Future of Teaching Forum Inspires ‘great hope and opportunity’ as Oregon Education Stakeholders Unite
Contact:
Liesl Wendt
Chalkboard Project
503.542.4325
liesl@chalkboardproject.org
“On the heels of the 87th annual American Education Week, we know how profoundly teaching quality matters to student success,” said Chalkboard interim President Kate Dickson. “In order to meet the needs of our changing economy and ensure Oregon’s economic growth, the investment we make in supporting teaching quality is essential. “
More than 100 community leaders recently gathered in the Oregon Public Broadcasting studios to discuss the future of teaching. The group, convened by the Chalkboard Project, in collaboration with the National Commission on Teaching and America’s Future, identified clear challenges to teaching quality including time, technology and resources.
“What I heard today was great hope and great opportunity for Oregon’s teachers,” said Randy Hitz, Dean of Education, Portland State University. “It was obvious to everyone in the room that recruiting and preparing new teachers, supporting existing teachers and putting all Oregon students on a path to success will take hard work by all of us –higher education, state leaders, educators, the business community, parents and the broader community.”
Oregon loses 37% of its teachers within their first five years of teaching. In addition, Oregon’s teacher workforce is facing a wave of retirements in the next five to ten years, requiring districts to invest in recruitment and retention of new teachers. These statistics are leading drivers contributing to the coalition’s urgency for a focused Oregon effort to support teachers.
“The correlation between a robust education system and economic success is more closely linked than at any time in Oregon’s history,” said Duncan Wyse, President of the Oregon Business Council. “Today’s high-paying jobs demand high levels of education and skills.”
The Chalkboard Project, the local forum sponsor, has been a leader in teaching quality in Oregon. By promoting conditions that enable teachers to teach more effectively, Chalkboard has advocated for strong mentoring and professional development legislation while also developing models of new career paths and compensation options for teachers. Chalkboard and NCTAF are joining forces to build a statewide coalition in support of 21st century teaching and learning.
The forum brought together some of the most forward-thinking Oregon leaders to address the need for a collective responsibility for the success of every child. Panelists covered a range of topics, including, professional development, mentoring legislation, community involvement, rethinking teacher preparation, higher education/K-12 partnerships and the business community’s role in education.
“The Future of Teaching in Oregon” forum featured ten panelists who offered varied perspectives about the teaching profession. Jack McGowan, former Executive Director of SOLV, moderated two panel discussions. Panelists included: Susan Castillo, State Superintendent of Public Instruction; Rep. Arnie Roblan, Oregon House of Representatives; Vickie Chamberlain, Executive Director, Teacher Standards and Practices Commission; James Sager, Governor’s Education Policy Advisor; Duncan Wyse, State Board Chair and Executive Director of Oregon Business Council; Randy Hitz, Dean of Education, Portland State University; Eduardo Angulo, Salem/Keizer Coalition for Equality; Vickie Fleming, Superintendent, Redmond School District; Kelly Carlisle, Principal, Salem-Keizer School District; and Todd Jones, Teacher, West Linn High School.
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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 nations best, while strengthening our school system’s financial accountability to taxpayers. 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.
About National Commission on Teaching and America’s Future
The National Commission on Teaching and America’s Future (NCTAF) is a non-profit, non-partisan advocacy organization based in Washington, D.C. NCTAF is dedicated to providing every child with competent, caring, qualified teachers in schools organized for success. With a network of 25 partner states and links to professional educational organizations across the nation, NCTAF provides leadership on innovation and improvement in teaching and learning in America’s schools. For more information, visit NCTAF’s website: www.nctaf.org.
