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Objectives for today

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. Building on a tradition of excellence:.

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Objectives for today

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  1. 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

  2. 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

  3. 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

  4. 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

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

  6. More than 30% of PPS families choose transfers

  7. 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

  8. 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

  9. 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

  10. 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

  11. 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

  12. 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%

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

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

  15. 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

  16. 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.

  17. 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

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

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

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

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

  22. 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

  23. 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

  24. 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

  25. 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)

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