Comments on: “Choice” done right

By: Toni

Toni — Sun, 23 Nov 2008 00:52:56 +0000

You’re on the Enrollment and Transfer Committee Steve?

Impressive and Congratulations to you! My apologies for not being able to be a babysitter for the kids, but I’ll implant into their heads the importance of a well-rounded education when I return for break!

And I was under the impression that Sabin had both Spanish and Japanese? At least, it HAD Japanese? As far as ACCESS goes, the populations of minority students could be far greater in that program, but I’m afraid minority students tend to be overlooked for those programs because of behavioral issues, not academics…

By: Lakeitha

Lakeitha — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 01:46:23 +0000

The district has posted the members of the enrollment and transfer committee. Congrats Steve.

By: Susan

Susan — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 17:43:31 +0000

From PPS’ PK-8 Action Team (http://cms9.pps.k12.or.us/.docs/pg/12501) Summary of Enrichment Offerings and Funding Sources for PK8 Enrichment Offerings (although these documents contradict each other), the following K-8 schools were proposed to offer Spanish in the 08-09 school year:

Access Program
Arleta (no FTE projected in May 08)
Astor ( no FTE projected in May 08)
Clark-Binnesmead
Hollyrood-Fernwood
Irvington
King
Laurelhurst
Peninsula
Roseway
Sabin
Skyline
Sunnyside
Vernon
Vestal

Sara A and Joan – I’m still tuned in and waiting for updates from the PK-8 Action Team.

By: Rita Moore

Rita Moore — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 01:37:15 +0000

One correction on K8s and foreign language: Sunnyside has a Spanish elective.

By: Rita Moore

Rita Moore — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 06:04:36 +0000

Just a word about foreign language programs. I’m a big fan of immersion programs, but they tend to be oversubscribed and many kids are shut out. But more to the point, although I think PPS deserves kudos for the immersion programs, it’s track record on languages across the district is pretty dismal. As far as I know, none of the K-8s have any foreign language at all and the small high schools which they feed into tend to have extremely limited offerings (unless it’s an international program). Some of the small high schools, in fact, appear to have no foreign language at all. So language is hardly a point of pride for PPS.

By: Erin

Erin — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 05:32:49 +0000

Beaverton may not have “21st century world language programs”, but it looks like they have everything else right.

Immersion programs are GREAT, but equity all around is more important.

Comprehensive high schools are the key. It’s as if PPS is just waiting for our “academy” high schools to fail.

By: Zarwen

Zarwen — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 01:29:22 +0000

Beaverton also did not waste time and money on fruitless “national searches” when it was time to replace Katz. They recruited Jerry Colonna from central Oregon, and from everything I’ve heard, he’s doing just fine.

By: howard

howard — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 20:58:54 +0000

Beaverton had a first rate superintendent over a considerable time span, Yvonne Katz, who was beaten out for the PPS job when the board hired Jack Bierworth.

For many years Beaverton maintained a good labor and learning environment while Portland went through several bouts of turbulence and stress.

By: Steve Rawley

Steve Rawley — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 23:21:26 +0000

Terry, I’m not sorry we stayed in Portland. I love the city and my neighborhood.

Transfers are just one big part of the picture. Size is the other biggie.

I think we could aim for something smaller than Beaverton, and still do pretty good. Say, 400 for K-5, 600 for 6-8 and 1200 for HS.

But you’re right, the first step is to balance enrollment. If schools are all of similar size, they will have similar budgets to work with. Then we can have balanced offerings, and get away from the wildly out-of-balance, anarcho-capitalist, boutique school mentality that has prevailed in Portland since Measure 5.

The bottom line is that the only way our system can be balanced is if we design a balanced system as a whole. In the time that I’ve been paying attention, nobody’s every taken this approach. The free market system has just made things worse. Isn’t it silly to expect it can somehow correct itself?

It won’t — we need a New Deal for our school system.

By: Dave POrter

Dave POrter — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 23:00:51 +0000

I do not think the Beaverton School District is a model school district for the 21st century. They do not have a 21st century world languages program. I think they have only three world language immersion programs starting in kindergarten. They are each two-way Spanish immersion. There are no Mandarin, Japanese, or Russian immersion programs like in the Portland Public Schools. PPS does need more immersion programs, but in this they are ahead of Beaverton.

I do not know, but wonder, how students are selected for each of the Beaverton immersion schools.