Chalkboard bills begin journey through Legislature
Contact:
Chalkboard Project
(503) 542-4325
info@chalkboardproject.org
Hearings start next week on legislation advancing Chalkboard initiatives
PORTLAND – February 13, 2007 – State lawmakers will hold hearings next week on four bills introduced by a bipartisan group of legislators to advance initiatives of the non-partisan Chalkboard Project to elevate Oregon’s K-12 education system into one of the best in the nation.
The bills, all launched in the House of Representatives, provide more support to teachers and early learners, implement school district cost efficiencies and offer more school funding stability. The bills will receive their first hearings Feb. 22 and Feb. 27 by the House Subcommittee on Education Innovation.
Chief sponsors of all four bills are Sens. Betsy Johnson (D-Scappoose) and Bruce Starr (R-Hillsboro) and Reps. Arnie Roblan (D-Coos Bay) and Linda Flores (R-Clackamas), all members of Chalkboard’s legislative point team. Sen. Richard Devlin (D-Tualatin) is an additional chief sponsor of House Bill 2614, which enhances professional development for educators.
Each of the bills has 10 to 12 additional bipartisan sponsors.
“The introduction of these bills is the culmination of three years of work by Chalkboard to determine the best investments we can make in Oregon to raise student achievement and increase Oregonians’ confidence that they are getting their money’s worth for their K-12 investment,” said Sue Hildick, Chalkboard Project president. “We’re very pleased with the bipartisan support our research-based proposals are attracting, and think it speaks volumes about the need to invest in quality K-12 reforms that have significant public support.”
“I’m proud to be one of the chief sponsors of four critical initiatives to improve the academic achievement of students throughout Oregon,” said Rep. Arnie Roblan (D-Coos Bay). “Chalkboard has done a great service to our state by identifying the key areas where we can invest resources and see both immediate and long-term payoffs, and I look forward to helping shepherd important initiatives to support our teachers, principals and students through the legislative process.”
The four bills are specific responses to Oregonians’ priorities for improving their K-12 education system, as identified by Chalkboard’s extensive outreach to an estimated 100,000 citizens. The proposals also reflect research-based practices that have proven successful in other states at increasing student achievement, educator quality and school district financial stability.
A summary of the four Chalkboard-proposed bills and their additional sponsors:
House Bill 2612, targets grants to districts to invest in K-1 class size reductions and K-3 reading tutors
Chief sponsors: Sens. Betsy Johnson (D-Scappoose) and Bruce Starr (R-Hillsboro), and Reps. Linda Flores (R-Clackamas) and Arnie Roblan (D-Coos Bay)
Sponsors: Sens. Ginny Burdick (D-Portland), Avel Gordly (I-Portland), Jeff Kruse (R-Roseburg) and Frank Morse (R-Albany), and Reps. Terry Beyer (D-Springfield), Peter Buckley (D-Ashland), Brian Clem (D-Salem), John Dallum (R-The Dalles), Betty Komp (D-Woodburn), Karen Minnis (R-Gresham), Susan Morgan (R-Roseburg) and Gene Whisnant (R-Sunriver)
House Bill 2613, establishes best financial management practices for districts and requires mandatory reviews, begins restructure of school transportation funding formula, phases out permanent early retirement programs
Chief sponsors: Sens. Johnson and Starr, and Reps. Flores and Roblan
Sponsors: Sens. Burdick, Gordly, Kruse and Morse, and Reps. Buckley, Clem, Dallum, Mitch Greenlick (D-Portland), Komp, Minnis, Morgan and Whisnant
House Bill 2614, creates a statewide network to deliver rigorous professional development programs for educators and set quality standards
Chief sponsors: Sens. Devlin, Johnson and Starr, and Reps. Flores and Roblan
Sponsors: : Sens. Burdick, Gordly, Kruse and Morse, and Reps. Beyer, Buckley, Clem, Dallum, Komp, Minnis, Morgan and Whisnant
House Bill 2615, establishes a per-student funding guarantee that creates a “floor” of state spending on K-12 education
Chief sponsors: Sens. Johnson and Starr, and Reps. Flores and Roblan
Sponsors: Sens. Burdick, Kruse and Morse, and Reps. Beyer, Buckley, Clem, Dallum, Komp, Minnis and Whisnant
For more information about Chalkboard's research and 2007 legislative agenda, visit www.chalkboardproject.org.
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.
