Today's OEA Spring 2015 by Oregon Education Association

A PUBLICATION FOR MEMBERS OF THE OREGON EDUCATION ASSOCIATION

TODAY’S

OEA

Special Section Candidates, bylaws & policies page 28 32

SPRING 2015 VOLUME 89 : NUMBER 3

OREGON'S NEW PATH ALSO IN THIS ISSUE » EDUCATORS MAKE THE MOVE TO PUBLIC OFFICE » UPDATE ON 2015 LEGISLATIVE SESSION

Oregon Educators Propose New System of Assessment to Empower Student Learning

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CONTENTS / Spring2015 VOLUME 89 . ISSUE NO. 3

Features

Departments President’s Column

05 / A New path for Oregon

By Hanna Vaandering, OEA President

Upcoming

06 / Events for OEA Members Newsflash

07 / Vaccine advocacy in schools 09 / Affordable housing options for educators

Politics & You

On the Cover

14 / a new path for oregon

Educators develop new system of assessment to empower meaningful student learning By Erin Whitlock

10 / pushing for A better way of testing 11 / Kate brown sworn in as governor » Eye on Equity

In-Depth

22 / finding our voice

Breaking down the barriers between educators and education policy By Julia Sanders

12 /The teaching with Purpose Leadership institute Sources + Resources

26 / Books and Opportunities Special Section

28/ candidates, Bylaws and policies On the Web

34 / OEA Activists: There’s an App for That! »

ON THE COVER: North Clackamas teacher Jenna Miller works with her middle school ELD students. Miller is part of OEA's Assessment Workgroup and has focused on revamping Oregon's system of student assessment over the past year. PhotO by THOMAS Patterson

Credits: Top: Thomas Patterson; Middle: Office of Gov. Brown; Bottom: Chris Gorsek

TODAY’S OEA | SPRING 2015

OEA Representative Assembly Taking action to build the schools our students deserve www.oregoned.org/ra

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE / Spring2015 Hanna Vaandering OEA President

hat a Spring we've had already! I'd like to start off by welcoming Governor Kate Brown to office! We look forward to working with our new Governor to build the Schools Our Students Deserve! From the first moment she was elected to the House of Representatives, Governor Brown has been a vocal advocate for public education and for us, the educators who work with Oregon’s students every day. Last month, the Governor outlined her priorities, and we couldn’t be more aligned: early education, equity, and class size. We’re proud to build our path with the Governor at our side. Those of you who know me may remember that I began my career two years before Ballot Measure 5 passed and the funding system for public education was dismantled. Since that time, our union and our members have been advocating for stable and adequate funding so we can truly provide schools that offer a wellrounded education — music, art, physical education, and library services — and deliver career and technical opportunities. For the last decade, we've stood up for smaller class sizes and a full school year. While we have been trying to build quality schools, we have been told to “do more with less.” We have heard that educators “just want to line their pockets” and that the answer to the funding problem is “PERS.” Enough is enough. Now is the time to lift up our voice and show through our actions that we believe it's time for a Better Oregon. Now is the time to

OEA President Hanna Vaandering and Dr. Rick Stiggins, Founder of the Assessment Training Institute, take part in OEA's 5th Annual Education Symposium.

finally secure the support and resources to build the Schools our Students Deserve and the programs and services that middle class Oregonians have gone without for far too long. We are not just following a path, we are charting the course and we are proud of the work OEA members and staff are doing to build the Schools our Students Deserve! Our work on the Class Size/ Revenue campaign is groundbreaking. We are demonstrating that we can take organizing to a new level—a level many thought was not possible. Our union is leading the way on assessments with our Assessment Organizing Toolkit and the Path Forward document our Assessment Team has worked on for the last year. I hope you’ll take a moment to read this issue's feature article on the assessment work thus far ("A New Path for Oregon," page 14) so you can learn more about our talented Assessment Team and the detailed process they are employing to get your feedback. Across the state we are demonstrating extraordinary leadership, collaborating with and helping to build coalitions that will lead the way. We’re not in this alone. Every day Oregon is getting stronger as we engage with other unions and working-class Oregonians on the “Fair Shot” campaign. Together, we are building an Oregon that allows everyone the opportunity to succeed, and I am excited that OEA is such a large part of that success. We’re ready to go further, and we’re ready to do it with you. Thank you for all you do every day!

WE ARE BUILDING AN OREGON THAT ALLOWS EVERYONE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SUCCEED. WE’RE READY TO GO FURTHER, AND WE’RE READY TO DO IT WITH YOU. Credit: Meg Krugel

TODAY’S OEA | SPRING 2015

UPCOMING Spring2015

TODAY’S

OEA

OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE OREGON EDUCATION ASSOCIATION Apr. 7, 2015

Healthy Schools Day n What: National Healthy Schools Day is an important day for everyone to celebrate and promote healthy and green school environments for all children through the use of US Environmental Protection Agency’s Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) Tools for Schools (TfS) Program. n how: For more information, go to www.nationalhealthyschoolsday.org.

April 17-18, 2015

OEA Representative Assembly n What: OEA member-delegates from across Oregon gather at OEA's annual Representative

Assembly (RA) to elect Leaders, consider Bylaws and Policy amendments, propose and act on new business items, attend caucus meetings, and celebrate member achievements. n WHERE: Red Lion Hotel on the River—Jantzen Beach, 909 N Hayden Island Dr., Portland, Ore. n how: Find out more at: www.oregoned.org/ra. May 4-8, 2015

Teacher Appreciation Week n What:

On National Teacher Day, thousands of communities take time to honor their local educators and acknowledge the crucial role teachers play in making sure every student receives a quality education. n how: For more information, go to www.nea.org/teacherday. SAVE THE DATE! Jul 1-6, 2015

NEA Annual Meeting and Representative Assembly n What: NEA-Representative Assembly delegates will gather from around the country to elect Leaders, review Bylaws and Policies and set the direction for the NEA in the coming year. n WHERE: Orlando, Florida. n how: www.nea.org/grants/1357.htm

SAVE THE DATE! JUL. 28-30, 2015

OEA Summer Leadership Conference n What: The Summer Leadership Conference provides in-depth training on both professional

and union advocacy issues. n What: Sunriver Resort, Sunriver, Ore. n how: More information and registration at: www.oregoned.org/2015summerconference.

TODAY’S OEA | SPRING 2015

SPRING 2015 VOLUME 89 : ISSUE NO. 3 OFFICE HEADQUARTERS 6900 SW Atlanta Street Portland, OR 97223 Phone: 503.684.3300 FAX: 503.684.8063 www.oregoned.org PUBLISHERS Johanna Vaandering, President Richard Sanders, Executive Director EDITOR Meg Krugel PRODUCTION ASSISTANT Janine Leggett CONTRIBUTORS Janine Leggett, Jared Mason-Gere, Erin Whitlock, Colleen Mileham, Julia Sanders, Thomas Patterson To submit a story idea for publication in Today’s OEA magazine, email editor Meg Krugel at meg.krugel@oregoned.org ART DIRECTION Francesca Genovese-Finch PRINTER Morel Ink, Portland, OR TODAY’S OEA (ISSN #0030-4689) is published four times a year (October, February, April and June) as a benefit of membership ($6.50 of dues) by the Oregon Education Association, 6900 SW Atlanta Street, Portland OR 97223-2513. Non-member subscription rate is $10 per year. Periodicals postage paid at Portland, OR. POSTMASTER Send address corrections to: Oregon Education Association Attn: Becky Nelson Membership Processing 6900 SW Atlanta Street Portland, OR 97223-2513

