Chalkboard Update, Fall 2008

Inspiring Oregonians… to do what it takes to make ourschools among the nation’s best.

Douglas County Regional Workforce Investment Board • September 11, 2007

An Initiative of Foundations for a Better Oregon

Foundations for a Better Oregon


What’s different about Chalkboard?

Ask the owners: Sustainable solutions must connect toand involve Oregonians

Find out what works -- independently, with no pre-setagenda

Build coalitions to develop common senseimprovements

Engage citizens, follow research and input, but bewilling to test new ideas such as compensation reform

Research-based solutions: A focus onfinding common ground that will get results

Merge research results into an action planthat brings REAL change to Oregon schools


Oregon schools are “about average” in aworld where “average” isn’t good enough• Average student performance in key subjects like

reading and math• High dropout rate and low graduation rate

About 25% of Oregon students do not finish high schoolwithin four years

• High new teacher attrition rate• High class sizes• Unstable funding

OUR GOAL: Create a national top-10 schoolsystem, as measured by student achievementand other national performance comparisons


Mixed messages from Oregonians

They want schools to bebetter, BUT . . . . . .

No revolution: Work within thesystem to make improvements

They want to reward goodteachers, BUT . . . . . .

They want individual teachersheld more accountable

They think Oregon schoolsas a whole needimprovement, BUT . . . . . .

Don’t mess with my localschool -- it’s doing a good job

They want our schools tobe among the nation’sbest, BUT . . . . . .

In general, they don’t wantto pay more to get there


The debate about teacher quality

86% agree attracting and retaining teachers is key toaccelerated student learning

82% agree there should be better processes to reviewteachers’ job performance, and to set clearexpectations/consequences for those who need toimprove

75% agree improving teacher quality should be anurgent or high priority for their school district

75% agree increases in teacher salaries should bebased on performance, not seniority

69% believe principals should be able to hire and fireteachers in their schools

A few key public opinion stats:


The debate about money

82% believe lack of stable funding is an obstacle toraising student achievement

59% agree new money for schools should beinvested in areas that raise student achievement, notto make up for previous budget cuts

55% say there is too much waste and inefficiency inpublic schools

40% believe schools have the money they need andshould spend what they have more efficiently

28% agree “most of the waste and inefficiency in mylocal school district has been eliminated”

Split on funding needs; accountability comes first

A few key public opinion stats:


Chalkboard’s research-based agenda

It isn’t all about money: More funding for K-12 must beaccompanied by more reforms and more accountability

A portion of new funding must be targeted to initiativesproven to raise student achievement the most

Schools must take specific cost-saving actions toassure citizens they are using tax dollars efficiently

We must provide more targeted support to teachers,and test new teacher leadership and compensationoptions

We must address the question of stable funding beforeaddressing the question of adequate funding

Public-supported tenets that drive our work


Our long-term action plan

Better involve parents and communities in schools Attract and retain quality educators/administrators Improve early learning Strengthen funding and accountability Emphasize student health Expand public school choice Create safe and respectful school environments Improve student attendance and performance tracking Effectively use school transportation dollars

Includes both legislative and non-legislativeinitiatives to:


2007 Chalkboard legislative goals

• Confirm Chalkboard’s position as a bipartisan,research-based education reform organization

• Win significant K-12 education reforms (3 to 4initiatives enacted)

• Establish political clout to secure additionalreforms in years ahead

• Build stronger relationships and trust betweenChalkboard, other education stakeholders andelected officials

• Ensure ability to create pilot project that tests newcareer and compensation options in severalschool districts


How we rate our progress

“A” for effort• Our agenda drove legislative debate on K-12 education• Our agenda drove research into education policy-

making progress, changed conversation• We developed partnerships when possible, but also

weren’t afraid to stand alone on key issues• We used every available tool to pursue our initiatives

aggressively• We garnered significant editorial support from daily and

weekly newspapers


Mentors for new teachers and principals Statewide professional development network for educatorsFinancial accountability Study of student transportation system to seek savings Performance reviews of school district business practicesTargeted spending Use portion of new funding to reduce K-1 class size and

provide K-3 reading tutorsStable funding Double size of state rainy day fund and use corporate kicker to

begin filling it Create per-student spending guarantee

Educator quality

Progress on our priorities“B” for results


Moving forward . . .

• Continue engaging Oregonians in education reformdiscussion

• Expand Chalkboard’s “citizens’ corps” of supporters• Pursue statewide professional development

enhancements in short ‘08 session• Continue to expand

Open Book$ Web site(www.openbooksproject.org)


Moving forward . . .

• Continue engaging Oregonians in education reformdiscussion

• Expand Chalkboard’s “citizens’ corps” of supporters• Pursue statewide professional development

enhancements in short ‘08 legislative session• Continue to expand

Open Book$ Web site(www.openbooksproject.org)

• Continue using grants and partnerships to better connectparents and community members with schools

• Partner with school business officials to review businesspractices in five volunteer school districts


CLASS ProjectCreative Leadership and Student Success

• Grants awarded to 3 school districts in March to testnew career paths and salary structures for teachers• Sherwood• Forest Grove• Tillamook

• Planning through summer and early; three-yearimplementation to begin fall/winter 2007-08

• Meyer Memorial Trust has committed $1.5 million infunding, the Miller Foundation an additional$500,000, to launch the program


CLASS ProjectCreative Leadership and Student Success

CLASS is already making an impact:

"The CLASS project is providing momentum for a number ofsignificant school transformation efforts in Sherwood SchoolDistrict. A major new development is happening with teacherrecruitment. New teachers that are being hired in Sherwood for the2007-2008 school year have enthusiastically stated that one of thekey reasons they want to teach in Sherwood is because of the CLASSproject, and they want to be a part of this exciting new opportunityfocused on increasing student achievement and theprofessionalization of teachers."

Dan Jamison, SuperintendentSherwood School District


How you can help

• Sign up to receive our monthly electronic newsletter• Join our statewide citizens’ corps and take a more

active role in promoting our initiatives• Visit Chalkboard’s Web site to learn more about us• Visit the Open Book$ Project Web site

(www.openbooksproject.org) and share this uniqueschool spending tool with others

• Spread the word about Chalkboard’s broadefforts to build a better public K-12 educationsystem in our state!

Inspiring Oregonians… to do what it takes to make ourschools among the nation’s best.

Fall 2007

Chalkboard Update, Fall 2008

Education

Transcript of Chalkboard Update, Fall 2008