| Time: |
7:00 - 9:00 pm |
| Location: |
Ed Center Auditorium |
| Present: |
Keli Osborn, Svea Gold, Anand Keathley, David
Meredith, Bette Shoemaker, Wally Bryant, Lee Holden, Kaye Robinette, Marilyn
Thielke, Evie Matthews, Nancy Heiligman and Caroline Passerotti. |
| Absent: |
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| Notetaker: |
Bette Shoemaker |
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| Time |
Topic |
Presenter |
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Public Comments
No non-members were present to give public comment. |
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Presentation
Caroline Passerotti, Financial Management Analyst in 4J, and Nancy Heiligman,
Coordinator of School Finance and Data Information Services for the Oregon
Department of Education, provided the task force with information on:
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the history of school funding in 4J over the last 10 years, including the
impact of Ballot Measures 5 and 50;
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the district's financial forecast for the next five years;
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the status of current school funding discussions at the state level; and
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the current discussions from the 4J Board of Directors about a local option
levy this spring.
The task force raised a number of questions including:
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How many unfunded mandates -- both federal and state -- has the district
had to absorb over the last ten years?
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What might the cost be to provide program staffing in 4J?
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Who are the people/organizations who benefited most from Ballot Measures
5 and 50?
Nancy also summarized the work through the Oregon Department of Education
and the governor's office to cost out the requirements embedded in the
Oregon Educational Act for the 21st Century. She shared that litigation
in this area initially focused on educational equity whereas now the litigation
is shifting focus to adequacy of the education provided. The state
therefore, has created a commission of quality education. The idea
is that if the legislature is going to maintain high quality standards
- they need to pay for it. |
Nancy Heiligman and Caroline Passerotti |
|
The Eugene Education Fund Presentation
David explained the operations and historical trends of the Eugene Education
Fund since 1993. Revenue to the Eugene Education Fund during 1999
was over $422,000. David pointed out that donations came increasingly
for the equity fund. He also provided the committee with a school
by school list of donations for the last school year as well as a running
description of the projects funded by the equity fund. |
David Meredith |
|
Open Discussion
A number of ideas were generated to add to the list of areas of concerns.
They included:
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What about starting an Initiative petition to more adequately fund schools?
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Could the "kicker money" be used for schools?
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Can the district arrange to increase donated services to schools from other
professionals including physicians?
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Might there be a place on the United Way Pledge form for the Eugene Education
Fund to be listed directly?
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Might we want to consider program staffing in 4J?
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What have been the consequences of unfunded mandates in 4J/What requirements
now exist in 4J that didn't pre-Ballot Measure 5?
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What is a minimum school size to more adequately provide for a comprehensive
education for each student?
-
What might we do to support a local option?
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Next Meeting
The meeting on February 1, 2000 will focus on synthesizing a set of preliminary
recommendations for the Schools of the Future Committee. It is critical
for all to be in attendance.
Other dates include:
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2/8 Preliminary Report Due (no meeting.)
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3/2 Public Hearing
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3/7 Synthesize final recommendations
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3/14 Final Report Due (no meeting)
Bette and Wally will write the report after 2/1 and post it on the web
before 2/8 so we can all react and look for glaring errors of omissions.
We may need to add another meeting before or after the public hearing to
accomplish our work. |
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| 910 |
Adjourn |
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