Newsflash Portland Activists Urge Parents to Opt Out

ortland Public parents, teachers, and the activist group Don't Shoot Portland held a press conference on Feb. 17 asking parents to opt their students out of taking the Smarter Balanced Assessment. Speakers at the following school board meeting also addressed the issue. The Smarter Balanced Assessment (SBA) is Oregon's new standardized test that will assess students in the Common Core State Standards. The assessment, which replaces the Oregon Assessment of Skills and Knowledge, will be taken by every student in the state in grades 3-8 unless their families opt them out. Educators who have administered the SBA have found that it is a vigorous test that takes students around seven to ten hours to complete. Oregon Education Association voted last spring for a moratorium on administering the SBA and recently about 70 Portland teachers voted to approve a resolution objecting to the test. Portland Association of Teachers (PAT) President Gwen Sullivan explained why PAT passed the resolution. "It's not just going against something, it's about what we're for," said Sullivan. "It was even more of a symbol of (what) people honestly feel about this particular issue. Teachers do not support this test." In an effort to step away from highstakes standardized testing practices, a team of 16 OEA teachers along with the OEIB, the Governorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Office and the Oregon Department of Education (ODE) have developed an alternative assessment that inspires students' curiosity and encourages their desire to learn. Over the next few months the group will be seeking feedback from stakeholders on the test they hope will eventually replace the SBA.

Credits: iStock

VACCINE ADVOCACY IN SCHOOLS

he latest outbreak of measles has put vaccinations in the spotlight. With outbreaks in over a dozen states, it is crucial that parents are well informed and educated about the purpose, safety and importance of protecting their children and our communities against vaccine-preventable diseases. Fifty years ago the measles, mumps, rubella, and chicken pox were a part of most childhoods. Today it is easy to prepare children's immune systems for these diseases through vaccines, making all of our children less likely to get sick. In the early 1990's several unvaccinated children developed the measles in Philadelphia. While most

children improved after fighting a severe rash and a high fever, seven of them developed severe pneumonia, which led to their hospitalization and eventual death. The CDC estimates that vaccines have prevented more than 732,000 deaths and over 21 million hospitalizations in the last 20 years. When it comes to vaccination, parents do have a right to choose, but should choose wisely. Deciding whether to vaccinate a child should be the result of knowledge and understanding. As an educator, you can provide resources from the NEA Health Information Network. Go to www.neahin.org/educator-resources/ childhood-vaccination.html for brochures to give to parents.

Summer Vacation Alert!

re you already planning vacations for your summer break? Be sure to check the start date for the 2015-16 school year, as the first day of school in many districts will fall before Labor Day weekend.

TODAYâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S OEA | SPRING 2015

Newsflash DID YOU KNOW? » Today’s OEA’s best story ideas come from you, our readers! Is your school working on a cutting edge concept, or do you know an educator who should be featured? Email your suggestions for articles to webadmin@oregoned.org.

Why Fewer Students Want to Become Teachers

OEA Helps Oregon’s 2014 Teacher of the Year Attend D.C. Gala

rett Bigham, Oregon's 2014 Teacher of the Year, was permitted to travel to Washington D.C. to receive the National Education Association Foundation award for teaching excellence after last-minute talks between the Multnomah Educational Service District (MESD) and OEA. Despite the fact that the MESD accepted the $650 that came with the award, they threatened Bigham with disciplinary action when he requested to attend the D.C. gala. The tides changed when OEA got involved and pointed out a clause in Bigham's contract stating that a leave of absence is permitted if he is acting as a union representative. The district was forced to allow Bigham to attend. Bigham's goal at the event is to raise awareness about special needs students. "It's about acknowledging that special needs classrooms are out there," he said. "My kids matter just as much as everybody else's."

TODAY’S OEA | SPRING 2015

ccording to federal estimates from the U.S. Department of Education's postsecondary data collection teacher-preparation programs have seen a decline of 10 percent from 2004 to 2012. Experts believe that the drop in enrollment is due in part to perceptions of teaching as a profession. Low pay, high expectations, and heavy workloads have contributed to the problem. Though there tend to be more graduates of teacher-preparation programs than there are teaching positions, there is a high demand for experts in the areas of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). With enrollment decreasing this number has dropped further and is not projected to increase.

Central Oregon Educator Recognized With Achievement Award

n outstanding Central Oregon educator was recognized for her work with students with Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI). Sue Hayes received the 2015 Achievement of Excellence Award given by the Oregon Association of Central Office Administrators. Hayes began her work in education as a speech language pathologist before becoming an autism specialist. In her current role as program administrator for the High Desert Education Service District (HDESD) Hayes coordinates education teams and medical care providers that provide services to students with TBI. “Sue’s work doesn’t stop at the end of each school day,” said HDESD Superintendent John Rexford. “She works closely with the national Center for Brain Injury Research and Training, is a member of the State of Oregon TBI Team and has played a key role in bringing a national concussion conference to Bend, Oregon for the past several years. We are fortunate to have her on our team.”

Oregon is 46th in the Nation When it Comes to Higher Ed Funding, and Students Are Angry

crowd of 600 students rallied at the State Capitol in mid-February, demanding better funding for higher education. UO interim president Scott Coltrane said, “We are trying to get the support that would really catapult us." The seven universities in Oregon want the legislature to put $755 million into the university system over the next two budget years, which is $70 million more than the budget put forward by the Legislature. The 17 community colleges in the state

are requesting $550 million, which is $15 million more than the Legislature's budget. “It’s terrible. Oregon is about 46th or 47th in the nation in how it funds its higher education,” said Portland State University president Wim Wiewel. “When tuition goes up, it has an impact on the rest of my life,” explained UO junior, Miles Sisk. Though he is working his way through college, Sisk has already had to borrow $30,000 in student loans. “I will have to pay it off the rest of my life," Sisk said.

Newsflash WILL YOU BE THERE? » Take advantage of OEA's upcoming Summer Conference on July 28-30, 2015! You'll receive in-depth training on both professional and union advocacy issues. You won't want to miss it! www.oregoned.org/2015summerconference

Central Oregon Students Reach for the Stars With New Astronomy Program

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igh school students in Central Oregon are joining forces with 14 Oregon communities who are participating in a fiveyear citizen astronomy research project. The Research and Education Collaborative Occultation Network (RECO) is using a network of telescopes in the western United States to study objects in the Kuiper belt, a ring of icy objects orbiting the sun. “It could be an incredible opportunity for our kids and community to learn about what’s ‘out there,’” said Madras High School

teacher Scott Coles. “We met with the lead investigators in November and a small group from each of the viewing sites will be trained in the middle of April.” The National Science Foundation provides funding for the project and schools will be able to keep any equipment they use once the research is concluded. “It’s a really cool citizen science project,” said Rima Givot, a Sisters High School teacher. “All these communities are able to get together … it’s an opportunity for all this collaboration.”

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Majority of Students in the United States are Living in Poverty

esearch conducted by the Southern Education Foundation (SEF) during the 2012-2013 school year revealed that the majority of public school students come from low-income families. The research bulletin released on Jan. 15 explains that from 2006 to 2013, the number of students in poverty grew from 42 to 51 percent. Mississippi had the highest poverty rate at 71 percent and New Hampshire had the lowest at 27 percent. Oregon's poverty rate is slightly lower than the national average at 49 percent.

Six Oregon Students Win Scholarships for Overcoming Adversity

S Affordable Housing for Educators

ducators hoping to save a bundle on a new home can get a discount of up to 50 percent through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The Good Neighbor Next Door Program offered by HUD is available to K-12 teachers, firefighters, law enforcement officers and emergency medical technicians. The available homes are located in revitalization areas and are listed for seven days on the HUD website. Eligible families must commit to live on the property for the first 36 months in order to qualify.

