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Recommendations | |
The task force conducted its work in three areas: human resources, financial resources, and time as a resource. Initial discussion centered around whether our recommendations should be focused on "what is" or on "what ought to be." We agreed that, while task force members may need to acquire some background information before focusing on the future, the intent of the Schools of the Future process is to have each task force look to the future and provide key recommendations that would bring the school district into the 21st century. That became our charge. All statements therefore refer to our recommendations for future conditions unless clearly indicated as a statement of present conditions. We began our work in the area of human resources. Presentations were made to the task force in particular areas by the following individuals: Challenging human resource issues from the point of view of employee groups: Paul Duchin, Eugene Education Association; Bette Shoemaker, Eugene Administrator’s Association; and Marilyn Thielke, Oregon School Employees Association.
Issues in contemporary teacher training and licensure: Vivian Moen, Pacific University; Betsy Clewett, Northwest Christian College Tsukiko Oda-Riddell, Commissioner, Oregon Teacher Standards and Practices Commission Employment Data and Demographic Profile of District 4J staff: Wally Bryant, Director of Human Resources Bette Shoemaker, Curriculum Coordinator In the area of financial resources the task force presentations were made in the following areas by the following individuals: District 4J Before and After Ballot Measure Five: Wally Bryant and Bette Shoemaker Five Year Financial Forecast and the Future of School Funding in the State of Oregon: Caroline Passerotti, Financial Management Analyst, District 4J Nancy Heiligman, Coordinator of School Finance and Data Information Services for the Oregon Department of Education Community Support Through The Eugene Education Fund:Meredith, Eugene Education Fund Presentations by the Public: Roscoe Caron, Teacher, Kennedy Middle School on the importance of teacher preservice training and diversity recruitment Dr. William A. McConochie, licensed psychologist on various psychological dimensions and disciplines that should be incorporated in long-range design of an ideal 4J school district. In addition, in response to specific questions generated by task force members, Wally Bryant and Bette Shoemaker as coordinator and facilitator, produced and/or collected reports that were shared with task force members. These reports can be found in Appendix A. The following recommendations reflect the work of the task force as we move District 4J into the 21st century.Recommendations In the area of financial resources, we see:
District 4J of the future communicates effectively with the total community about the critical role that schools play in society. Effective communication engages the community in creating a shared vision of what constitutes an excellent, comprehensive education for all students. It also welcomes the community and individuals to take an active and significant role in schools. The district of the future regularly illustrates school funding changes (school revenues and expenditures) over time with concise financial summaries. The district produces summaries of instructional approaches and programs to stimulate public discussion resulting in an increased understanding of the critical role that schools play in our democracy. Our community of the future is committed to educate all of our children to become competent, responsible, and productive adults. We engage the legislature in securing adequate funding for schools state-wide. Our community is interested in assuring that funding provides an equitable, comprehensive education for all students. We will work with all branches of government and the initiative petition process to secure funding. The state legislature adequately funds state mandates for schools. The district of the future initiates programs that prepare children to come to school ready to learn. The district tests the learning readiness of each incoming student to identify his or her stage of maturation. Because some children enter school without the necessary skills to perform routine school tasks they run the risk of encountering learning difficulties as well as experiencing behavioral and social problems. Families, schools, and community organizations all contribute to fund programs assuring that students move toward school success. The best results come because all three work together. Our District 4J of the future explores and embraces a range of innovative methods to increase the Eugene community’s financial support for schools. To accomplish this, the district builds relationships with businesses, foundations, and community members. In the area of human resources regarding workload, we see:
Students are coming to school with greater needs. For most of the 20th century, schools did not adequately serve children with special needs. The few special education programs that existed in the mid 1900’s primarily served students with mild learning disabilities. Current programs are expected to serve all learning disabled students and increasing numbers of students with even greater needs. Some of these children are identified with autism, attention deficit disorders, attachment disorders, behavior disorders, and fetal alcohol syndrome. Some also may lack adequate food, shelter, emotional support and other resources. The demands that these children place on the school staff are tremendous. School staffs are trained based on the latest research in order to have the necessary skills to work more effectively with these students. In addition, personnel and materials are provided in the classroom to assure that all children reach their full potential. Numerous laws and administrative rules severely impact the workload of staff. These include but are not limited to the Oregon Education Act for the 21st Century, IDEA (the U. S. Individuals with Disabilities Act), Oregon Talented and Gifted Education Act, and state required background criminal checks of staff and volunteers. District 4J is proactive in securing the proper funding from these legislative bodies to implement the provisions in such legislation, resulting in these mandates being fully funded. The district is aware of and responds to workload issues created as a result of these requirements. In the 1990s District 4J eliminated a number of positions throughout the district. As a result of this downsizing, workload increases were created by shifting functions to remaining staff. History indicates that if downsizing becomes necessary, it has a disastrous effect on workload. If or when downsizing becomes necessary, District 4J of the future studies carefully and communicates to the community the specific, long range implications of these staffing decisions. It also addresses the related workload impact and resulting effects on students. In the area of human resources regarding recruiting and retaining a qualified workforce, we see:
