Comments for PPS Equity

Comment on HS Redesign resolution: a few suggestions by Rita

Rita — Sat, 27 Mar 2010 00:00:36 +0000

Thanks, Neisha. I got the cite from OPB. It’s a study sponsored by the Employers for Education Excellence group, conducted by EcoNorthwest. You can find it at:
http://www.e3smallschools.org/

I haven’t had a chance to read it yet.

Comment on HS Redesign resolution: a few suggestions by Neisha

Neisha — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 22:13:14 +0000

Rita — I think that probably refers to an ECONorthwest study of small high schools in Oregon. A couple of people from ECONorthwest presented their findings at the PPS Board work session on Focus Options. However, I can’t find the report on the ECONorthwest website.

Comment on Inequities in Special Education by moonlighting

moonlighting — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 20:11:20 +0000

Special ed got lots of money last year and this year from stimulus money. To be millions over budget is just irresponsible. People in the field do fundraising, but Joanne still buys dinner and lunch for her staff, why cant they bring their own like everyone else. She takes her secretaries to Las Vegas and other conferences. Why??

Comment on Inequities in Special Education by Stephanie

Stephanie — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 16:17:31 +0000

This continuum of self-contained classrooms is going to address the frequent movement and I emailed Joanne and asked if there could also be a focus group that looks at the continuum of inclusion in general education. She sent me a very positive response and I am looking forward to talking with her more about it.
The feds have never fully funded the IDEA and that is one reason why special education runs out of money but just like everything else there is a better way to use the resources available and partner with the community as well as parents. If special education classrooms were more welcoming (I know some are but largely they are not) then I think the schools would be surprised at how willing parents would be to help out. Parent are demoralized with the frequent movement and Joanne has a really nice narrative on her blog that highlights this demoralizing of kids and families. With an ounce of trust and several pounds of caution I am ready to see what she needs from the advocates to improve things in special education. I am happy to fight Salem and DC WITH the district if they can show me that they value our kids education. I would have a bake sale every single day if they could prove that the civil rights of all learners is important to them.
In regards to the feds never fully funding….kids needing special education SERVICES are gen ed students not special ed students so I would expect no crying from anyone needing to use general fund money. My heroes are the schools and principals that have NOT pushed out the self-contained classrooms for transfer slots or because they have to pull resources from gen ed to support B classrooms. These people need to be treated like the finest of silks because I know they suffer for making the right decisions to value kids and keep them in their school.
Carrie – I really agree that anything the taxpayers are funding should have absolute transparency for every cent. At the non-profit I work at we have potlucks for our retreats and I enjoy that more than any catered event I received when I worked for a multi-national corporation.

Comment on Inequities in Special Education by Carrie Adams

Carrie Adams — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 05:25:13 +0000

I haven’t heard that SPED is over budget but it doesn’t surprise me. I ran across a smaller school district not long ago that has their check register online for everyone to see. Wouldn’t that be nice? Quarterly income and expense reports for every school and program.

Comment on Inequities in Special Education by moonlighting

moonlighting — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 00:29:47 +0000

kids get moved repeatedly because special ed does not support its behavior teachers and does not place students appropriately. Also they do not hire specifically for classrooms with social/emotional issues. Have you all heard that special ed. is way over budget? How can that happen?

Comment on HS Redesign resolution: a few suggestions by Rita

Rita — Sat, 20 Mar 2010 21:41:15 +0000

I’ve heard a couple of reports on OPB about a study that was just published that analyzes small high schools over the last 5 years. But I didn’t catch who released it and can’t find any reference to it anywhere. Anybody else heard about this?

Comment on HS Redesign resolution: a few suggestions by Carrie Adams

Carrie Adams — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 21:48:33 +0000

Just to clarify I meant “uninformed” decisions.

Two board members were smart enough not to make the high school redesign resolution a uniform decision.

Comment on HS Redesign resolution: a few suggestions by Zarwen

Zarwen — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 19:19:52 +0000

AND everywhere else. They’ll tell us all about it come June.

Comment on HS Redesign resolution: a few suggestions by Susan

Susan — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 18:47:46 +0000

It’s hard to believe there are four scenarios being considered for Roosevelt. If Roosevelt closes, the district doesn’t get the money, does it? The hs redesign has planned to eliminate most of the small schools. If Roosevelt is going to become a special focus or charter, then how could that be implemented for the 2010-2011 school year? A new special focus/charter couldn’t keep the neighborhood catchment one year and then disburse everyone to a neighborhood school the next with access to the special focus through the lottery.

Or redraw boundaries before the beginning of the school year? Yeah, it would seem like the lottery would have to be a do-over.

Hard to pass up $6 million, but come on, PPS, it’s obvious there’s a plan in place for Roosevelt.