HOUSE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION

January 24, 2003 Hearing Room E

1:00 PM Tapes 7 - 8

MEMBERS PRESENT: Rep. Vic Backlund, Chair

Rep. Pat Farr, Vice-Chair

Rep. Elaine Hopson, Vice-Chair

Rep. Brad Avakian

Rep. Billy Dalto

Rep. Mary Nolan

Rep. Wayne Scott

STAFF PRESENT: Jim Keller, Administrator

Jeana Harrington, Administrative Support

MEASURE/ISSUES HEARD: Informational Meeting

Confederation of School Administrators (COSA)

Oregon School Board Association (OSBA)

Vickie Chamberlain, Teacher Standards and Practices Commission

Tamra Hass, Columbia Regional Autism Services

These minutes are in compliance with Senate and House Rules. Only text enclosed in quotation marks reports a speaker’s exact words. For complete contents, please refer to the tapes.

TAPE/#	Speaker	Comments
TAPE 7, A
004	Chair Backlund	Calls meeting to order at 1:07 PM. Welcomes committee and audience. Opens informational meeting.
INFORMATIONAL MEETING
009	Rep. Nolan	Presents a group of students from Portland area high schools.
022	James Williams	Former Lincoln High School (LHS) student. Thanks committee for accommodation. Requests that the legislature be concerned about funding for public schools. Expresses desire for an “adequate and stable,” long-term solution to funding.
044	Chris Chamness	LHS student. Thanks the chair. Reiterates need for “adequate and stable” funding of education. Lists programs in need. States he is aware of economic situation but feels this only increases the need for prioritizing education. Urges session continue until solution is found.
068	Rep. Nolan	Thanks them.
075	Chair Backlund	Agrees and states his hopes for finding a solution similar to that. Welcomes presenters.
090	Ozzy Rose	Confederation of School Administrators (COSA). Begins presentation . Refers to (EXHIBIT A). Elaborates on the concept of “universal proficiency” with regard to the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB). Outlines the history presented in the document. Gives examples of universal proficiency. Raises questions about what should happen to children before they arrive in school and during the summertime. Indicates the value of good teachers. Reiterates the need for focus on proficiency. Invites questions.
221	Chair Backlund	Thanks Ozzy.
225	Chuck Bennett	COSA. States that we are succeeding in a number of areas despite the lack of funding. Lists areas of noted improvement and achievement. Believes discussion on problems in schools is necessary. Remarks the need to assure the public that Oregon is progressing. Refers the committee to (EXHIBIT B). Recommends that they use the data provided.
307	Chuck Bennett	Uses the terms “stable and adequate” defined by the earlier student testimonies to describe the needs of funding. Adds funding should also be equitable. Highlights outstanding costs drivers in districts’ budgets.
365	Chair Backlund	Thanks Chuck.
368	Rep. Nolan	Mentions a group of West Sylvan Middle School students present at the hearing. Informs they are here by their own initiative and at their own expense with interest in the deliberations of the committee. Thanks the students.
375	Chair Backlund	Thanks the students.
376	Rep. Avakian	Adds he admires the intelligence and motivation the children have shown.
393	John Marshall	Oregon School Board Association (OSBA). Refers to (EXHBITS C, D, and E). Empathizes with the legislators as he represents a group of elected officials also trying to balance budgets. States that NCLB imposes on the nation what Oregon has already required in the realm of standards. Adds the challenge faced in reconciling federal and state laws and “single play book” for schools.
TAPE 8, A
005	John Marshall	Continues overview. Urges that the committee consider how they will create an environment where locals can make the changes they see fit. Begins discussion on mandates and uniformity. Informs the legislators of their duty to provide for uniformity in schools. States that the best decision are local decisions.
110	Rep. Avakian	Asks what criteria legislators should use to determine local and state jurisdiction on issues.
117	John Marshall	Responds with an example. Reiterates the importance of an environment that lends itself to local control.
135	Ozzy Rose	Speaks to Avakian. Tries to explain the difference between uniformity and mandates. Identifies the need for a state system of schools, instead of a state school system.
159	Rep. Avakian	Comments on this with regard to school boards.
164	Chair Backlund	Discusses mandates, funded and unfunded, and regulatory burdens.
170	Ozzy Rose	Adds to Chair Backlund’s comments. Relates the discussion to the Certificate of Initial Mastery (CIM), Certificate of Advanced Mastery (CAM), and Public Employee Retirement System (PERS).
183	John Marshall	Provides that Jan McComb has a list of Oregon education mandates.
195	Chair Backlund	Comments he has Jan’s six-page list with him. Add his interest in considering those to help schools operate better.
205	Ozzy Rose	Comments additionally on information about mandates.
211	Rep. Dalto	Asks John Marshall to elaborate on the kinds of mandates they have from counties.
212	John Marshall	Answers ‘fees”.
213	Rep. Dalto	Requests that Mr. Marshall elaborate.
214	John Marshall	Comments that “one man’s mandate is another man’s necessity.”
221	Chair Backlund	Remarks that a dedicated, committed child can obtain a quality education in public school. Wonders additionally about those students who do not share the same traits. Thanks the presenters. Calls Vickie Chamberlain to testify.