Credits: Left: Thomas Patterson, Above: iStock

ix Oregon students are among the 619 national recipients of the prestigious 2015 Horatio Alger State and Specialized Scholarship. On average, the scholarships provide $7,000 toward tuition costs and are awarded to students who achieve academic success in the face of adversity. "Each one of these exemplary students is committed to furthering their education and turning struggle into success," said Tony Novelly, president and CEO of Horatio Alger Association. Oregon's scholarship winners come from Newport High School, David Douglas High School, Madras High School, Astoria Senior High School, Centennial High School, and Monroe High School.

TODAY’S OEA | SPRING 2015

Politics & You

OEA Pushes for a Better Way on Testing

EA members filled hearing rooms in the Capitol in February to advocate for meaningful changes to state policies governing the use of high-stakes summative assessments. Educators and parents from around the state joined OEA President Hanna Vaandering to push for a slate of bills that would create a student and parent “assessment bill of rights” and clarify expectations for test taking and the ability to opt out. The bill of rights would place a one-year moratorium on the state’s use of assessment data to evaluate schools and teachers and create a work group to re-design the state’s system to re-focus on classroom learning and teaching, not testing. An outcry from parents and educators over the misuse of the high-stakes test known as the Smarter Balanced Assessment has led to a large number of bills addressing this topic. OEA sponsored HB 2680 and HB 2655 to address these important issues. Both bills are making quick progress through the legislative process. It will take us all working together to ensure

these important bills pass the House and Senate and are signed by Gov. Brown Stay engaged, and be ready to lend your voice. For more information on our Assessment work, visit www. parentsandteacherstogether.com or www.oregoned.org/action-center/letsput-learning-first. There is a better way.

Dual Credits Bill Has Serious Consequences for K-12 and College Students

B 84 is a bill to codify “accelerated learning” requirements and has serious ramifications for students, K-12 teachers and community college faculty. SB 84 creates guidelines for “early college” programs, moving the state toward a goal of every student taking three college courses by the time they graduate high school. OEA and leaders from OEA’s Community College Council are working to ensure the Legislature only passes a bill that will serve students well by providing an accurate and vigorous representation of true college coursework. To learn more about the issue of “accelerated learning” or “dual credits,” read last month’s cover story in Today’s OEA — go to: www.oregoned.org/todaysoea.

TODAY’S OEA | SPRING 2015

Congress Nears Action on “No Child Left Behind”

ongress is expected to act soon on a bill reauthorizing the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), also known as No Child Left Behind. Oregon educators have joined with teachers, parents, and students from across the country in demanding Congress get the ESEA right this time. This is the most serious effort to rewrite the law since it passed in 2002 and provides an opportunity to set a new vision of shared responsibility for an education system that promotes opportunity, equity, and excellence for all students. The original purpose of ESEA was to help level the playing field for our nation’s most vulnerable students, including children living in poverty, students with disabilities, and English-language learners. In reality, NCLB has perpetuated a system that delivers unequal opportunities and uneven quality to our students, making it impossible for us to do what we do best—reach, teach, and inspire our students to love learning. If we’re serious about every child’s future, let’s get serious about doing what works. This means resourcing all schools, so students have more one-on-one attention, inviting classrooms, and a well-rounded curriculum. A reauthorized ESEA must: n Create more opportunities for all students to receive a quality education, no matter their zip code. n Replace the one-size-fits-all, top-down approach with a new “school dashboard” of indicators to identify opportunity gaps in basic components of a high-quality, well-rounded education that prepares each student for college and/or a career. n Allow more time for students to learn and more time for teachers to teach. n Ensure every student has a qualified educator who is empowered to lead. Until Congress delivers a new federal education bill that represents more opportunity and learning for students, OEA members must stay engaged and continue the call for a better way. Learn more at: www.GetESEAright.com.

Politics & You KATE BROWN SWORN IN AS GOVERNOR OF OREGON

regon has a new Governor! After the sudden resignation of Gov. John Kitzhaber, former Secretary of State Kate Brown was sworn into office, becoming Gov. Kate Brown at a midmorning ceremony in the Oregon House chamber on Feb. 18. Gov. Brown has a long and distinguished career of public service, and has been a fierce champion for public education. We expect her to remain a devoted ally in the fight for the schools our students deserve. Congratulations Gov. Brown. We’re excited to work with you!

Effort to Improve Community College Budget Transparency Gains Traction

n OEA-backed effort to require uniform and transparent accounting by all Oregon community colleges is moving forward in the Senate. SB 519, sponsored by Sen. Michael Dembrow, would create a shared set of standards for community college budgets to make it easy for the public to track and scrutinize each community college’s spending. It will be an important tool to help ensure every possible dollar a community college spends goes to the classroom for vital instructional time and workforce training programs.

ow is the time to help your representatives and senators understand the most important issues in education today. Sign up to join fellow educators on March 23 for OEA Day in the Capitol. We will spend the day meeting with legislators to build the schools our students deserve; your voice is needed on school funding, revenue, and student assessment. Sign up today! www.oregoned.org/2015lobbyday

New Tool Lets Members Track Bills from Home

ant to track the important bills in Salem from the comfort of home? A new tool from OEA makes it easy for every member to keep tabs on the most important education policies with a few clicks of the mouse. Visit oregoned.org/billtracking to use OEA’s bill tracker. After signing in, you can scan the bills OEA’s government relations staff has tagged, read bill language, and see when committee hearings are scheduled.

“Upskirting” Ban to Improve School Safety Moves Forward

n Oregon, it is not currently a crime to take a photo of one’s intimate areas or distribute that photo, if the victim of the photo is wearing undergarments. Teachers in Oregon learned this recently when a student took a photo up the skirt of a teacher, and it was found there was no recourse. Shortly thereafter, a similar, high profile case occurred at a Beaverton Target store. That will soon change if an OEA-backed bill, HB 2596, is passed into law. Support appears to be strong for this measure to improve safety for teachers and others in this digital age.

Credits: Left: David Hartman/freeimages.com; Above: Office of Gov. Kate Brown

TODAY’S OEA | SPRING 2015

Eye on Equity

THE TEACHING WITH PURPOSE LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE Answering the Call to Culturally Responsive Teaching BY MARY MEREDITH DREW Centennial. Fern Ridge. Lebanon. Portland. Reynolds. Springfield. The six school districts listed above are actively responding to the call to put multicultural education policy into practice. Along with the Oregon Education Association and the Portland Parent Union, educators and district leaders have committed to spending the 2014-2015 school year developing a strategic implementation plan to meet the ambitious equity goals embodied in Senate Bill 103 and subsequent multicultural education laws passed by Oregon’s Legislature. Supported by a grant from the ODE, the school districts, parents, and OEA are working together to incorporate culturally responsive pedagogy into Oregon classrooms. They are meeting together one day a month to deepen their knowledge of multicultural education, evaluate how current equity laws are being implemented in their districts, and develop plans to design and enact culturally responsive practices at a local level. It’s been years since State Representative Avel Gordly first fought to introduce multicultural curriculum in Oregon schools. She began work on legislation in 1991. After years of denials, her bill was finally offered a “courtesy” hearing in 1997, and Senate Bill 103 was at long last approved in 1999. Then it was forgotten. There was fear that Oregon would never answer the pleas of the students at a 12

