Greetings!
Oregon primary elections are
in full swing with ballots being mailed to voters today through Tuesday. As you
sort through the voter's pamphlet remember that elected officials have the
ability to help make education a priority in our state. This month we are
highlighting each of the four poll-leading gubernatorial candidate's plans for
education. After you read through the plans, join the discussion. Did anything
surprise you? Were you particularly impressed by one candidate's education
platform? Was there something missing from all four? Share your opinion on the bulletin board: http://bit.ly/cAG4kn
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Bill Bradbury Bradbury's education
platform is focused on fully funding the Quality Education Model (QEM). His
materials state: "When people talk of the need to dramatically overhaul public
education in Oregon I point them to the Quality Education Commission and their model for public schools.
The Quality Education Model (QEM)
was created a decade ago in a bi-partisan manner. It identifies the elements of
high performance schools and the costs associated with them. Designed to serve
as a tool for use by state lawmakers in developing the K-12 education budget,
the model puts a price tag on quality K-12 education in Oregon. As your next
Governor I can promise you that the QEM will not just be the nice report that we have ignored for the past decade. Over
70% of Oregonians said in 1999 we should fund schools at the QEM level and I believe they meant it! It will become one the guiding forces of my
Administration in helping Oregon public schools become a model to the nation." Bradbury's plans include
reducing tax expenditures by 5% to fully fund the QEM, community colleges and
higher education. His plans also mention the need to support educators with
mentoring, protect collective bargaining rights, and oppose any efforts to make
further reductions in the benefits of the Public Employees Retirement
System. Bradbury
writes, "What
separates my leadership from mere sloganeering around public education is the
willingness to be specific, propose new and innovative ideas and lay out a path
to accomplish them." Bradbury's education plans can be found at
http://www.bradbury2010.com/issues/quality-education
John Kitzhaber Kitzhaber's education
platform is divided into five topics: Transforming the Education Budget Process, Connecting Early Childhood
Education and Development to K-12, Transforming Primary and Secondary
Education, Connecting High School to Postsecondary Education, and Transforming
Post-Secondary Education. In the
introduction to his plans, Kitzhaber writes, "I know how hard
educators work and I know that work is made more difficult because our public
schools at all levels do not have the resources they need. Securing those
resources is a central priority for me. In this incredibly challenging fiscal
environment, however, I believe that the task of winning public support for
more funding will require making a much more transparent connection between the
dollars we are investing in public education and the results we are getting in
terms of student performance." Kitzhaber's plans in his five areas of focus
include replacing the current education budgeting systems with "one unified,
transparent education budget" that encompasses the P-20 continuum; creating
"uniform standards for early care and education programs;" creating, with
teachers, "a fair and meaningful evaluation tool linked to student performance
and growth;" "restoring instructional time by eliminating redundant high-stakes
standardized testing;" "guaranteeing access to at least two years of community
college or Oregon university education for students earning the Oregon
Diploma;" and "guaranteeing transfer of credit among all Oregon public colleges
and universities." Kitzhaber concludes his plans by writing,
"This is purposely an aggressive agenda to improve education throughout a
student's educational experience from birth until earning a degree or
certificate. It reflects what we know we must do to transform our education
system in Oregon - and we must get started even in the face of predicted
revenue shortfalls. In fact, our current fiscal realities make it even more
urgent to advance this agenda now...Our future prosperity depends on it." Kitzhaber's
education plans can be found at: http://www.johnkitzhaber.com/transforming-education/
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Allen Alley Alley frames his education
platform around three proposed reforms: giving local communities the power of
the purse, promoting school district level innovations to keep the best
teachers in the classroom, and expanding virtual learning opportunities. He writes, "There is no more
important investment we can make as a society than the education of our
children. The public education system commands the greatest share of our
state budget, and for good reason. The statistics tell the story. A
person's level of education directly correlates to their level of income,
overall health, and the stability of their home life...In short, a more educated
community creates greater stability, wealth, and resources with which to care
for those who are the most vulnerable among us. But if we want our kids
to compete in the global marketplace, we need to improve." Alley's platform is focused
on giving local schools and communities greater control over education. He
writes, "Regardless of the issue, I believe the best solutions are developed by
those closest to the problem. Our education system is built on a theory that
those furthest away know what's best." His proposal calls for the minimization
of "state mandated top down solutions" and giving local districts and schools
the funding and authority to innovate. He also calls for school alternatives such as charter schools and
virtual schools to better meet individual student needs. Alley's education plans can
be found at: http://www.allenalley.com/imagine-oregon.html (Scroll down to "Imagine Oregon Learning")
Chris Dudley Dudley defines his education
plan objectives as: preparing students for college, work, and the world;
stabilizing funding with incentives for improvement and reform, quality schools
essential for a positive business climate, reforming PERS to curb long-term
budget impacts, and transforming higher education. Dudley's materials focus on
six education issues, which are labeled: Prioritize and Stabilize K-12 Funding;
Timber for Textbooks; Healthy Kids Make Better Students; Transform Oregon
Higher Education; Reform PERS to Cut Short and Long-Term Costs; and Improve
Teacher Preparation, Excellence. Within these issues Dudley calls for the
creation of a rainy day fund by setting aside 3% of forecast revenue, an
increase in sustainable timber harvest to provide additional dollars to K-12, a reinvestment in higher education, and the building of a "sustainable future
pension system." In regards to improving
teacher preparation, Dudley's materials state, "As Governor, Chris Dudley will
make improving teacher quality his top education reform through more
professional training, incentives for outstanding performance and providing
teachers the tools and support they need to be effective in the classroom; will
support participation in federal 'Race to the Top' incentives to improve
teacher and student performance." Dudley's education plans can
be found at: http://www.chrisdudley.com/jobs-first-oregons-recovery-plan/ (Scroll down to "Educate For Our Economic Future")
All photos courtesy of candidates' Facebook pages.
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Visit www.chalkboardproject.org for information on all of our initiatives
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