GUEST BLOG: Legislature ends on disappointing note for schools
Sam Adams
I traveled a number of times to Salem to lobby for more K-12 public school funding. I also testified before the Oregon Joint Ways and means Committee on the school funding issue on behalf of the entire Portland City Council.
The message below summarizes where we stand. The State Legislature, having been unable to adequately fund schools, must now look to local options. Sam
A message from the Co-Chairs of the Portland School Board, David Wynde and Bobbie Regan:
The Oregon Legislature adjourned at dawn on Friday, without having acted on significant measures to help our Oregon schools. Partisanship took priority over policy, and our school children are the losers.
The Legislature passed a $5.24 budget for K-12 schools for the next two years - that falls far short of the level needed to maintain current service levels. In Portland Public Schools, that hit alone costs us the equivalent of 100 teachers. Furthermore, this level of funding does not begin to address the shortfall caused for Multnomah County school districts when the local income tax goes away in 2006-07.
Despite a number of promises and proposals, the Governor and Legislature made almost no progress on several issues that could make a difference to school districts across the state, such as controlling costs for health care and retirement, looking at more creative funding mechanisms or loosening restrictions on local communities' ability to support their own schools. Partisan politics also doomed proposals from Governor Ted Kulongoski and House Speaker Karen Minnis that promised at long last to restore some stability to school funding in Oregon.
And finally, the Legislature scuttled a plan that would have allowed Portland Public Schools to continue to collect $15 million a year in existing property taxes, at no cost to any other school district. Fifteen million dollars would fund Portland public schools for a full three weeks, or pay for about 200 additional teachers. That financial lifeline for our 48,000 students was lost in the meat grinder of the final days of the legislative session, victim of political deal making and deal-breaking by legislators who will nonetheless likely claim in their next campaign that education is their top priority.
Through it all, two legislators stood out for their constant efforts on behalf of our students throughout the session: Senators Avel Gordly and Margaret Carter. They stood by our side, fought the good fight and were absolutely tireless in their efforts for our kids.
We have other legislators to thank for their efforts in the final days of the chaotic session. On the Democratic side, they include: Representative Mitch Greenlick; and Senators Kate Brown; Ginny Burdick and Vicki Walker. We must also offer special praise for those Republican legislators who stood up for our Portland students in the final week: Dave Nelson and Frank Morse in the Senate; Speaker Karen Minnis; Vicki Berger; Debbie Farr; Jerry Krummel and Andy Olson in the House. They never wavered, despite intense political pressure.
This session has made it clear that we cannot rely on Salem, and that our future is in our hands here in the Portland area. Our students are doing their part: Achievement is on the rise, with more kids meeting benchmarks across the board, in elementary, middle and high school. Our teachers and staff are dedicated and working hard. It's up to us to support our kids to build the coalition to pass a local funding solution that will help students across the Portland region. Together, we can.
-David Wynde and Bobbie Regan, Co-Chairs of the Portland School Board
Posted by Sam Adams on August 6, 2005
(7) Comments | Permalink | TrackBack (0)
Filed Under Education, Front Page
Comments by site visitors
To say nothing about your comments Paul, but to clarify: this post was written by David Wynde and Bobbie Regan, not Sam.
Posted by: Jesse | Aug 8, 2005 10:21:14 AM
I've often wondered about the problems facing out publics schools. Does it stem from the lack of funds or is it the way the money is handled (or is it something else entirely)?
If it's simply the lack of funds then is that due to an increase in the amount of students entering schools and the need to hire more teacher?
If it's inefficient handling of the funds, is there a way that the public can have access to the record and see where the money is put into?
P.S: Good job serving the Pho! I had a great time on Sunday. :)
Posted by: Tim | Aug 8, 2005 2:31:31 PM
"I've often wondered about the problems facing out publics schools."
Ask yourself first why private and charter schools are able to produce as good (if not better students) for less than half the money of government schools (on a per-student basis).
Here's a hint; the lack of Public Employee Unions is a huge factor....