TODAY’S OEA | SPRING 2015

long ago community meeting in Portland. Gordly reported how the kids deplored the lack of encouragement and emotional support. One student said, “We need to know our history. We don’t know who we are. All we know is that we once were slaves. We need to know our history.” Karanja Crews, a young teacher who grew up in North Portland, created the Teaching With Purpose (TWP) Conference in response to community frustration. In preparation for a presentation at the conference, Doris McEwen of OEIB tried to locate Senate Bill 103 and no one knew where to find it. That was in 2012. The ODE finally acknowledged the neglect of the law, and created the Equity Unit to explore the requirements of SB 103 and other equity laws in Oregon. Crews and Dr. Sue Feldman of Lewis and Clark University applied for a grant to start the Teaching with Purpose Leadership Institute, designed to expand the breadth and reach of the TWP Conference and implement equity policy into actual practice in Oregon’s school districts. Dr. Johnny Lake, a professor at Northwest Christian University, multicultural education consultant, and former chairman of the State of Oregon Commission on Black Affairs, said of the Institute’s goals: “A conference is an artificial setting — no kids are there, educators meet in a unique space and talk about what’s possible to do in education, but the real test is when you go back to your school or your classroom and attempt to apply what you have learned. He continued, “I fully agree with the approach of the (Teaching With

Purpose) Institute. I have talked with concerned educators about how to create some continuity in the opportunity for teachers to engage in culturally relevant pedagogical practices, to understand how to work with diversity. What does it mean to be an equity educator? All of these things are usually done in episodes, so you have a training session, of four or eight hours, and then that’s it, you don’t see or hear of that process again until a year later when you have to do the same thing. So the approach of the Teaching with Purpose (Leadership Institute) is a very legitimate approach to create an ongoing, continuous process of district and teacher engagement around these critical issues and offer teachers the opportunity to learn and practice.” Dr. Feldman, a facilitator for the Institute, said Institute participants are very much leaders in their districts. “We put the teams together very intentionally to make sure that we had the right decision makers at the table,” she said. “The superintendent had to be involved, building level leadership, union leadership, other teacher leaders, and parents. To have teachers, principals, superintendents working together on a district implementation plan is a really unusual, different type of opportunity. Teachers don’t often get to sit on leadership teams with district office leaders thinking beyond their buildings for what’s good for the district.” Dr. Feldman said Karanja Crews showed an early interest in working with the OEA. That makes sense, she said, because the union has an investment in supporting teachers in developing culturally responsive practices. “Teachers

Eye on Equity will be evaluated on that and it’s not fair to evaluate teachers unless they’ve been trained. We continue to support district leadership teams, but it’s also very powerful to work on this with the union.” Culturally responsive teaching is a component of multicultural education, defined by Dr. Geneva Gay as “using the cultural knowledge, prior experiences, frames of reference, and performance styles of ethnically diverse students to make learning encounters more relevant to and effective for them.” She says it is “a means for improving achievement by teaching diverse students through their own cultural filters.” Dr. Gay, a professor at the University of Washington, is the Institute’s consultant. She travels from Seattle each month to work with the Institute’s participants. Dr. Gay is an internationally renowned and widely published scholar and theorist, and author of Culturally Responsive Teaching, Theory, Research and Practice, the text being used for the Institute’s study. She says culturally responsive teaching has many components, and at each session she will take one of those components and work through what it means theoretically and conceptually. Team members will then develop strategies for implementation in their districts. John Scott, a Salem-Keizer teacher, is on the Institute’s OEA team, along with OEA Vice President Tony Crawford and staff from OEA’s Center for Great Public Schools. Scott became involved with

OEA through the Ethnic Minority Affairs Committee. Scott has found it difficult to wait for multicultural education to become part of Oregon’s curriculum. He says it’s frustrating that the majority doesn’t seem to perceive the struggle, although the students sorely need it. Recently, at the Dec. 4 meeting of the Leadership Institute participants, Dr. Pat Burk of Portland State University presented a report on the demographics of student populations in Oregon since 1997, documenting growing student diversity. Teacher diversity, however, has not changed, and by percentage of general population, teacher diversity is decreasing as student diversity grows. Burk also presented an overview of the history of Senate Bill 103. Dr. Markisha Smith of ODE’s Equity Unit described the work and goals of the Multicultural Education Act Advisory Group as it relates to SB 103. The committee’s charge, she said, is “to set the direction for the implementation of SB 103 in all school districts, and to hold the state accountable for educational equity that will transform schools and empower culturally and linguistically diverse communities.” Crews describes the “meat” of the Institute as “looking at equity policy and school district policies and how they are aligned with the law. Dr. Geneva Gay is providing attendees with the foundations of what culturally responsive practice is, and Dr. Feldman is helping the districts

create the alignment.” In Dr. Gay’s words, “My intention is to remove the veil of threat and untouchability that often surrounds culture, race, and difference, and help teachers to genuinely see and accept them as potentially empowering factors for educating students. At the heart of these arguments is my belief that teaching to and through cultural diversity is a humanistic, realistic, normative, and transformative endeavor. Since culture and difference are essential to humanity, they should play a central role in teaching and learning….understanding, using, and enhancing diversities inherent to humanity are important aspects of culturally responsive teaching.” In 2004, Avel Gordly: wrote in The New York Times: “The institutional and social lethargy that has blocked progress in cultural competency is still with us today. The struggle to know and understand the history of our people continues. We owe it to our young and to future generations to deliver that knowledge, and to do so with competence and integrity. Our students need their history. We must deliver it.” Thanks to Karanja Crews, Sue Feldman, Geneva Gay, the Equity Unit of the Oregon Department of Education, the Oregon Education Association, and six forward looking Oregon school districts, culturally responsive teaching is coming to your classroom, your children’s classrooms, and every classroom in Oregon.

MY INTENTION IS TO REMOVE THE VEIL OF THREAT AND UNTOUCHABILITY THAT OFTEN SURROUNDS CULTURE, RACE, AND DIFFERENCE, AND HELP TEACHERS TO GENUINELY SEE AND ACCEPT THEM AS POTENTIALLY EMPOWERING FACTORS FOR EDUCATING STUDENTS. AT THE HEART OF THESE ARGUMENTS IS MY BELIEF THAT TEACHING TO AND THROUGH CULTURAL DIVERSITY IS A HUMANISTIC, REALISTIC, NORMATIVE, AND TRANSFORMATIVE ENDEAVOR. SINCE CULTURE AND DIFFERENCE ARE ESSENTIAL TO HUMANITY, THEY SHOULD PLAY A CENTRAL ROLE IN TEACHING AND LEARNING. Dr. Geneva Gay

TODAY’S OEA | SPRING 2015

A NEW PATH FOR OREGON

NT E M S SSES ING A F M O LEARN E T S SY UDENT W E N P N FUL ST CK ATTERSO O O L L T I E DEV EANING BY ERIN WHY THOMAS P S R B ATO WER M C OTOS U H P D E EMPO TO

“USED WITH SKILL, ASSESSMENT CAN MOTIVATE THE RELUCTANT, REVIVE THE DISCOURAGED, AND THEREBY INCREASE, NOT SIMPLY MEASURE, LEARNING AND ACHIEVEMENT.” (CHAPPUIS, STIGGINS, CHAPPUIS, & ALTER, 2012).

