Equity

6/24/08
LYNN SCHORE AND SHEI'MEKA NEWMANN OF JEFFERSON HIGH SCHOOL PTSA /
STATEMENT TO PLANNING COMM RE DRAFT WORK PLAN
 read more »

Here is a letter to the Oregonian editor we sent today:

Portland Public Schools' plan to demolish 10 historic elementary schools ("District marks 10 for scrap," 2/28/08) focuses on the poor condition of these schools, creating a false impression that all these schools are in bad condition.  In truth, some of these schools, like Rieke and Winterhaven, are in good condition.  Other schools, such as Sitton, Chief Joseph, and Markham, urgently need replacement. And the new Whitaker Middle School has been promised for years.
 read more »

It's not that children under Foster care can be in these schools it is that Foster kids don't have anyone to advocate for a school of choice unless they are in a familial Foster situation. Those Foster kids that bounce around in the Foster system are the cases that need the most out of our public education dollar.
Who would make the decision as to wether or not to place a child in what kind of charter school and to decide if it was the right decision after that?
Thanks

On 26.02.2008, at 16:00, Rep Macpherson wrote:

Mr. Sherbourne,
 read more »

My Words to the Mayor, PPS Superintendent, Jefferson High School Principal, and State Superintendent

There is a survey available to provide feedback on the Mayor's week at Jefferson High School. It's easy. For the sake of Jefferson's children, and all children of Portland Public Schools, please take a few moments to fill it out:

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=a8KClIp7lT6yUKDySnFBMw_3d_3d
 read more »

One of the agenda items at the 11/5/07 PPS School Board meeting was to address the audit of the PPS Transfer Policy, a full seventeen months after the audit was published by City of Portland Auditor Gary Blackmer and Multnomah County Auditor Suzanne Flynn.

A link to that audit, entitled "PPS STUDENT TRANSFER SYSTEM: DISTRICT OBJECTIVES NOT MET" can be found here: http://www.co.multnomah.or.us/auditor/PPS%20Student%20Transfer%20Audit.p....

Presentations made 11/5/07 by Judy Brennan, head of the PPS Enrollment and Transfer Office, and Adam Davis of the "research" firm Hibbits, were thin, inaccurate, unscientific, cherry-picked, and so utterly lacking that the Board should be ashamed.
 read more »

Choice may not improve schools, study says / Report on MPS comes from longtime supporter of plan

By ALAN J. BORSUK

Posted: Oct. 23, 2007

Link: http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=678202&format=print

Some quotes:

"A study being released today suggests that school choice isn't a powerful tool for driving educational improvement in Milwaukee Public Schools.

But more surprising than the conclusion is the organization issuing the study: the Wisconsin Policy Research Institute, a conservative think tank that has supported school choice for almost two decades, when Milwaukee became the nation's premier center for trying the idea. The institute is funded in large part by the Milwaukee-based Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation, an advocate of school choice.
 read more »

The Portland Tribune's Jennifer Anderson has written an excellent article about Humboldt School: "At Humboldt, small is beautiful / North Portland K-8 skirts closure with community love / Transfer Policy debated anew."

Here is a link to the article: http://www.portlandtribune.com/news/story.php?story_id=11894586202504180...

The article includes the following terrific quote from Humboldt Principal Williams:

Neighborhood school activists, parents and community members fought to keep Humboldt open, and won. Now, as the poorest and smallest nonmagnet K-8 school in the district, Humboldt’s supporters are trying to gain a foothold in the competitive free-market system of school choice in Portland.
 read more »