As Oregon kids return to school, the first challenge is keeping them there
Contact:
Chalkboard Project
(503) 542-4325
info@chalkboardproject.org
Chalkboard Project will help Oregonians focus on high rate of absenteeism and accountability for parents in the next round of conversations about making our K-12 public schools among the nation's best, while living within our means.
PORTLAND, Ore. – Oregon is among the national leaders in a rather dubious category — absenteeism. Chalkboard Project's extensive research reveals Kentucky as the only state with a worse percentage gap between average daily attendance and initial fall enrollment. Recent surveys of Oregon school officials confirm they're more worried about absenteeism than their peers across the country.
"Despite these startling numbers, absenteeism hasn't really broken to the surface in any of Oregon's recent school improvement efforts, said Sue Hildick, Chalkboard Project's president. "After nearly a year of exhaustive research, our studies show that even the strongest education program will struggle to improve achievement if students do not show up for class. There is a direct link between attendance and achievement. The key is getting parents engaged."
Chalkboard's own recent state-wide survey revealed that 83% of Oregonians believe that "not enough direct parent support of the learning process with their children" is a big or very big obstacle to the success of public schools.
Chalkboard Project has conducted a nearly year-long effort to help broaden the dialogue among Oregonians in order to talk through the tough issues of quality, accountability and funding in education. This effort will enable and empower citizens to share their ideas with educators, policy makers and community leaders in an "action plan" for improving Oregon's public schools.
"We're trying to galvanize and unite Oregonians to do what it takes to make our schools among the nations best, while living within our means," said Charlie Walker, Chalkboard's chair. "That means it's time to start talking about common sense solutions for the real problems that affect quality and accountability in our public schools."
During the next several months, Chalkboard Project will initiate a public awareness campaign that will ask a cross-section of Oregonians for input on how to strengthen public education in the state. The blending of public opinion and exhaustive research will provide the discussion framework for Chalkboard's civic engagement process.
About Chalkboard Project
Launched in early 2004, Chalkboard Project exists to inspire Oregonians to do what it takes to make the state’s K-12 public schools among the nation’s best, while strengthening our school system’s financial accountability to taxpayers. Chalkboard aims to help create a more informed and engaged public who understand and address the tough choices and trade-offs required to build strong schools, and to enable statewide programs that can be applied at the local level to improve school quality, accountability, and funding. To date, Chalkboard has connected with about 100,000 Oregonians, asking for their best ideas to strengthen the state’s K-12 public schools. It also has partnered with other education organizations to create the Open Book$ Web site www.openbooksproject.org to track school district spending.
Chalkboard – an initiative of Foundations For A Better Oregon – is sponsored by a growing list of independent foundations. The founding five foundations are: The Collins Foundation, The Ford Family Foundation, Jeld-Wen Foundation, Meyer Memorial Trust, and The Oregon Community Foundation. For more information about Chalkboard and to learn how to get involved, call (877) YOUR-K12 or visit www.chalkboardproject.org.