THE POWER OF EDUCATOR VOICE

It all started with a question… if educators were to propose an assessment system that best supported student learning and was meaningful to educators, what would that look like? What would their best hopes be for that system? What about their worst fears? The answers that followed were similar to the answers one might expect from a different question — what is our vision for an ideal public school that best serves our students? In March of 2014, a group of 16 Oregon Education Association (OEA) members from around the state gathered in partnership with OEA’s President, Hanna Vaandering, and Oregon’s Chief Education 14

TODAY’S OEA | SPRING 2015

Officer, Dr. Nancy Golden, to lend their knowledge and experience to answer those questions. The teachers described classrooms and other educational settings where curiosity was piqued, creativity was developed and problem-solving and thoughtful debate was a normal part of learning. The workgroup envisioned a learning environment where students were actively engaged in studying realworld issues and problems in math, language arts, social sciences, science, the arts, and the multitude of other areas of study that should be available to all students. During the first meeting, there was a clear theme that emerged — Oregon’s

current assessment system was not supporting the learning needs of all Oregon students. For over five decades (and specifically during the last 15 years with the federal No Child Left Behind law), statewide, standardized, summative assessment has been seen as the sole measure for district and school accountability and the basis to decide whether students are learning. This concern led the workgroup to frame their task around several questions: How do we ensure that Oregon focuses on the achievement and opportunity gap for all students and that the assessment process contributes to bridging those gaps in classrooms and schools? How can we hold sacred the learning time students need, re-focus the assessment process to support that learning, and enhance student ownership in their own learning? With the future of Oregon’s students in the hearts and minds of workgroup members, the diverse group of educators rolled up their sleeves, accepted the

Jenna Miller teaches students at Happy Valley Middle School.

challenge and committed to a year’s worth of work to articulate a new vision of excellence in assessment.

VALUES AND BELIEFS: ASSESSMENT AS A FOUNDATION FOR STUDENT LEARNING

The educators believed that a new vision of assessment must rest on a foundation of values and beliefs to foster learning and improve opportunities for students. The new vision must address Oregon’s current system of assessment that largely depends on an annual, summative, standardized assessment and move toward one that puts teachers and learners back in the driver’s seat. The resulting goal of the new vision was increased focus on assessment for learning. Assessment for learning is practical and functional, and by contrast to the current system, is designed to become an embedded part of everyday learning Credits: Thomas Patterson

“THE THING THAT EXCITES ME THE MOST ABOUT OUR WORK IS GETTING STUDENTS INVOLVED IN THE ASSESSMENT PROCESS. I HOPE THAT OUR NEW SYSTEM WILL EMPOWER STUDENTS TO TAKE A MORE ACTIVE ROLE IN THEIR OWN LEARNING. THEY NEED TO BE ENGAGED IN THE ENTIRE ASSESSMENT PROCESS, FROM KNOWING THE STANDARDS BEING ASSESSED TO UNDERSTANDING THE RESULTS OF AN ASSESSMENT IN ORDER TO FURTHER THEIR OWN LEARNING.” JENNA MILLER, North Clackamas School District

for students. When there is a focus on assessment for learning, students, teachers, and parents working together have the potential to profoundly transform learning for all students in Oregon classrooms. The whole point of assessment for learning is that it considers the learning needs of individual students, ceases to feel like assessment and helps students know at any given time (not just annually) how far a student has come along their path to success.

GUIDING PRINCIPLES all assessments must… 1. Have a clear purpose. 2. Reflect developmentally and academically appropriate learning targets. 3. Have results that accurately reflect student learning. 4. Have results that are effectively communicated to all intended users. 5. Be used in ways that encourage students to keep striving for learning success.

TODAY’S OEA | SPRING 2015

Diane Hicks works with her students at Bohemia Elementary School in Cottage Grove.

“THE MOST IMPORTANT ASSESSMENTS AREN'T THE ONES WE DO AFTER WE HAVE TAUGHT — THEY ARE THE ONES WE DO DURING THE INSTRUCTION, WHEN WE CAN DO SOMETHING WITH THE INFORMATION WE GET FROM OUR STUDENTS.” DIANE HICKS, South Lane School District

“... I KNOW OUR ASSESSMENT WORK IN OREGON IS UNPARALLELED IN THE COUNTRY. OEA'S LEADERSHIP AND STAFF HAVE CREATED A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR EDUCATORS TO PROVIDE STUDENTS WHAT THEY NEED FOR SUCCESS, WHILE HELPING RECLAIM PART OF THE SANCTITY OF OUR CLASSROOMS. SO TWO IMPORTANT QUESTIONS REMAIN: WILL OUR MEMBERS EMBRACE THIS MODEL, AND IF SO, WILL THE STATE PROVIDE THE RESOURCES WE NEED TO MAKE IT FUNCTION?” DAVID WILKINSON, Beaverton School District The values and beliefs developed by the group are foundational to the goal of assessment for learning: focus on the needs of students first and foremost and address the needs of others in making unique 16

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contributions to student success. Oregon’s new system of assessment must realize that: n All students can learn and realize their full potential when assessment is used appropriately.

n All assessment should have a clear purpose that is determined from the getgo. Assessment should inform and enhance teaching and learning or verify the level of student learning. Both purposes and uses are important but different, and any assessment that does not serve one of these purposes should be left behind. n Assessment must inform all important users — traditionally, assessment has been seen as something teachers and school leaders do to students, but research and professional experience shows teaching and learning is more positively influenced when educators help students understand where they are in their learning. Thus, students are users of assessment, as are teachers, school and district leaders, parents, community members, and policy makers. n Assessment results must inform instructional goal setting, address clear instructional targets, demonstrate how close students have come to meeting their instructional goals, and help educators

and students make sound decisions about next steps. n Assessment must be valid (measuring what was intended), reliable (measuring accurately time and time again), and unbiased (measuring learning equally regardless of cultural background). n Local district assessment systems must become the priority. Accountability defined in terms of state systems has created a narrowed focus on annual statewide, standardized, summative assessment, yet virtually all instructional decisions that affect teaching and learning (and thus the achievement gap) are made at the local level — in a district, a school building, or a classroom. n Assessment of growth, not just achievement, is imperative. Ongoing, continual assessment of student growth over time gives educators and students more frequent opportunities to adjust the course of learning to meet each student’s needs.

of college and career readiness and its implications for postsecondary success. Conley presented research to the work group from his most recent paper titled “Toward a System of Assessment for Student Profiles” and challenged the group to think about the possibilities created through a system of assessment for teaching and learning. Dr. Matt Coleman, Executive Director of EPIC and former teacher, principal, and central office administrator in Beaverton and Springfield School Districts, also worked alongside these teacher leaders. Coleman focused on the current climate of assessment in Oregon, what’s happening in other states and the gaps

educators see in comparison to an ideal system of assessment. Dr. Rick Stiggins, founder of the Assessment Training Institute (ATI) volunteered his time and professional expertise throughout the development of the new vision. Over two decades ago, Stiggins founded the Institute to provide professional development focused on assessment for teachers and school leaders. His international and national research around assessment for learning was vital to the development of the Oregon proposal. Stiggins was also much more than a researcher and education assessment expert during the work — “Citizen” Stiggins, as the group fondly

Nancy Golden, Beth Yarbrough and Hanna Vaandering add their thoughts to a conversation on what Oregon's ideal system of student assessment looks like.