Posted by: Chris McMullen | Aug 8, 2005 5:09:38 PM
Chris,
By far, the main reason there is any difference in the academic outcomes of publicly vs. privately schooled students is because public schools are PUBLIC. That is, they can't kick out the students who are the hardest to teach, like many private schools do. This also accounts for the differing costs of education in private and public schools.
If you look at how money is spent in schools, you'll find that the lowest performing students end up costing an overwhelmingly disproportionate amount of the funds of that school. Much of this is due to federal mandates like Title I and the like. Another issue is teaching students whose first language isn't English.
Once I see private schools take on the task of educating these hardest-to-teach students, then I will entertain your argument about the comparative efficiencies of both systems. Unfortunately, however, I doubt that I will ever see that day.
Posted by: Roland Chlapowski | Aug 9, 2005 6:14:38 PM
Chris,
I hope you will read an informative reply on our blog under the education topic, titled "Your comment about needing more funding for schools hit a sour note with me". The reply is under my name but the bulk of it is by Jim Scherzinger.
Private schools and public schools are both important for the education of children and young adults. But expecting to make direct cost comparisons and overall student achievement comparisons doesn't provide an accurate or useful picture. Private schools do not have to follow laws, rules and regulations that public schools must. Private schools have a reputation for generally paying low teacher wages, and while every teachers' work is very challanging, it is different in many ways than the job of a public school teacher who accepts everyone who enters the door regardless of issues, abilities, ability to pay or perform, on and on. It is in no way stating that what private schools do isn't as good or important, but there are just many differences.
I think it is also important to remember that tuition costs for private schools is not the "total" for what it costs to educate a student. Parents are usually expected, or required, to participate in fundraising. Often a sponsoring institution provides free rent and other significant subsidies. Transportation is required to be offered for many public school students; there is no such requirement for private schools.
As with many issues, a closer look provides a more complex picture. Again it is not saying one is good, the other is bad; they have different missions with some significant overlap.
And I will always finish this type of discussion reiterating the importance of the availability of quality public education. As individuals we make personal decisions for our own children; as citizens of a free society, public education is a crucial responsibility, and we must never waiver in our steadfast support.
We are in a critical time for public schools in Oregon, and I think it will require hard work and strong support to make our public schools the system we can and need to provide.
Posted by: Jane Ames | Aug 9, 2005 10:26:18 PM
Jesse,
OUCH! THAT HURT!
I see now this was a guest post. My apologies to Sam and David, both of whom I've corresponded with on other issues.
Sorry, just a parent blog-strated.
Chris,
I have posted on the issue of charter schools elsewhere; i apologize for forgetting where. There was a very good review of the various educational performance studies published in the most recent "Perspectives", an academic journal published by the American Political Science Association.
Here is the reference, but you may need to get access thru an academic institution:
Data Don't Matter? Academic Research and School Choice
Kevin Smith pp 285-299
Perspectives on Politics Vol 3, 2 (June 2005).
Put briefly, the evidence on charter schools and voucher programs (private schools were not looked at in this review) is mixed; some evidence is positive, others negative.
Posted by: paul gronke | Aug 10, 2005 12:10:36 PM
Post your comment
Please note: your email address, although required to post, will not be visible. We remove inappropriate or offensive content, and content deemed improper by State and City election and ethics law. The comments posted do not necessarily reflect the views of the office or the City of Portland.
Sam,
I have to say, something of a frustrating post to read, as a parent of 3 PPS children.
Perhaps it is just the weakness of this medium, but is there really any content here? You give generic denunciations of partisan politics, but make sure to personally thank the efforts of the party leaders on both sides of the aisle (Minnis, Brown) and the Governor. Is no one to blame?
I know, you're an elected leader and you can't go around identifying the culprits in this car wreck. Luckily, the voters in this state don't have to be so nice.
This is a train wreck for parents. I've lost faith in the legislature. I only hope the studies for a regional funding mechanism move ahead. Right now, I have to begin recruitment for two jobs at my enterprise, and I can't in good conscience tell someone with children to move into the City.
Posted by: paul | Aug 7, 2005 4:14:26 PM