71st OREGON LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY--2001 Regular Session
 
NOTE:  Matter within  { +  braces and plus signs + } in an
amended section is new. Matter within  { -  braces and minus
signs - } is existing law to be omitted. New sections are within
 { +  braces and plus signs + } .
 
LC 3044
 
                           A-Engrossed
 
                         Senate Bill 726
                  Ordered by the Senate April 6
            Including Senate Amendments dated April 6
 
Sponsored by Senator CASTILLO
 
 
                             SUMMARY
 
The following summary is not prepared by the sponsors of the
measure and is not a part of the body thereof subject to
consideration by the Legislative Assembly. It is an editor's
brief statement of the essential features of the measure.
 
  Directs Dispute Resolution Commission to establish pilot
project on using mediation services in public high schools.
Directs commission to select community dispute resolution centers
and high schools to participate in pilot project.
    { - Appropriates moneys from General Fund to Dispute
Resolution Commission for pilot project. - }  { +  Directs
Department of Education to transfer moneys to commission for
2001-2003 biennium for purposes of pilot project. + }
  Declares emergency, effective July 1, 2001.
 
                        A BILL FOR AN ACT
Relating to school mediation pilot project; and declaring an
  emergency.
Be It Enacted by the People of the State of Oregon:
  SECTION 1.  { + (1) The Dispute Resolution Commission shall
establish a pilot project on using mediation services in public
high schools to reduce the rates of suspension and expulsion of
students. The pilot project shall be in effect for the remainder
of the 2001-2002 school year beginning after January 1, 2002, and
for the 2002-2003 and 2003-2004 school years.
  (2) The goals of the pilot project shall be to:
  (a) Reduce the number of suspensions, expulsions and dropouts.
  (b) Prevent chronic conflict cases from reaching crisis levels.
  (c) Foster a safer school environment through meaningful
conflict resolution.
  (d) Provide additional resources to school administration.
  (e) Reduce the need for police intervention.
  (f) Educate students and school personnel on conflict
resolution practices.
  (g) Increase student daily attendance.
  (h) Improve classroom behavior and reduce the amount of time
spent by school personnel to resolve discipline problems.
  (3) The pilot project shall address both student-to-student
conflicts and student-to-school infractions with mediation
services. Conflicts that involve weapons infractions or civil
rights violations may not be addressed through the pilot project.
  ' (4) The commission shall select at least four community
dispute resolution centers to participate in the pilot project.
The pilot centers shall meet the standards established by the
commission. The commission is encouraged to select pilot centers
located in Bend, Medford, Eugene and Hillsboro. In addition, the
commission, in consultation with selected pilot centers, shall
select one or two public high schools located near the pilot
centers to work in partnership with the centers on the pilot
project.
  (5) Each pilot center shall designate a staff person to serve
as a mediation coordinator. The duties of a mediation coordinator
shall include:
  (a) Developing liaisons with school staff members from the
pilot high schools;
  (b) Coordinating mediation sessions;
  (c) Meeting with students at initial intake;
  (d) Participating in data collection for evaluations;
  (e) Tracking mediation agreements;
  (f) Providing training for students, volunteers and school
personnel on mediation procedures, confidentiality requirements
and conflict resolution principles; and
  (g) Working with school administrators from the pilot high
schools to:
  (A) Establish a mediation process, including premediation and
post-mediation procedures; and
  (B) Determine appropriate cases for mediation.
  (6) In each year of the pilot project, each pilot center shall
report on the pilot project to the commission, the State Board of
Education and any legislative committees on education.
  (7) The commission may award grants to pilot centers and school
districts with participating pilot high schools to cover the
costs of the pilot project.
  (8) The commission may adopt any rules necessary to administer
this section. + }
  SECTION 2.  { + During the 2001-2003 biennium, the Department
of Education, from amounts appropriated to the department for
dropout prevention and recovery, shall transfer no more than
$225,000 to the Dispute Resolution Commission for the purpose of
the pilot project created under section 1 of this 2001 Act. + }
  SECTION 3.  { + This 2001 Act being necessary for the immediate
preservation of the public peace, health and safety, an emergency
is declared to exist, and this 2001 Act takes effect July 1,
2001. + }
                         ----------