THE JOURNEY: STUDYING THE RESEARCH

Suggesting an outline of a system of assessment and a set of values and beliefs that should serve as the foundation was only the beginning; as with all great educators, the OEA workgroup members were committed to studying and learning from the research and grappling with what would make an effective system of assessment for Oregon students. A system of assessment focused on learning has a strong research base that shows significant achievement gains for students when teachers can consistently use assessment to inform learning. Research shows the largest gains demonstrated for students identified as low achievers (Black & Wiliam, 1998a; Black & Wiliam, 1998b). The work group partnered with various nationally and internationally recognized researchers in pursuit of this goal, including Dr. David Conley, founder of Education Policy Improvement Center (EPIC), an Oregon-based organization that conducts research, provides services, and creates online tools to ensure that educators understand the importance Credits: Left: Thomas Patterson; Above: Sara Logue

“WE HAVE A CRITICAL OPPORTUNITY BEFORE US TO BRING BALANCE INTO THE SYSTEM OF ASSESSMENT IN OUR SCHOOLS. I AM PROUD TO HAVE WORKED WITH OEA, UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF HANNA VAANDERING, EDUCATORS FROM ACROSS THE STATE, AND KEY PARTNERS TO MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS DESIGNED TO MOST EFFECTIVELY SUPPORT TEACHING AND LEARNING.” NANCY GOLDEN, OEIB

TODAY’S OEA | SPRING 2015

OEA's Assessment Workgroup members, from left to right: Megan Free, Lydia Gutierrez, Dan Jones, Beth Yarbrough, Rob Saxton, Hanna Vaandering, Judy Harris, Colleen Mileham, Peter Tromba, Diane Mattison-Nottage, David Wilkinson, Lisa Kane, Bill Stewart, Tricia Snyder-Neiwert, Nancy Golden, Sara Logue, and Erin Whitlock

“SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENTS DO NOT HELP ME TEACH OR HELP MY STUDENTS LEARN. EMPHASIS INSTEAD NEEDS TO BE PLACED ON SMALLER FORMATIVE ASSESSMENTS THAT HELP ME MAKE INSTRUCTIONAL DECISIONS BASED ON WHAT STUDENTS HAVE LEARNED.” BETH YARBROUGH, Sutherlin School District referred to him, always put students first — in his research, in his coaching and in his heart. His passionate focus on using assessment as a motivator to inspire learning and build student confidence is often absent in the measurement and testing world today. Stiggins’ exceptional work and personal commitment to using assessment appropriately made him a great fit for guiding the development of Oregon’s new system of assessment.

CURRENT ASSESSMENT REALITY ASSESSMENT NEEDS After the workgroup teacher

TODAY’S OEA | SPRING 2015

leaders agreed on a set of values and beliefs as the foundation for a more balanced system of assessment, they spent considerable time investigating the Current State of Assessment in Oregon compared to the future they collectively envisioned for Oregon students. They began to think about a number of challenges that needed to be identified and addressed if any type of successful transition to a new system would be realized. n Students are discouraged. When classroom and large-scale assessment plays their traditional roles as a means of ranking and sorting students, major

segments of the student population — particularly those who finish low in the ranking order — lose momentum, confidence, and motivation. n Unproductive use of resources. In recent years, resources have focused largely on supporting annual, high-stakes standardized tests. n Unmet information needs. Delivery and distribution of annual scores have left decision makers (students, teachers, principals, parents, district leaders, community members, legislators and policy makers) without the foundation of information they need to support student learning. n Systemic gap of assessment literacy. With overemphasis on high stakes, standardized assessments, there has been less support for professional development focused on enhancing assessment literacy and creating high quality classroom assessments. n Proposed misuse of statewide,

THE PATHS THEY TOOK 22 COMMITTEE MEMBERS CAME TOGETHER FROM 15 DIFFERENT LOCALS ACROSS OREGON

SARITA AMAYA* North Clackamas School District English Language Learners

DIANE HICKS South Lane School District Elementary

JENNA MILLER North Clackamas School District Middle School ELD

LINDSEY CAPPS OEIB Chief of Staff

DAN JONES Bend School District CTE/High School

ROB SAXTON Oregon Department of Education Deputy Superintendent

MEGAN FREE Coos Bay School District Middle School Math

LISA KANE Portland School District Elementary

TRISHA SNYDER-NEIWERT Reynolds School District Middle School ELA

NANCY GOLDEN OEIB Chief Education Officer

NANETTE LEHMAN*** Baker School District Elementary

PETER TROMBA OEIB Policy and Research Director

KEVIN GORDON** Junction City School District Elementary

SARA LOGUE**** Forest Grove School District Elementary

HANNA VAANDERING OEA OEA President

LYDIA GUTIERREZ Salem-Keizer School District Special Education

DIANE MATTISON-NOTTAGE Springfield Public Schools Title One coordinator

ERIN WHITLOCK OEA Center for Great Public Schools

JUDY HARRIS Central Point School District Middle School ELA

COLLEEN MILEHAM OEA Center for Great Public Schools

DAVID WILKINSON Beaverton School District High School ELA BETH YARBROUGH Sutherlin School District High School Science

*Now ODE Equity Team member ** Now Principal *** On original team- has tracked work but unable to attend meetings **** Now OEA Center for Great Public Schools

Credits: Sara Logue, MediaLoot.com

TODAYâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S OEA | SPRING 2015

Lydia Gutierrez leads an independent study and academic advising session at Early College High School in Salem.

standardized, summative assessment in educator evaluation. This focus is indeed, in no small part, due to the lack of assessment literacy. When students, educators, parents and policy makers enhance their understanding of appropriate use of assessments, misuse of assessments will be eliminated.

A NEW VISION OF EXCELLENCE IN ASSESSMENT

With the leadership of Oregon educators, a new pathway for our state was developed. The proposal lays out a rationale to move toward a more balanced system of assessment for learning. The proposal includes Five Guiding Principles of Assessment for Learning (see side box on page 15), a Student’s Bill of Assessment Rights (see page 21), and 12 key recommendations to help guide Oregon’s journey toward a system of assessment to support student learning.

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STAKEHOLDER FEEDBACK AND REFINEMENT

The work is far from finished. OEA and OEIB continue to work together to gather stakeholder feedback on the working proposal and recommendations. Currently, OEA is in the midst of hosting 17 forums throughout all corners of the state. The group is committed to getting educators’ feedback, suggestions and questions on the direction of the proposed system. OEA believes it is vital to continue to listen to educators throughout this process. Teachers and educators are the champions of children and should be a significant voice that carries students’ best interests forward in creating a system of assessment that works for students.

CONCLUSION

Educators enter this profession with the desire to help all students learn, grow, and realize their full potential. As the workgroup created their foundational values and

beliefs, they recognized the gap between a system of assessment for learning that can access every student’s infinite potential and the current system of assessment. They believe it is time to build a bridge to the new vision. Oregon can leave the current system that relies too heavily on summative, standardized assessment as a basis for instructional decisions it was never designed to support. We can build a new system in which assessment and learning work together for students’ benefits, one in which all educators and stakeholders become assessment literate, and every Oregon student can reach his or her full potential. That, truly, is a better way. In the words of Chappuis: “Assessment for learning is a gift we give our students. It is a mirror we hold up to show them how far they have come. It is a promise that we will use assessment, not to punish or reward, but to guide them on their learning journey”. n

STUDENT’S BILL OF ASSESSMENT RIGHTS The rationale for reconsidering the student’s place in the assessment process extends beyond the fact that their learning can benefit from their involvement. Ethical standards of fair and equal treatment of each and every student require adults to re-evaluate the student’s place in the assessment process. According to Stiggins, students can be seen as the holders of certain inalienable rights related to the collection and use of achievement information. Those rights are articulated below and they align with the five Guiding Principles spelled out on page 15. 1. Students are entitled to know the purpose of each assessment in which they participate; that is, they have a right to know specifically how the results will be used. 2. Students are entitled to know and understand the learning target(s) to be reflected in the exercises and scoring methods that make up the assessment. 3. Students are entitled to understand the differences between good and poor performance on pending assessments and to learn to self-assess in terms of that performance continuum in tracking their progress toward mastery. 4. Students are entitled to dependable assessment of their learning using quality assessments. 5. Students are entitled to effective communication of their assessment results, whether to themselves, their families or others concerned with their academic success.

