Chapter 1080 Oregon Laws 1999

Session Law

 

AN ACT

 

HB 3633

 

Relating to education; and declaring an emergency.

      Whereas education is the cornerstone of a free society and the greatest measure of the success of a nation; and

      Whereas the citizens of Oregon deserve and need an educational system that provides for success and achievement; and

      Whereas all educational decision makers in the State of Oregon should work together to form an educational system; and

      Whereas Oregon's educational policy should promote the development of strong academic achievement to enable individuals to achieve success at whatever career path they choose; and

      Whereas future teachers in our higher education system are the future success of our educational system; and

      Whereas accountability should be at all educational levels from kindergarten to post-graduate studies and should apply to administrators, educators, parents and students; and

      Whereas to achieve success, specific areas need to be reviewed and changed to improve our educational system; now, therefore,

 

Be It Enacted by the People of the State of Oregon:

 

      SECTION 1. (1) Sections 1 to 6 of this 1999 Act shall be known as the Project Success for Oregon's Educational Future.

      (2) It is the intent of the Legislative Assembly in creating the Education Leadership Team under section 2 of this 1999 Act that:

      (a) The purpose of the Education Leadership Team is to assist in the development of goals with clear and objective accountability standards upon which to gauge the success of Oregon's educational system.

      (b) The objective of the Education Leadership Team is not to assess fault but is instead to make recommendations to the appropriate governmental entities about goals with accountability standards that may be understood by all Oregonians.

      (c) It is not the purpose of the Education Leadership Team to determine school funding and the ramifications of school funding. However, the team may make recommendations based upon funding priorities as those priorities relate to the goals with accountability standards.

      (d) The Department of Education shall monitor the implementation of recommendations from the Education Leadership Team under section 3 of this 1999 Act that appropriate government entities choose to implement.

      SECTION 2. (1) There is created an Education Leadership Team consisting of:

      (a) A seven-member executive committee, which shall include:

      (A) The Superintendent of Public Instruction;

      (B) The Speaker of the House of Representatives;

      (C) The President of the Senate;

      (D) The Governor;

      (E) The Commissioner of the Bureau of Labor and Industries;

      (F) The Chancellor of the State Board of Higher Education; and

      (G) The Commissioner for Community College Services; and

      (b) Fourteen other nonvoting members who are representatives of the public, parents, school district boards, school administrators, teachers, students and private college presidents or administrators who are selected by the following appointing authorities:

      (A) Three members appointed by the Governor;

      (B) The Superintendent of the Portland Public Schools appointed by the Superintendent of Public Instruction;

      (C) One member appointed by the Superintendent of Public Instruction;

      (D) One member of the House of Representatives appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives;

      (E) Two members appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives;

      (F) One member of the Senate appointed by the President of the Senate;

      (G) Two members appointed by the President of the Senate;

      (H) One member appointed by the Commissioner of the Bureau of Labor and Industries;

      (I) One member appointed by the Chancellor of the State Board of Higher Education; and

      (J) One member appointed by the Commissioner for Community College Services.

      (2) The Superintendent of Public Instruction shall be the chairperson of the Education Leadership Team.

      (3) A nonlegislative member of the Education Leadership Team is entitled to compensation and expenses as provided in ORS 292.495. A legislative member of the Education Leadership Team is entitled to compensation and expenses as provided in ORS 171.072 from funds appropriated to the Legislative Assembly for such purposes.

      (4) A majority of the members of the Education Leadership Team executive committee constitutes a quorum for the transaction of business.

      (5) A member of the Education Leadership Team executive committee who is an elected official may designate a person in lieu of the elected official to participate in the Education Leadership Team. However, the designee shall be a nonvoting member.

      (6) The Education Leadership Team shall provide a report at all meetings of the interim legislative committees on education and shall report frequently to the Emergency Board on the progress of the Education Leadership Team toward meeting the duties and responsibilities assigned to the Education Leadership Team by sections 1 to 6 of this 1999 Act.

      (7) The Legislative Administrator shall enter into an interagency agreement with the Department of Education to provide staff for the Education Leadership Team. The team shall use the services of continuing legislative staff to the greatest extent practicable. In addition, upon request of the Education Leadership Team, the Department of Education, Office of Community College Services and Department of Higher Education may provide assistance to the Education Leadership Team in the performance of its functions and shall furnish such information and advice as the members of the Education Leadership Team consider necessary to perform their functions.

      SECTION 3. The Education Leadership Team shall make recommendations that address the environment that impacts student learning, conduct, advancement, safety and participation in learning to the Governor, the Legislative Assembly, the State Board of Education, the State Board of Higher Education and other appropriate governmental entities on the following:

      (1) A definition of accountability within the educational process and Oregon's school system, including but not limited to fiscal, administrative and instructional responsibilities.

      (2) Education improvement and accountability issues that were prioritized by the Education Leadership Team based on recommendations and the work of the Educational Leadership Summit under section 4 of this 1999 Act.

      (3) Rules to be adopted by governmental entities, including but not limited to the State Board of Education and the State Board of Higher Education, to ensure accountability in and for the classroom at all educational levels.

      (4) Legislative proposals for consideration by the Seventy-first Legislative Assembly or any special session of the Seventieth Legislative Assembly.

      (5) Actions that the Emergency Board may take for the allocation of additional resources for successful schools based on ORS 329.825 and 329.830.

      (6) Administrative actions that should be implemented by the executive branch, Superintendent of Public Instruction, Chancellor of the State Board of Higher Education, Commissioner for Community College Services, school district boards and school administrators to improve accountability within the educational process and Oregon's school system.

      (7) Timelines for the implementation of systemic changes and legislative actions needed for such changes.