235	Vickie Chamberlain	Executive Director, Teacher Standards and Practices Commission (TSPC). Begins overview of the commission and its policies. Refers committee to the information TSPC has furnished (EXHIBITS F - L). Defines the purpose of the commission. Provides history of TSPC. Lists requirements of those working for TSPC. Explains funding. Extols the children present.
301	All	Applauds the students exiting the hearing.
343	Vickie Chamberlain	Highlights charter school registration (EXHIBIT I).
361	Vickie Chamberlain	Overviews workload of staff. Details disciplinary actions taken by the commission. Refers committee to (EXHIBIT H) a supply and demand report.
TAPE 7, B
003	Vickie Chamberlain	Continues presentation. Informs of teacher education programs. Refers to (EXHIBIT F).
034	Vickie Chamberlain	Discusses teacher quality. Informs of testing for teachers. Submits that work is needed in the testing area. Continues discussion of teacher education programs. Includes they are performance-based and are highly relevant to requirements of NCLB. Informs of an upcoming bill.
091	Vickie Chamberlain	Lists recent achievements of the commission. Lists challenges the commission is facing. Invites questions.
113	Rep. Scott	Discusses Ms. Chamberlain’s earlier comments regarding collective bargaining and grievances.
119	Vickie Chamberlain	Informs of grievance procedure from ethical through criminal activities. States cases can be fairly drawn out. Adds that teachers keep their licenses until they are found guilty.
138	Rep. Hopson	Inquires what role TSPC plays in negotiating with the federal government and how that differs from the Oregon Department of Education (ODE).
147	Vickie Chamberlain	Explains the requirements of federal law. Offers that the job of TSPC is to ensure ODE’s plans are supported.
165	Chair Backlund	Poses a hypothetical question regarding a change she would make to TSPC.
167	Vickie Chamberlain	Mentions she would change TSPC administrative rules as they have become very complex and detailed. Provides that she does not feel burdened by mandates as she felt they were very general. Adds she would change perception of TSPC’s ability to deliver quality customer service.
187	Chair Backlund	Comments on customer service issues.
195	Vickie Chamberlain	Responds to comments on these issues in terms of being responsive.
200	Chair Backlund	Thanks her. Welcomes Tamra Hass.
204	Tamra Hass	Columbia Regional Autism Services. Begins overview of what regional autism programs are. Refers to written testimony (EXHIBIT M) .
242	Chair Backlund	Asks if “low incidence” equates high cost.
244	Tamra Hass	Defines “low incidence”. Explains that the concept behind regional programs is to reduce disparity and lower costs.
276	Rep. Dalto	Asks where the regional programs of the state are located.
282	Tamra Hass	Responds with the locations of programs in western part of Oregon.
291	Rep. Dalto	Clarifies issue of regional programs and educational service districts (ESD) as to provider of the services.
298	Tamra Hass	Explains further.
312	Rep. Dalto	Clarifies issue of ESD’s by providing an example.
324	Tamra Hass	Affirms. Comments on areas where there are less students with autism and explains that those student are placed into a regional program to lower expense. Points out Washington state does not have regional programs. Remarks on the treatment of those students.
359	Rep. Dalto	Ask if Ms. Hass knows of occurrences where people move to certain regions due to need for a higher degree service.
366	Tamra Hass	States she knows of that occurring. Continues with written testimony. Points out that information concerning autism increases daily.
TAPE 8, B
003	Tamra Hass	Continues. Adds that regional programs are designed to provide workshops for parents and teachers. Notes difficulty due to spread-out nature of autistic students in Oregon. States eligibility requirements for autism are increasing. Comments that their goal is to help children become productive members of society. Discusses funding of these services.
040	Rep. Dalto	Remarks on cases where autism coordinators were discontinued in regions. Inquires how their organization has been affected by funding this biennium.
055	Tamra Hass	Elaborates on cuts placed by the Governor’s budget. Urges committee to inform other legislators of regional autism programs so that they can better understand the levity of the issue. Provides that they have the support of the Special Education Task Force. Adds that these programs are cost effective.
087	Rep. Hopson	Points out that the Governor’s budget will not be the end-of-session budget.
091	Tamra Hass	Thanks the committee. Restates the need for advocacy.
096	Rep. Backlund	Thanks Ms. Hass. Closes informational meeting. Adjourns meeting at 2:40 PM.

EXHIBIT SUMMARY

A – Informational, Universal Proficiency, Ozzy Rose of COSA, 1 p

B – Informational, COSA Information, Chuck Bennett of COSA, 6 p

C – Informational, OSBA Information, John Marshall of OSBA, 2 p

D – Informational, OSBA Issues, OSBA, 12 p

E – Informational, Quality Education Model 2000, OSBA, 80 p

F – Informational, TSPC 1999-2000 Teacher Report, Vickie Chamberlain of TSPC, 46 p

G – Informational, Summary of TSPC, TSPC, 1 p

H – Informational, Supply and Demand document, TSPC, 10 p

I – Informational, Charter School Registries, TSPC, 3 p

J – Informational, Web Information, TSPC, 4 p

K – Informational, Oregon Report Card 2001-2002, TSPC, 53 p

L – Informational, Independent Colleges, TSPC, 31 p

M – Informational, overview, Columbia Regional Autism Services, Tamra Hass, 4p