References: Black, P., & Wiliam, D. (1998a). Assessment and classroom learning. Educational Assessment: Principles, Policy and Practice, 5(1), 7-74. Black, P., & Wiliam, D. (1998a). Inside the black box: Raising standards through classroom assessment. Phi Delta Kappan, 80(2), 139-148. Chappuis, J., Stiggins, R.J., Chappuis, S., & Arter, J. (2012). Classroom Assessment For Student Learning: Doing It Right – Using It Well. Columbus, OH: Pearson. Darling-Hammond, L., Wilhoit, G., & Pittenger, L. (2014). Accountability for college and career readiness: Developing a new paradigm. Education Policy Analysis Archives, 22(86). http://dx.doi.org/10.14507/epaa. v22n86.2014. Stiggins, R. (2014). Improve assessment literacy outside of schools too. Phi Delta Kappan, 96(2), 67-72.

Credits: Thomas Patterson

“FROM THE VERY START OF THIS PROJECT, OUR PURPOSE WAS TO DO WHAT IS BEST FOR KIDS. BEING ABLE TO MAKE THIS THE FOUNDATION OF OUR DECISIONS WAS ONE OF THE MOST PROFESSIONALLY FULFILLING EXPERIENCES OF MY CAREER. NOW, WE NEED TO COME TOGETHER AND MOVE FORWARD WITH THE SAME RESOLVE. WE KNEW THEN THAT WE WERE ASKING FOR CHANGE AT SO MANY LEVELS. I AM EXCITED TO SEE THAT BEGIN.” LISA KANE, Portland School District

SHORTENED VERSIONS OF THE 12 RECOMMENDATIONS Recommendation #1: Advocate and prepare for reauthorization of ESEA that allows states to develop a system of assessment that truly supports student learning through greater emphasis on valid, reliable and unbiased high quality classroom, interim assessments and addresses the role of accountability in the system. Recommendation #2: Support the “Student’s Assessment Bill of Rights” (see above) Recommendation #3: Develop, fund, and implement extensive professional development, with a commitment to a multi-year program, to develop and enhance assessment literacy of educators. Recommendation #4: Create a taskforce to conduct an audit of the type, number of , and time allotted for assessments currently administered in Oregon schools. Recommendation #5: Advocate for state and federal funds to initiate and maintain statewide classroom and interim assessment banks for formative and summative use that are valid, reliable, and unbiased. Recommendation #6: Invest in the technology infrastructure for college and career readiness, not just for use in a system of assessment. Recommendation #7: Examine the current state of how assessment impacts every subgroup of students, including special education and English language learners. Recommendation #8: Research the feasibility of reducing the frequency of administering the annual statewide, standardized, summative assessment

while ensuring accurate yearly disaggregated data by subgroups to keep the spotlight on the achievement gap(s). Recommendation #9: Advocate for state and federal funds to develop and use high quality formative and interim assessments chosen by educators from a menu of options vetted at the state and district level that meet the needs of their students and high standards of quality. Recommendation #10: Allow high school students to opt-in to or to “bank” portions of the Math or ELA section(s) of the Smarter Balanced Assessment earlier than 11th grade so that they take the assessment as it coincides with their actual academic course load. Recommendation #11: Enhance and expand options to demonstrate essential skills. Determine if other measures of essential skills exist and promote them as options for students. Recommendation #12: Suspend the use of Smarter Balance Assessment results during 2015 for school ratings on report cards, and continue to suspend the use of Smarter Balance Assessment results for educator evaluation during 2015-16 while developing a more balanced system of assessment. The Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development also recently echoed the sentiments in recommendation #12, calling for a two-year moratorium from highstakes decisions (www.ascd.org/ moratorium).

TODAY’S OEA | SPRING 2015

finding Our Voice

ucators Ed n ee tw Be rs ie rr Ba e Th n ow D Breaking s ★ and Education Policy ★ By Julia Sander

TODAY’S OEA | SPRING 2015

As a whole, educators

tend to have strong, well-constructed philosophies on education that are backed by data and experience. They are the world’s best experts on the lives and the needs of the people they serve. Yet, their voices can seem all but absent when it comes to the big decisions being made about how schools are run. Through OEA’s statewide political organizing program, educators who are passionate about helping inform these decisions now have a bold opportunity to throw their hat in the ring and run for their local school board. “We’ve started with candidate recruitment — ensuring that we get some interesting people to actually file their name and run for the school board or community college board,” said Jenny Smith, OEA’s Statewide Political Organizer. In the short term, Smith is focused on a few key races around the state, including identifying candidates from Medford, Bethel School District in Eugene, Portland Public Schools, Hillsboro, and the Mt. Hood Community College Board. In addition to serving as a school board member, educators in the state legislature have the opportunity to make a big impact as well. Representative Chris Gorsek (DEast. County) is one of four OEA members in the Oregon House of Representatives, including newly elected Rep. Susan McLain, D-Hillsboro, Rep. Paul Evans, DMonmouth, and Rep. Margaret Doherty, D-Tigard. “I think that there are a lot of legislators [who] are not in education but are concerned about education,” said Gorsek. “On the other hand, a lot of the time when we are discussing … policy, I think a lot of people who are not in the classroom don’t quite understand the issues as well as a teacher.” Steve Buel, the only member of the Portland School Board with significant teaching experience, shares Gorsek’s hope to see more educators involved in education policy. “Right now there is a huge problem with the corporate reform movement in America; basically, people who are not educators are running policy. They just don’t know what is going on in schools or how

Credit: iStock

" I GET TO TALK ABOUT EDUCATION ISSUES AT THE CAPITOL, BUT I ALSO GET TO FIND OUT ABOUT A LOT OF THE RECENT STUFF THAT IS GOING ON IN THOSE AREAS AND TAKE IT BACK TO MY STUDENTS." Representative Chris Gorsek

also teaches Criminal Justice and Geography at Mt. Hood Community College

★ they work,” Buel said. “It’s like me working on the engine of a '32 Ford.” Buel understands the frustrations of making decisions about education with non-educators. His 40 years of teaching experience and strong views have found him on the opposite end of the table from other Portland School Board members on more than one occasion. The lack of time spent in the classroom can play a role in how Oregon’s largest district is run. “When there are problems, teachers have a better understanding of what the problems are really about,” Buel said. Rep. Gorsek sees some of the same issues in Salem and often uses his classroom experience to inform his views on education policy. “I use the information from my teaching all the time,” said Gorsek. “Unfortunately there aren’t a lot of people who know the science and the studies and the academics.” Finding educators who are able to run for school board can be particularly difficult. “One challenge is that current educators in a local school district can’t be on the school board for that same district,” explained Smith. “We are having to reach out to the community and retirees in order to find

folks who will support our educators and the interests of our students on the school board.” While this can make it difficult to find candidates, the importance of having board members with classroom experience is paramount. “School boards determine contracts, set the tone for bargaining, create the local budget and set priorities, so they are a really critical piece for OEA to focus our efforts toward,” said Smith. It can be challenging to find people who feel comfortable enough in both classroom practice and policy-making arenas who are willing to step up and make informed decisions. “You’re sometimes asked to make decisions on things you don’t know about,” Buel explained about the difference between experienced teachers and experienced policymakers. “The problem is that you are asked to make decisions about things you don’t know about anyway if you’re not a school teacher.” Smith has worked to connect teachers to the resources they need to feel comfortable running for office. “We put together a list of every single school board seat in the state, who is running currently and when their seat is up for re-election,” said Smith. “It was really helpful to get that out to all of the folks across the state in all of our locals to make sure that they have the information they need.” The balancing act of teaching while working in public office is one that Gorsek, knows well. Gorsek is an Oregon State Representative by day and teaches Criminal Justice and Geography at Mt. Hood Community College in the evenings. “It is a very fine balance,” said Gorsek. “The things that I do here really reinforce the teaching that I do there. It is a benefit both ways. I get to talk about education issues at the Capitol, but I also get to find out about a lot of the recent stuff that is going on in those areas and take it back to my students.” In addition to a lack of time, there is an intimidating learning curve when one makes the transition from focusing on education to focusing on policy. Buel described a former teacher who had considered running for school board recently but decided not to run. “She decided she wasn’t going to run for school board because she didn’t TODAY’S OEA | SPRING 2015

