended Fresno State University and was later drafted as a defensive tackle by the Cincinnati Bengals in 2008.

After the award presentation, Dr. Ingrid Lin and Dr. Manuel Burciaga presented on the district’s diagnostic assessments, which tracks student progress and performance and, by extension, informs instruction. 

The i-Ready assessment for grades K-8 showed overall improvement from fall to winter, with fewer students performing below expectations. The NWEA assessment for high school students reflected some increases in the percentage of 11th graders scoring in higher performance bands, but math remains an area of concern.

Following the district assessment, Dr. Kevin Hodgson, the academic agent overseeing special programs, presented the district’s LCAP mid-year report, “a three-year plan that describes the goals, actions, services, and expenditures” to support students and address educational priorities.

According to the report, several metrics for the LCAP 3-year goal have “increased significantly,” including lower rates of suspension and an increase in “Graduation Rate” and “College and Career Indicators,” while most of the district’s goals have been fully implemented. 

There are two upcoming community events regarding the LCAP. First, at Eisenhower High School on March 3, then at Rialto High School on April 7.