SENATE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION

March 27, 2003 Hearing Room C

3:00 PM Tapes-42-45

MEMBERS PRESENT: Sen. Charles Starr, Chair

Sen. Ryan Deckert, Vice-Chair

Sen. Ted Ferrioli

Sen. Bill Morrisette

STAFF PRESENT: Jan McComb, Committee Administrator

Heather Gravelle, Committee Assistant

MEASURE/ISSUES HEARD: SB 75– Public Hearing and Work Session

SB 437 – Work Session

SB 510 – Public Hearing

SB 767 – Public Hearing

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 42, A
005	Chair Starr	Calls the meeting to order at 3:11 p.m. Opens a public hearing on SB 75.
SB 75 – PUBLIC HEARING
010	Cliff Trow	Former Senator. Testifies in support of SB 75. Provides background and history. Comments the intent is to create health education standards within the school district.
030	Rep. Mark Hass	District 27. Testifies in support of SB 75. Explains Oregon leads the country in two categories, one of those is obesity of young people. States better health education will provide students with the knowledge and tools to choose healthier eating choices. Adds our investment of healthy kids today will pay dividends tomorrow by avoiding the cost of treating disease, drug addiction and depression.
050	Sen. Bill Morrisette	District 6. Testifies in support of SB 75. Provides written testimony (EXHIBIT A).
070	Don Bishoff	Legislative Assistant of Sen. Bill Morrisette. Explains the -2 and -3 amendments to SB 75. States unforeseen delays, and unintended insertion. Adds they have worked closely with the Department of Education
100	Chair Starr	Closes the public hearing on SB 75. Opens s work session on SB 75.
SB 75 – WORK SESSION
105	Sen. Morrisette	MOTION: Moves adoption of the -2 amendments to SB 75.
		VOTE: 4-0
110	Chair Starr	Hearing no objection, declares the motion CARRIED.
	Sen. Morrisette	MOTION: Moves adoption of the -3 amendments to SB 75.
		VOTE: 4-0
115	Chair Starr	Hearing no objection, declares the motion CARRIED.
118	Chair Starr	Closes work session on SB 75. Re-opens a public hearing on SB 75.
SB 75 – PUBLIC HEARING
125	Aleita Hass Holcombe	Oregon Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance. Testifies in support of SB 75. Provides written testimony (EXHIBIT B)
170	Holcombe	States she is here to advocate the positive influence health education standards will have on the quest to educate the children.
180	John Valley	American Hearth Association, Advocacy Director. Testifies in support of SB 75. Provides written testimony (EXHIBIT C). States SB 75 is a positive step in fighting heart disease and stroke. Adds health education is the only required academic subject in Oregon that does not have a state standard.
230	Sen. Morrisette	Asks if they are eligible for grants.
240	Valley	Responds and states they are looking for outside resources to assist in printing costs. Adds they have already begun the process of researching potential funds.
250	Gillian Davis	Health Education Teacher. Testifies in support of SB 75. Explains position and mentions she is a health education teacher. States that SB 75 balances the issues. Adds the children need to have healthy habits developed to prevent making wrong choices.
300	Ginny Ehrlich	Oregon Department of Education. Testifies in support of SB 75. Explains position. States healthy kids learn better. Adds good eating habits and exercise improves the children’s overall attitude and reflects in their school work.
390	Leslie Hickox	Health and Education Instructor Portland Community College. Testifies in support of SB 75. Provides written testimony (EXHIBIT D).
445	Courtni Dresser	Advocacy for preventing cancer. Testifies in support of SB 75, with amendments. Provides written testimony (EXHIBIT E). States assumed number of children who are using tobacco and have poor eating habits, which will increase chances for cancer. Adds children need to learn life long habits for good health. States preventative education is the key.
TAPE 43, A
005	Wayne Feller	State Board of Education. Testifies in support of SB 75. Mentions cost control and the need for a preventative process established.
050	Chuck Bennett	Confederation of Oregon School Administrators. Testifies in opposition of SB 75. Explains position. Mentions the amendments. States they are very concerned with additional mandates. Mentions the number of teachers who will be laid off because of the economy. Adds they need a chance to review the amendments before proceeding.
110	Patty O’Sullivan	Portland Public Schools. Testifies in opposition of SB 75. Specifies which part of the amendments they are concerned with States money and teachers are in decline and there are not enough to go around. States changing the verbiage from “Shall” to “May” will allow for more flexibility.
150	Ehrlich	Agrees with the suggestion of having discussions on the issue to develop a resolution.
185	Chair Starr	Closes public hearing on SB 75. Opens a work session on SB 437.
SB 437 – WORK SESSION
215	Sen. Deckert	Explains the -13 amendments and the intention of SB 437.
254	Sen. Ferroli	Thanks Sen. Deckert for negotiation on a very hard issue and an important piece of legislation. Appreciates all his hard work.
285	Sen. Ferrioli	MOTION: Moves adoption of the-13 amendments to SB 437.
		VOTE: 4-0
290	Chair Starr	Hearing no objection, declares the motion CARRIED.
295	Sen. Ferrioli`	MOTION: Moves SB 437 to the committee on Ways and Means with a DO PASS AS AMENDED recommendation.
300	Chair Starr	Closes the work session on SB 437. Opens a public hearing on SB 510.
SB 510 – PUBLIC HEARING
300	Rodman Peil	Retired Teacher. Testifies in support of SB 510. Provides written testimony (EXHIBIT J). States the benefits of passing SB 510. Relates examples to committee members to drive home the point. States what type of curriculum was utilized.
TAPE 42, B
075	Peil	States reading is an unnatural act, not instinctive. Explains someone must teach the student and they must be a willing student. Adds that SB 510 would ensure that parents are aware of the child if he or she is not reading at the correct level.
100	Sen. Morrisette	Asks if SB 510 is a mandate.