Our District 4J of the future actively recruits persons reflecting diversity. The goal of this recruiting is to have a district workforce reflecting the growing diversity of our student population to improve the quality of the educational experience. All students receive a better education when they have experience with men and women of diverse racial, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds and physical abilities. According to the Oregon Teacher Standards and Practices Commission teacher shortages are very real in Oregon. The commission states that Oregon needs to find a way to provide individual and institutional incentives to bring qualified professionals into Oregon schools. The district works with the employee groups to provide superior pay and equitable benefits to attract a high caliber staff. In order for District 4J of the future to place persons of diverse racial, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds and physical abilities in teaching and administrative positions, it works successfully with teacher training institutions to recruit, admit, retain, and graduate these students. The district will hold these institutions accountable for results that serve our community’s need for a diverse workforce. This collaboration will help the district to meet the requirements of the Oregon Minority Teacher Act of 1991 which requires that by the year 2001 the number of minority teachers, including administrators, employed by school districts and education service districts shall be approximately proportionate to the number of minority children enrolled in the public schools of this state. In the area of human resources regarding professional development for staff, we see:
In the area of human resources regarding support services for staff, students, and parents, we see:
With the decrease in funding and the increase of numerous laws and administrative rules in the 1990’s, some District 4J staff received little professional development while others received training around a band of narrowly focused topics; e.g. blood born pathogens, asbestos abatement, administration of medications, using scoring guides, and record keeping. Our District 4J of the future provides a wide range of professional development opportunities for staff. The district offers courses that address the social, emotional, physical, vocational, and intellectual needs of children. In particular, the district provides assistance to staff in working with students who have diverse needs. Additionally, more training is provided for instructional assistants and other classified professionals. Employees, students, and parents new to the district receive orientation to 4J, its policies and practices. Mechanisms, including -- but not limited to -- mentorships are in place to assist these employees, students, and parents over time. In the area of human resources regarding working more effectively with volunteers, we see:
Our District 4J of the future maintains a salaried volunteer coordinator at the district level. This person welcomes opportunities for partnership that engage the community in the education of every child. The volunteer coordinator manages a district-wide database matching volunteers with the school’s that need them. Volunteer hours are also tracked more efficiently as a part of this system. The volunteer coordinator also works closely with the City of Eugene and Lane County to develop a community-wide system for completing volunteer background checks. Students benefit directly when the district actively recruits volunteers of all ages and backgrounds. In addition, these volunteers appreciate the quality of school instructional programs as well as the challenges the district faces. As a result, they are more willing advocates of strong public schools. District 4J of the future develops specific partnerships with those in the medical community to assure that: (1) students come to school ready to learn; (2) students maintain healthy lifestyles; and (3) those students needing specialized services receive them in an adequate and timely manner. In the area of human resources regarding program staffing, we see:
Because of the changes in funding for public education, District 4J in the 1990s struggled to provide a comprehensive K-12 program for all students. Schools often resorted to soliciting donations from the community through fundraising and other efforts to provide elements of comprehensive instructional programs; e.g. library/media, counseling, music, P.E. etc. Students in our District 4J of the future are assured an equitable opportunity to receive a comprehensive education regardless of the ability of an individual school to generate additional revenue. This does not mean that every school is funded at the exact same level. Rather it means that each school has the resources it needs to accomplish the common goals of a comprehensive education. In some schools these resources need to be greater than in other schools due to the needs of students. What does a comprehensive program look like and what does it take to staff such a program? Our district of the future commissions a study to identify the key characteristics of a comprehensive program. The study also analyzes the optimal school size in order to maintain comprehensive programs. In addition, the study takes into account the importance of each student as an individual. We believe there is a relationship between the size of the student body in a school and the school’s ability to offer a comprehensive program. It is important that a school be of sufficient size to adequately staff its programs. As a result of this study, the Board of Directors takes the appropriate action. In doing so, they take into consideration the reciprocal relationship between schools and neighborhoods. As a part of the study, the district evaluates the costs and impact of program staffing in particular curriculum areas. This analysis determines the benefits of program staffing on the educational program as a whole and on individual student achievement. | |
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Eugene School District 4J