State committees on education

Co-Speaker Pro Tempore Andy Olson
R-Albany District 15 (541)-967-6576 rep.andyolson@state.or.us

Education and Workforce Development

Membership:
Mark Hass, Chair (503)-986-1714 sen.markhass@state.or.us
Frank Morse, Vice-Chair (503)-986-1708 sen.frankmorse@state.or.us
Suzanne Bonamici (503)-986-1717 sen.suzannebonamici@state.or.us
Larry George (503)-986-1713 sen.larrygeorge@state.or.us
Chip Shields (503)-986-1722 sen.chipshields@state.or.us

Education

Membership:
Sara Gelser, Co-Chair (503)-986-1416 rep.saragelser@state.or.us
Matt Wingard, Co-Chair (503)-986-1426 rep.mattwingard@state.or.us
Jason Conger, Co-Vice Chair (503) 986-1454 rep.jasonconger@state.or.us
Lew Frederick, Co-Vice Chair (503)-986-1443 rep.lewfrederick@state.or.us
Michael Dembrow (503)-986-1445 rep.michaeldembrow@state.or.us
John E Huffman (503)-986-1459 rep.johnhuffman@state.or.us
Betty Komp (503)-986-1422 rep.bettykomp@state.or.us
Julie Parrish (503)-986-1437 rep.julieparrish@state.or.us

Contact your State Representative

The central cause of our schools' budget crisis is a reduced level of funding from the state. In 2003-2005 biennium, education received 44.8% of the General Fund. In the 2009-2011 biennium, that percentage has been reduced to 38.8%. Contact your state representative and state senator and make your opinion known!

State Representative
Rep. Andy Olson (R)
District: 015
900 Court Street, N.E.
Suite H-478
Salem, OR 97301
Phone: (503) 986-1415
WebSite: http://www.leg.state.or.us/olson
E-Mail: rep.andyolson@state.or.us

State Senator
Sen. Frank Morse (R)
District: 008
900 Court Street NE
Suite S-311
Salem, OR 97301-4068
Phone: (503) 986-1708
Fax: (503) 986-1058
WebSite: http://www.leg.state.or.us/morse/
E-Mail: sen.frankmorse@state.or.us

Research on 6th graders in middle school versus elementary school

The Terry Sanford Institute of Public Policy at Duke University conducted research examining the effects of placing 6th graders in middle school. The excerpt shown below is pulled verbatim from their research abstract. The full contents of the research paper can be found at:

http://sanford.duke.edu/research/papers/SAN07-01.pdf

ABSTRACT
Using administrative data on public school students in North Carolina, we find that sixth grade students attending middle schools are much more likely to be cited for discipline problems than those attending elementary school. That difference remains after adjusting for the socioeconomic and demographic characteristics of the students and their schools. Furthermore, the higher infraction rates recorded by sixth graders who are placed in middle school persist at least through ninth grade. An analysis of end-of-grade test scores provides complementary findings. A plausible explanation is that sixth graders are at an especially impressionable age; in middle school, the exposure to older peers and the relative freedom from supervision have deleterious consequences. These findings are relevant to the current debate over the best school configuration for incorporating the middle grades. Based on our results we suggest that there is a strong argument for separating sixth graders from older adolescents.

4 day week Presentation

Here's the Powerpoint of the presentation that Derrick Cox, Groves PTC president, gave at the forum on Tuesday.  I spoke briefly as part of the presentation.

Groves 4-Day Consolidation Plan

Answers?

I just posted Carole Gougeon's letter to the district on it's own page.  I don't know Carole personally, but she has some great questions and ideas.  If anyone out there has answers to her questions please comment on the letter so we all can be enlightened (I have a few, I will try to find time to post what I know).  Carole, if you're out there, have you gotten a response?  Did they really answer any of your questions? 

School District Consolidation

Jennifer Ward, a Fir Grove mom, presented a proposal at the last Groves meeting proposing school district consolidation.  By combining the district administration of local school districts, the districts could save money and increase efficiency.  I have posted her proposal on a separate page.

4 Day School Week Information

Let me be up front-  we don't want to consolidate our elementary schools.  And we REALLY don't want our 5th graders sent to NAMS, whatever efforts staff might make to keep them separate from the 7th and 8th graders.  The district's proposal for cost cutting includes a 4-day week schedule for the 2012-13 school year, and I thought, "Why don't we just do this next year?  They estimate it will save .7 million a year, and shutting down Fir Grove, Takena, and Fairmount will save an estimated .4 million.  Our schedule is so messed up as it is, a more consistent calendar might be an improvement".  I taught in the Central Linn school district for a year, so I had firsthand knowledge of how the schedule worked.  So I started doing a little research. I wish there were more comprehensive studies out there, but the studies that are out there indicate that the positives of a four-day week outweigh the negatives.  Look on the 4-Day week information page for links to research briefs and articles on the subject.