Comments on: Bailey on K8s

By: Marian

Marian — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 19:43:28 +0000

I like what Bailey has to say. I think he understands the big picture needs of PPS and seems willing to dig deeper into the discussion on how to better our situation. To date, he’s been far more substantive than his opposition. I just checked out her website and there is nothing that gives us a clue as to what her feelings are on any of the issues Bailey addressed above. I do know she is COO for the Portland Business Alliance, which is a huge detriment in my mind. I could be wrong about her but I would like know more about where she stands.

Steve R., have you contacted any of the other candidates to give them an opportunity to voice their ideas in this forum?

By: Steve Buel

Steve Buel — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 05:55:18 +0000

Susan, as always good comments. Answer to middle school question: No, there probably no excellent middle school models in Oregon. Try Evergreen in Vancouver, where I work, and you can find some though.Yes, Mr.Bailey seems good on the parent involvement piece.

By: Susan

Susan — Sat, 21 Mar 2009 17:29:56 +0000

“we need a clear evaluation of whether students will be getting a better education after full implementation of the K-8s than before. If not, then we need to carefully map out some better options.”

How much longer will it take to evaluate the results? Aren’t the majority of K-8s fully implemented? According to PPS, “By September, when Laurelhurst, Rigler and Scott add eighth grade, PPS will have completed the reconfiguration process.”

http://www.pps.k12.or.us/depts.....9.html#s04

Improvements for next year include “Offering a minimum of five enrichment classes (art, music, physical education) per week for students in grades 6-8.” I wonder how that will affect the K-5 offerings – both in the K-8s that are under-enrolled because of low FTE, and in the over-crowded K-8s which have the FTE, but which require the same 1.0 FTE specialist to teach hundreds more children a year.

Do we really need to “reinvent” middle school education? Aren’t there plenty of local middle schools that are working well that can be used as guides?

What are your specific proposed solutions for the K-8 problems? Will funding be boosted for the under-enrolled K-8s regardless of student population? Will boundaries be redrawn to equitably distribute student populations? I’m a little weary of hearing that parent involvement will make the K-8 configuration work. Parent involvement will make any school configuration work better, but first a school needs to be adequately funded to serve its student population – in this case all grades K-8th.

I do agree that how a school is managed has a huge impact on the school’s success. School administration that welcomes parents and community into the building create a unique and compelling atmosphere.

I’m waiting for more specifics from you.

By: Steve Buel

Steve Buel — Sat, 21 Mar 2009 04:22:51 +0000

Parent’student advocate. Give me a call (I’m in the phone book) and I will send you my issue sheet for my campaign which lays out many of the resolutions I will bring to the school board if elected. (fat chance of that however since Stand for Children basically appoints the board members — they have supported the winner in every election for years now and they know how to make sure their candidates win)
Because of this you can’t be so hard on Mr. Bailey. If he clearly articulates a position which actually addresses the equity issue(as I have many times) he will find himself facing Ms. Knowles with the SFC endorsement in her back pocket and thus he will be a sure loser. So he has to dance around. I like Dan Ryan but when he ran against me for the board and raised $70,000 and had the full help of SFC which brings not only huge contributions but also Mark Weiner who knows how to win these elections, he had no cogent or stated positions on issues which weren’t generic — protect neighborhood schools and work on the achievement gap were two big ones. And I imagine parent involvement, though I don’t really remember. That one always gets thrown in there. So you see you can’t win with statements that talk about how to help poor kids, particularly if you get specific and what you suggest doesn’t help the SFC school neighborhoods also (Wilson, Lincoln, Cleveland, and Grant).
I do agree that Mr. Bailey’s arguments were pretty much gobbligook. But I didn’t think the writing was that bad. I AM glad Steve Rawley isn’t letting you attack mine in this post.

Another thing is that SFC doesn’t want people on the school board who are really going to raise the critical issues most affecting PPS. The critical issues are in lower income neighborhoods and are what is actually taking place in those schools. Take a look at Trudy Sargent on the school board. She has been there 3 and a half years and has not brought one resolution to the board, NOT ONE. Neither has my opponent, Martin Gonzales, but he hasn’t been on that long. So between the two incumbents — who will be endorsed, thus reappointed, by SFC — they have not brought one thing to the school board that addresses any of the major issues that are constantly discussed on this site. It is how it works.

P.S. You are way off base if you think the major problems in equity center around lousy teaching. Most PPS teachers care deeply about their students and are pretty good. PPS creates the context within which teachers must perform. This is a far more important problem than a few lousy teachers (unless of course your kid gets one). Thanks for your take on things.

By: Steve Rawley

Steve Rawley — Sat, 21 Mar 2009 00:44:51 +0000

This is Scott’s written response.

Criticisms of policy positions are totally fair game, but let’s please stay away pot shots about writing style. Thanks.

By: Portland Parent/Student Advocate

Portland Parent/Student Advocate — Sat, 21 Mar 2009 00:04:56 +0000

Is this a transcript or is this a written response? I ask for two reasons. First, I’m having a hard time reading the substance because the writing (unless it’s talking) is so bad. (Needless to say, that’s not a good thing when the person in question is a candidate for the School Board.) Second, I never played dodge ball in school but this looks like it. You’re running for the School Board and yet you can’t clearly articulate why the K-8 transition has been and continues to be a complete disaster?

Worse yet, the solution is to (1) wait until the transition is fully implemented, (2) evaluate whether the education is better or not, and then (3) “map out some better options”? WOW, that’s providing service to children in a timely fashion!

All of Mr. Bailey’s focus on parent involvement begs a central issue in the lack of equity. So long as the teachers’ union allows teachers to choose where they teach, and protects lousy teachers, neither equity nor quality education can be achieved. For example, please explain how the “improv[ed] teacher evaluations” will change anything. If a principal cannot get rid of a teacher but can only stick the evaluations in a file folder, how does that deliver a better education to the students?

Without going on and on, my take on Mr. Bailey (who I like personally) is that he either doesn’t have a vision himself (notice that all the tricky issues are to be resolved after he is elected) or he’s hiding his vision. For once, I’d like a candidate to tell us what he or she intends to accomplish as PPS gets worse and worse.