Improvements and Areas of Focus for 2024-2025

Welcome back to the new school year. The Board and Administration have made many changes and improvements over the past year. 

I’d like to talk about these changes in the context of my key goals: Improving Student Outcomes; Supporting Our Teachers and Staff; and Being Financially Responsible. 

When it comes to Improving Student Outcomes, we need to measure student progress, so we can know what to work on to Improve Student Outcomes. I am happy to announce that the Board has requested and will look forward to seeing measurements of K- 12 student progress within a school year.  Data systems are being developed to enhance this work, but the Board is not waiting another year for updates. 

Without an effective way to collect and analyze classroom and school based data the Board and the community is in the dark when it comes to knowing what is working and what isn’t working for our students.

Class size determination is another issue the Board is working on. The Board through a Committee of citizens, staff, parents, students Board members will investigate and address present methods of determining class size to ensure classes are sized for optimum learning.

Learning to read and write will be improved as the K-8 classroom teachers have been provided more effective literacy materials. Students who need help will have reading teachers to provide coaching. These teachers have been in the PPS system as curriculum and literacy coaches and their experience will be needed to meet the specific needs of these struggling students. 

PPS Middle Schools have been criticized for academic and behavioral issues. Obviously, this leads to a lack of preparation for High School. The Curriculum and Policy Committee will be investigating the Middle Schools academic and social policies over the course of the year. And, families will be asked to be more involved in their middle school student’s education to better prepare them for High School. The Board believes these actions will be effective. 

Now, let’s talk about Supporting Our Teachers and Staff. Keep in mind, when students enter a school building it becomes their home for a time. 

Over 6000 PPS employees provide the services needed by Portland Public School students. The challenge of the School Board is to retain the best of these individuals and recruit new qualified staff as needed. 

We easily recognize the classroom teachers, administrators, secretaries and forget the others. PPS has a dedicated staff who cook the meals, clean the schools, and repair the buildings and equipment necessary for a safe, nurturing educational environment.  Then, there are those people who ensure these people are doing their jobs and being paid. I have come to know these people through many school visits, employee interviews and contract negotiations. 

These employees are human beings trying to do their best work for the students. 

What continues to impress me is how dedicated these individuals are. Furthermore, the same criteria for improving student outcomes and providing a safe environment for the students also benefits the staff. Good teaching resources, manageable class sizes, strong family and community support, safe buildings and emotional support are good for students and good for teachers and other staff. 

They work a full day among people who demand their attention. The stories of not having time to go to the restroom or eat lunch are true. 

Contracts describe the hours worked. Paid overtime is provided for most hourly employees. For some of these employees the wage is not far from that of a fast-food server – no tips.  Salaried contracts describe the workday but more often than not these individuals have extended days that would be the equivalent of an additional day’s work per week. Quite the bargain for taxpayers.

Full-time employees’ wages must be able to support the staff financially, particularly when they are new to the system or we will lose them to other jobs and professions.  

Finally let’s talk about Financial Responsibility. As a member of the Finance, Operations and Personnel Committee I have come to appreciate the complexity of running the business of a public school district. Unfortunately, we have been hampered by the previous Administration’s poor management. 

Educating students is a business that only sees glimpses of the results of its enterprise.  Reading, mathematics, SAT scores give an inkling of the product, but as a former teacher I know that it can be years before the educational benefits are realized. The results are like a walnut tree beginning to fruit 25 years after it is planted.

In my mind we need to answer two questions. First, how can we manage and plan our Finances to become the best school system possible? And, second, how do we do it so taxpayers know, understand and support the work of our schools?