Objectives for today

2. Objectives for today • Review the critical challenges we must address • Providing an excellent education for all kids • Stabilizing the District for the future • Discuss our thinking behind current options for moving forward

3. Building on a tradition of excellence: • PPS students outperform state averages • 84% of children go to public schools • A strong tradition of neighborhood schools within a system of choice • A range of choices and options for students and parents • Strong parent and community support

4. But – PPS student outcomes fall as students transition PPS performance (04-05): % of schools which scored in each category, by level 57 18 10 Source: PPS State Report Card, 2004-2005

5. Students improve throughout elementary, then drop in middle school Students in Same Elementary School Gr 6&8 Students in Same Elementary School Gr 3 & 5 Source: PPS

6. % Students meeting state standards in (04-05) language arts Persistent “achievement gap” for minority students Source: PPS State Report Card, 2004-2005

7. More than 30% of PPS families choose transfers

8. Bold steps are underway to deliver results for all students… • Uniformly high standards • Enabled by district-wide curriculum and rigorous assessments • …And supported by intensive professional development for teachers

9. Rigorous Core Curriculum = Results Within PPS… Across the Country… • Renewed focus on teaching & learning has resulted in… • Across the board gains at levels in reading and math • Significant gains for special populations • K-1 investments demonstrating strong outcomes Similar focus on raising standards in… • NYC District#2, • Charlotte Mecklenburg • Norfolk, VA • Long Beach, CA • Boston • Philadelphia …Resulting in: • 15-20 point gains in reading and math for all students • Even larger gains for poor and minority students, shrinking the achievement gap

10. We must support student achievement,while stabilizing PPS for the long run • Keep improving our schools so that all students have a full range of choices and opportunities • Stabilize and strengthen the system so we can focus on educating children, not on managing short-term budget crises • It’s counter-productive to put yet another short term band-aid on the problem • We can’t just keep stretching resources thinner and thinner across all of our schools

11. Three steps to position PPS for future 1) Preserve core educational opportunities for our students • Rigorous and full curriculum for all students • Sustain emerging and successful reforms • Maintain reasonable class sizes and school year 2) Stabilize the district for the long term • Establish schools of size and scale to accommodate core educational opportunities for all students • Live within existing resources • Address elevated cost of doing business: older, larger, under-utilized buildings, rising health care costs 3) Increase the accountability and performance of central services. • Lean, highly responsive, and supportive central office • Focus every penny from taxpayers classroom needs

12. 4 Areas of Cuts Under Consideration to cover $24M shortfall 4 • Central Office Staff and Services • Support to Schools and Classrooms areas areas • Reconfiguration of Schools • Teaching Staff Reductions, Wages/Benefits

13. Staff cuts have outpaced enrollment declines District FTE: 1991 vs. 2005 Enrollment Decline: 1991: 54,900 2005: 47,008 % Change: -14% -30% -26% +29% -66%

14. Hard choices and tradeoffs to get to $24MExample Options Source: PPS estimates

15. Question The $57,000,000 If reconfiguration doesn’t save much, why even consider it?

16. We’ve been tackling this problem for years… ….From a “Facilities Perspective” • Multiple Task Forces Held • 2001- Best Use of Facilities Task Force • 2002-Portland Schools Real Estate Trust Development sponsored by Innovation Partnership • 2002-Long Range Facilities Plan • 2003-04 Capital Bond Task Force • 2003-Westside Boundary Process Task Force • 2003 Eastside Educational Options Task Force • 2006 Long Range Facilities Plan Update in Progress. 8 Buildings Closed since 1995 Edwards Applegate Smith Kenton Whittaker Lakeside Wilcox* Glenhaven Foster SPED facility Let’s find a solution this time… once and for all!! * Leased to Columbia Regional Programs

17. Let’s use an “Educational Perspective” • Educational Benefits of Reconfiguration • Stronger, more varied programs • Ability to offer a core curriculum that includes art, music, wellness • Lower class sizes • Fewer transitions for kids • Stability and continuity of parent involvement • More comprehensive access to student supports • Equitable configuration of ESL, SPED, social services, after school programs, etc.

18. 2. Close/Reassign: School closed and students reassigned to one or more other schools 3. Merge: Two schools of same level occupy larger of two buildings • Status Quo • No schools close 4. Expand: School expansion Eg. K-5 to K-8 5.Reconfigure: Two schools of different levels merge to form a new configuration Eg. K-5 + 6-8 = K-8 School configuration models under consideration

19. School mergers can increase strength of programs Example: Edwards -> Abernethy 178 students 366 students

20. Larger schools fare can offer PE/Music/Art, with reasonable class sizes Example: Elementary School – Current Staffing Ratio

21. Larger schools also fare better if staffing ratio is increased Example: Elementary School – Staffing Ratio increased to 25:1

22. No relationship between PPS school size and performance Example: Size of Elementary Schools by Performance Rating

23. K-8 model is re-emerging as educationally sound – particularly for high needs kids • Better suited to needs of young adolescents • Fewer transitions • Reduced social pressures • Higher parental engagement • More individualized attention from teachers • Studies show that K-8 students fare better than middle school peers on multiple dimensions • Feel safer • Have higher self esteem, sense of belonging • Higher involvement in extra-curricular activities • Perform as well and often better academically • e.g., inBaltimore, Cleveland, New Orleans, Cincinnati, Philadelphia, Oklahoma City • Academic improvement especially strong for students in high poverty, high minority schools

24. K-8 Model is not new to Portland 4 Existing K-8 Schools Sunnyside Environmental (Strong) Winterhaven (Exceptional) Sabin - Access (Exceptional) Hayhurst - Odyssey (Strong) 6 K-8s planned for 2006-07 Skyline (?) Ockley Green Beach Boise-Eliot Vernon King All elementaries in Jefferson cluster by 2007-8* PPS was a K-8 district until converting to middle schools in the 80s * With the exception of Chief Joseph

25. Considerations for school configuration decisions • Academic and instructional integrity and benefits • Preserving neighborhood relationships • Current and Projected Enrollment • Geographic balance • Accommodating district wide programs (e.g. special needs classrooms) • Building Size, Amenities, Condition and Operating costs • Consistency within clusters

26. Where we plan to go from here • Solicit more public input into the choices we face • Budget Forums and facilitated discussions • March 21 (Lent) and 22 (Wilson) • Budget Tools • Priorities Zoomerang Tool • Budget Calculator Tool • Public Testimony • March 23 – Board workshop and public testimony • Budget recommendation for $24M cuts - (April 3) • Public review of and feedback on recommendation (April) • 4 Quadrant testimony hearings • Hearings in each building recommended for closure • Define outstanding issues and the process for resolving them (April – May) • Develop two-year implementation plan, with community input (April – June)