Greetings!

Legislative update: Session enters critical weeks
Citizen voices needed on targeted spending, accountability measures

Chalkboard is helping change the Legislature’s K-12 education conversation from “How much money should we spend?” to “How should we best spend that money to support student success?” But change is hard, and we need your continued help in sending the message that a record K-12 budget should be accompanied by record accountability.

That’s the message we’re sharing in a new print ad that begins running in several Oregon newspapers May 3.

A summary of our legislative progress to date:

House Bill 2574 , which phases in mentoring for new educators, and House Bill 2614 , which strengthens the ongoing professional development educators receive, have been approved by the House Education Committee. Next stop: Review by the Legislature’s Joint Ways & Means Committee.

Three other Chalkboard-backed proposals – to reduce K-1 class sizes and provide K-3 reading tutors, achieve savings in districts’ business operating costs and create a guaranteed level of per-student spending – have been heard by a House subcommittee. Other bills moving through the legislative process include elements similar to our proposals, so we’re doing all we can to ensure progress is made in these key areas this session, no matter whose “name” is on the final bills approved.

Learn more about Chalkboard's legislative proposals

Want to help us achieve our legislative goals?
Make your voice heard!

Contact your state representative, state senator and the governor and ask them not to end this year’s legislative session without implementing positive reforms for K-12 schools that will lead to greater student success and more accountability about how our school tax dollars are spent. To find your legislator, visit http://www.leg.state.or.us/findlegsltr. For legislative contact information, visit www.leg.state.or.us/senate and www.leg.state.or.us/house.

Questions? Need help? Please contact Chalkboard’s communications director, Shirley Skidmore

New Chalkboard ads focus on accountability
Ads thank legislators, call for wise use of K-12 dollars

Chalkboard’s new radio ad, which began hitting airwaves in mid-April, stresses the importance of combining a record K-12 budget with record accountability for that spending. Once again, Chalkboard’s citizens’ corps members are taking the lead to request that new money for schools be prioritized in areas that will help students the most, and to ask districts to look further for administrative savings.

Listen to the new radio ad

Chalkboard appreciates all the work legislators are doing to move important K-12 education initiatives forward. This thank-you ad appeared in several newspapers in mid-April to thank members of the House Education Committee and the House Education Subcommittee on Education Innovation for supporting mentoring programs for new teachers, principals and superintendents, as well as a stronger statewide professional development system for all K-12 educators.

Chalkboard adds new face to staff
Finance specialist joins the team

Stacie Neff joined the Chalkboard Project this month as finance specialist. Stacie brings 16 years of experience in corporate accounting and holds a bachelor’s degree in business management. She’s currently enrolled in the Institute of Non Profit Management at Portland State University.

Stacie will oversee the financial aspects of Chalkboard’s growing set of K-12 initiatives, including coordination of numerous grant projects throughout the state.

Visit our In The News section to read recent reports from around the state.