Top 10 things your mother never told you about Oregon’s public schools
Contact:
Chalkboard Project
(503) 542-4325
info@chalkboardproject.org
Initial findings offer fact-based foundation for public participation
PORTLAND, Ore. – In an ongoing effort to inspire Oregonians to do what it takes to make the state’s public schools among the nation’s best while still living within its means, the Chalkboard Project released its initial findings today. The executive summary provides a comprehensive review of the current landscape for Oregon’s K-12 public schools, and sets the stage for an in-depth public participation effort that will focus on quality, accountability and funding.
“As we begin to engage Oregonians and help solve the communications break-down that has occurred around public education, we must start with a solid foundation of facts and research,” explained Chalkboard President Sue Hildick. “These facts won’t be a surprise for those who have been on the frontlines of education for decades, but it will give all of us a common starting point to consider ideas for longtime improvements in quality, accountability and financing.”
Oregon students are at or above average nationally in math, science, reading and writing (National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, various years).
While Oregon has significant racial, ethnic and family income achievement gaps, those gaps are somewhat less than most other states (National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, various years).
Thirty-seven percent of new Oregon teachers leave the profession within the first five years (Oregon Arts & Sciences Summit, 2004).
Hispanic student populations are growing rapidly, and the numbers of physically and mentally disabled students are also growing faster than overall enrollment (Oregon Department of Education, 2004).
Oregon's dropout rate and student absenteeism ranks comparatively high nationally (Education Week analysis of 2003 NAEP mathematic assessment background-survey data; ISC Boston College, 1999; Oregon Department of Education 2004).
Oregon's public K-12 system relies on fewer staff and teachers than most states. Class size is high (ECONorthwest calculated using fall 1992 and fall 2000 data from the National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education; U.S. Department of Education, Office of Educational Research and Improvement 2002).
While spending on instruction and salaries/benefits, measured on a per student basis, are close to the national average, salaries and benefit costs per staff are significantly above the national average, since Oregon employs relatively few staff. Spending on "other support services" is also well above the national average (ECONorthwest analysis of 2001-02 data obtained from National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education).
Although Oregonians express a preference for local control, the reality is that state control over policy and budget has consistently increased over the past 15 years, largely as a result of legislatively-mandated equalization of funding in response to Ballot Measure 5; the Oregon Educational Act for the 21st Century; and recent federal legislation, the No Child Left Behind Act.
Throughout the state, growth in spending on special instruction significantly outpaced growth in spending on regular instruction during the 1990s (ECONorthwest analysis of data obtained from the Oregon Department of Education).
Oregon's K-12 spending as a percent of total personal income declined throughout the 1990s and fell below the national average in 2002-03. Spending per student has been highly unstable in recent school years (ECONorthwest analysis of data obtained from National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education: National Education Association; and Bureau of Economic Analysis).
A complete copy of the executive summary is available by calling Chalkboard Project at (877) YOUR-K12.
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.