101	Peil	Responds he doesn’t see it as a mandate .Explains it is giving extra assurance that the child is at the correct reading level.
155	Sen. Morrisette	Relates personal experience. Adds parents need to be responsible and notified of their child’s progress or lack there of.
175	Bill Auty	Oregon Department of Education, Office of Assessment and Evaluation, Associate Superintendent. Testifies in opposition of SB 510. Provides written testimony (EXHIBIT K). Explains concerns with specific language of the bill. Adds that policies seldom accomplish what they were created to do.
195	Joni Gilles	Oregon Department of Education, Office of Curriculum and Field Services, Director. Testifies in opposition of SB 510. Explains position and research conducted to verify comments. Gives statistics, based on scientific research only. Adds having the child held back doesn’t necessarily mean they will be ok. Offers suggested interventions.
255	Chair Starr	States the Reading First program and the No Child Left Behind act, are very good examples of preventative measures. Adds that establishing early what the child’s reading level is, is key. Comments research shows the school system is failing the poor and other at risk students. Asks how can we work together to ensure it is not an ongoing problem.
285	Gilles	Agrees that specific groups of children do need more one on one attention with teachers. States the Reading First program is an excellent example. Mentions other examples of professional development for instructors or teachers. Explains the single most important factor is the student’s success.
310	Sen. Morrisette	States the most important part is that parents need to be notified how the child is doing. Comments not downgrading the roll of the teacher, but parents are a large part of the supportive and preventative factor in the child’s life. Wonders if there is any way that parents can be mandated to be involved.
350	Gilles	States it depends on the school district. Comments that parent and community involvement is key to the student’s success. Mentions different projects created. Adds they are trying to gather information, and to assist other schools districts with their strategies.
400	Auty	Responds and adds his thoughts on the issue of involving parents.
TAPE 43, B
030	Chair Starr	States the belief that parental notification should be mandatory.
045	Chuck Bennett	Confederation of Oregon School Administrators. Testifies in opposition to SB 510. States concerns with how the bill will be implemented. Refers to page 2, section 8. Comments the verbiage appears to be existing policy. Adds it should be a local option, not a mandate.
120	Sen. Morrisette	States the one thing missing, is a serious charge to the parent that the child may be held back. Relates own experience. Kids need to meet the standards to pass.
145	Bennett	Comments the frustration is shared, believes the parents should be more involved.
155	Chair Starr	Closes the public hearing on SB 510. Opens a public hearing on SB 767.
SB 767 – PUBLIC HEARING
160	Jan McComb	Committee Administrator. Provides an overview of SB 767.
164	Sen. Bruce Starr	District 15. Testifies in support of SB 767. Provides personal examples. Emphasizes the need to turn local control back to local school boards. States specific reasons why.
235	Dawn Phillips	Rep Millers Office, Chief of Staff. Testifies in support of SB 767. States what the benefits are. Mentions Oregon Progress Boards.
TAPE 44 , A
005	Sen. Bruce Starr	Comments and highlights cost issues.
010	Joe Kirk	Board of Education, Chair. Testifies in opposition of SB 767.States there is a lot of evidence that students are performing higher than the past. Adds each year there are improvements. Adds assessments have been developed by teachers in Oregon to assess students to high standards, and to continue coaching.
080	Sen. Gary George	District 12. Testifies in support of SB 767. States there needs to be standards and a mechanism to test to ensure the quality of education in Oregon, which isn’t the CIM program. Provides examples and further insight on the issue.
175	Bill Auty	Oregon Department of Education, Office of Assessment and Evaluation, Associate Superintendent Testifies in opposition of SB 767. Provides written testimony (EXHIBIT M).
245	Sen. Morrisette	Inquires if the Department of Education has ever done a cost assessment.
255	Auty	Yes, provides clarification.
TAPE 45, A
030	Morgan Anderson	Intel, Education Manager. Testifies in opposition of SB 767. States 10 years ago, tests reflected that students were not performing competitively with their international peers. Points out that the education industry asked for higher standards.
080	Sen. Morrisette	States his own experience as a teacher. Adds CIM is a test, and the teachers seem to be teaching students how to pass the test.
090	Anderson	Clarifies there should be a core curriculum for students. Adds to enable them to have the instruction in the classroom. States that CIM is not just a multiple choice question testing system.
125	Chuck Bennett	Confederation of Oregon School Administrators. Testifies in opposition of SB 767.Comments and recommends complete review of the record from the House hearings. Expresses a vast majority spoke highly of the CIM system.
210	Chair Starr	Closes the public hearing on SB 767. Adjourns the meeting at 5:45 pm.

EXHIBIT SUMMARY

A – SB 75, written testimony, Sen. Bill Morrisette, 1 p

B – SB 75, written testimony, Aleita Hass-Holcombe, 1 p

C – SB 75, written testimony, John Valley, 1 p

D – SB 75, written testimony, Leslie Hickox, 1 p

E – SB 75, written testimony, Courtni Dresser, 1 p

F – SB 75, additional testimony for the record, Julee Andreoni, 1 p

G – SB 75, additional testimony for the record, Craig Mosbaek, 1 p

H – SB 75, additional testimony for the record, A. Lane Cooper, 1 p

I – SB 75, additional testimony for the record, Carol Atkins, 2 pp

J – SB 510, written testimony, Rodman Peil, 13 pp

K – SB 510, written testimony, Bill Auty, 2 pp

L – SB 510, written testimony, BethAnne Darby,. 1 p

M – SB 767, written testimony, Bill Auty, 6 pp

N – SB 767, written testimony, BethAnne Darby, 2 pp