      (8) A framework for the Legislative Assembly to review the progress of educational goals on which Oregon can base its goals with accountability standards.

      (9) Direction for ongoing needs assessments and accountability requirements tied to funding and mandates established through the legislative process or through the initiative process.

      SECTION 4. (1) The Superintendent of Public Instruction shall submit a proposal to the Education Leadership Team executive committee for an Educational Leadership Summit to be held in February 2000. Upon approval of the Education Leadership Team executive committee, the Superintendent of Public Instruction shall call an Educational Leadership Summit to:

      (a) Study summaries of the latest research-based education improvement practices;

      (b) Develop work group positions on the issues prioritized by the Education Leadership Team under this section; and

      (c) Seek consensus on the prioritized issues and prepare recommendations for the Education Leadership Team.

      (2) The Education Leadership Team executive committee shall identify between five and 10 of the highest priority education improvement and accountability issues on which the Educational Leadership Summit should focus. The Education Leadership Team executive committee will solicit input from the other members of the team to assist in identifying the issues. The Education Leadership Team shall consider the following issues for prioritization:

      (a) Reading and mathematics as top priorities;

      (b) Class size;

      (c) Updating textbooks and instructional materials;

      (d) Parental involvement;

      (e) A safe learning and teaching environment;

      (f) Implementation of the Oregon Educational Act for the 21st Century by the Department of Education;

      (g) Teacher training and education prior to and after licensure;

      (h) Preparation of all students who are pursuing a primary level teaching major at an Oregon college or university by prioritizing training in reading and mathematics teaching techniques;

      (i) Teaching assignments within the subject areas in which a teacher holds an indorsement;

      (j) Attainment by teachers of national licensure;

      (k) Remedial interventions for certain students;

      (L) Test scores;

      (m) Testing programs;

      (n) Education of children with special needs;

      (o) Education of children who have English as a second language;

      (p) School facility maintenance;

      (q) Contract negotiations for employee compensation;

      (r) School district auditing;

      (s) Education support costs;

      (t) Instructional costs;

      (u) Costs associated with mandates imposed by the Legislative Assembly; and

      (v) Other education improvement and accountability issues identified by the Education Leadership Team.

      (3) The Education Leadership Team shall invite two representatives from each of the following groups, selected by the following authorities, to participate in the Educational Leadership Summit:

      (a) Parents, families and communities selected by the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President of the Senate;

      (b) Business and industry selected by the Commissioner of the Bureau of Labor and Industries;

      (c) Kindergarten through grade 12 education selected by the Superintendent of Public Instruction;

      (d) Community colleges and private professional technical schools selected by the Commissioner for Community College Services;

      (e) The State System of Higher Education and private higher education institutions selected by the Chancellor of the State Board of Higher Education;

      (f) Recognized training and apprenticeship programs within the building trades selected by the Commissioner of the Bureau of Labor and Industries; and

      (g) Students selected by the Superintendent of Public Instruction.

      (4) In addition to the participants invited to the Educational Leadership Summit under subsection (3) of this section:

      (a) The Speaker of the House of Representatives shall select one Republican and one Democrat who are members of the House of Representatives and the President of the Senate shall select one Republican and one Democrat who are members of the Senate to participate in the Educational Leadership Summit;

      (b) The Education Leadership Team shall invite the Oregon Education Association, Oregon School Boards Association and Confederation of Oregon School Administrators to each send one representative to the Educational Leadership Summit; and

      (c) The members of the Education Leadership Team shall participate in the Educational Leadership Summit.

      (5) The Education Leadership Team shall strive to balance the participants invited to the Educational Leadership Summit so that the participants have ethnic and geographic diversity and are representative of both urban and rural areas of the state. The Education Leadership Team shall also strive for public participation in the Educational Leadership Summit.

      (6) The Education Leadership Team may accept from any source any grant, donation, gift of money or other valuable thing made to the team for purposes of meeting the costs associated with the Educational Leadership Summit.

      SECTION 5. (1) The chairperson of the Education Leadership Team shall establish subcommittees to review and make recommendations to the Education Leadership Team on the work of the Educational Leadership Summit. The chairperson shall determine the membership, chairperson and organization of each subcommittee and shall appoint its members.

      (2) The chairperson shall choose the membership on the subcommittees from the members of the Education Leadership Team listed in section 2 (1)(b) of this 1999 Act. However, each subcommittee shall have at least one representative of school district boards, school administrators and teachers.

      (3) A member of the Education Leadership Team executive committee may serve on any subcommittee.

      (4) Each subcommittee shall have no fewer than seven members of the Education Leadership Team on the subcommittee.

      SECTION 6. (1) Prior to August 30, 1999, the Education Leadership Team shall be appointed as required by section 2 of this 1999 Act.

      (2) Prior to September 30, 1999, the Education Leadership Team shall hold its first meeting. Thereafter, the team shall meet at least once each month.

      (3) Prior to April 15, 2000, the participants of the Educational Leadership Summit shall report any recommendations for education improvement and accountability to the Education Leadership Team.

      (4) Prior to June 1, 2000, the Education Leadership Team shall adopt recommendations and forward those recommendations to the appropriate governmental entities for action as required by section 3 of this 1999 Act.

      (5) After June 1, 2000, the Education Leadership Team shall meet on a monthly basis to review the actions taken by the appropriate governmental entities based on the recommendations of the team and shall take any further actions as may be required.

      SECTION 7. Sections 1 to 6 of this 1999 Act are repealed July 1, 2001.

      SECTION 8. This 1999 Act being necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health and safety, an emergency is declared to exist, and this 1999 Act takes effect on its passage.

 

Approved by the Governor September 1, 1999

 

Filed in the office of the Secretary of State September 2, 1999

 

Effective date September 1, 1999

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