Representative Chris Gorsek

"IT’S IMPORTANT FOR TEACHERS TO HAVE A VOICE IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT BECAUSE THEY ARE THE ONES IN THE TRENCHES WHO UNDERSTAND THE DYNAMICS OF THE CLASSROOM AND THE PARENTS AND THE FAMILIES, MORE SO THAN THE ADMINISTRATORS." Sara Ryan

coordinator for the Oregon Labor Candidate School

★

TODAY’S OEA | SPRING 2015

feel comfortable in those things that she didn’t know about.” While educators may not be experts in budgeting or facility management, they are experts on the students and communities served by that budget or facility; and, therefore, it’s critical that they are involved in the decisionmaking. While running for public office requires a lot of sacrifice, there is also a lot that stands to be gained by more educators stepping up to the plate. For those not interested in running, OEA also provides opportunities to ensure that their voices can still be heard by helping to recommend pro-public education candidates who are familiar with the challenges educators face. “It has been really exciting to see how interested folks are in the candidates and in interviewing them,” said Smith. “Our members are really seeing school boards as a huge opportunity to make their lives and the lives of our students better and to improve the quality of education we provide.” Educators who feel that they are lacking

the know-how to run a campaign but are interested in running for office have a wealth of resources available to help them get started, including Wellstone. org, an organization that provides training and additional resources for progressives running for office and EmergeAmerica.org, an organization that provides training for democratic women. In addition, OEA has collaborated with Emerge Oregon and other organizations to recruit members who are interested in running for office. “We are sharing a school board manual that has selected interview questions, selected survey questions, and [advice on] how to meet with folks to determine if they are a good fit for a school board member,” said Smith. OEA has also partnered with the Oregon Labor Candidate School (OLCS) to help prepare labor union members for public office. “It’s important for teachers to have a voice in local government because they are the ones in the trenches who understand the dynamics of the classroom and the

Representative Susan McLain

parents and the families, more so than the administrators,” said Sara Ryan, coordinator for the OLCS. The OLCS was created by a coalition of unions in an effort to get more labor champions elected into public office. The school provides regular classes on the primary elements of running a campaign and is an excellent jumping-off point for any educator wanting to get more involved in politics. “We offer the opportunity for any union member, including teachers, to really think about whether or not running for office is an option for them. We offer different classes to try things out - trying out public speaking, trying out fundraising, trying out knocking on doors and talking to voters,” explained Ryan. All of the classes at the school are free for union members. “We do ask that students fundraise, so that’s part of their hands-on curriculum,” said Ryan. The Oregon Labor Candidate School is currently offering a class in Portland that meets six times over a six-month period, all on Saturdays. The school brings in speakers and elected officials to cover a wide variety of topics and encourage cohort

members to form connections, share perspectives and support one another. The class is attended by members of several unions, all of whom are interested in running for office. The OLCS also provides weekend trainings in Bend, Eugene, and Medford for union members outside of the Portland-metro area. “This is a really unique school; there’s nothing else like it.” Ryan said of the valuable resource OLCS has become to Oregon’s labor movement. “One thing that’s really special about Oregon is that unions and union members have been able to work together. That’s why the school has been successful, because we have been able to come together, sit down, and talk about how we can work together to train candidates so that we have some common voices.” The OLCS has six former students in office at present, including Rob Nosse and Kyle Allen, who won elections in November. “About four or five

Credits: Rep. Chris Gorsek campaign; Rep. Susan McLain campaign

people have told me they’ll run next spring. Part of what the school does also is to encourage people to take that next step and file,” Ryan said. Since the deadline to file to run for office is this month, it is a great time to take that first step. “In Oregon especially, politics are very local. Having people on school boards and city councils who understand the relationship between the schools and the funding is really important,” said Ryan. “This way of working together and supporting our members and allies to be a voice for us in public office is really important.” If you are an educator with a vision for Oregon’s education system, your voice needs to be heard, if not through politics than through union activism or community outreach. “We desperately need people with dreams and vision as educators, but it’s much harder than it used to be to fulfill your dreams as an educator. I think that’s what is wrong with education today,” said Buel. In many ways, stepping away from the classroom to run for office gives you more freedom to create change in our school system. n TODAY’S OEA | SPRING 2015

Sources + Resources The following information is provided as a resource to members of the Oregon Education Association. Their publication within Today’s OEA is not to be construed as a recommendation or endorsement of the products or services by the Oregon Education Association, its Board of Directors or staff. AWARDS, GRANTS, SCHOLARSHIPS

McCarthey Dressman Education Foundation: Academic Enrichment Grants

n WHAT: The McCarthey Dressman Education Foundation offers Academic Enrichment Grants designed to develop in-class and extra-curricular programs that improve student learning. The foundation considers proposals that foster understanding, deepen students' knowledge, and provide opportunities to expand awareness of the world around them. Maximum award: $10,000 per year for three years. n WHo: Pre-K-12 educators employed by schools with students from low-income households are eligible. n when: Application deadline is April 15, 2015. n how: For more information and to apply, go to http://mccartheydressman. org/academic-enrichment-grants.

2015 ING Unsung Heroes Awards

n WHAT: Applications are being accepted for the 2015 ING Unsung Heroes Awards Program. Each year, 100 educators are selected to receive $2,000 to help fund their innovative class projects. Three of those are chosen to receive the top awards of an additional $5,000, $10,000 and $25,000. n WHo: All K-12 education professionals are eligible. n when: Application deadline is April 30, 2015. n how: For more information on how to apply, go to https://unsungheroes. scholarshipamerica.org.

American Civic Education Teacher Awards (ACETA)

n WHAT: The Center for Civic Education is accepting applications for the 2015 American Civic Education Teacher Awards, which recognizes three educators each year who have demonstrated a

TODAY’S OEA | SPRING 2015

special expertise in teaching about the U.S. Constitution, the U.S. Congress, and public policy. n WHo: Full-time, K–12 classroom teachers n when: Application deadline is April 15, 2015. n how: For more information, go to http://civiced.org/community/teachers/ civic-ed-awards OPPORTUNITIES

Teaching the Humanities through Art Summer Institutes

n WHat: Join colleagues from across the country to explore the connections among American art, social studies, history, and English/language arts during this year’s Summer Institute, offered Jul. 13–17, 2015 and Jul. 27–31, 2015. The Smithsonian American Art Museum offers limited number of 500 scholarships per Institute. n WHo: Core subject teachers for grades 6–12. Priority giving to social studies, history, and English/language arts teachers. n where: The Smithsonian American Art Museum, Wash, D.C. n when: Application Deadline: April 29, 2015. n how: For more information and how to apply, go to http://americanart.si.edu/ education/dev/institutes.

Free Educator Workshop

n WHat: The Portland Art Museum presents Remixing the Museum: STEAM and New Media This free workshop explores unexpected connections between chemistry, computer science, and the museum’s exhibitions. Registration required n when: May 14, 2015, 5:00-8:00 p.m. n how: For more information and to register for this workshop, go to http:// portlandartmuseum.org/eventsprograms/educator-programs.

Summer Institute: First Amendment 101

n WHAT: This Classroom Law Project institute offers a line-up of dynamic speakers and content, materials and strategies to help teach the five freedoms of the First Amendment. PDU’s and 2 optional Lewis & Clark credits are available. Cost: $300; need-based scholarships available for qualifying teachers n WHo: For teachers in grades 5-12 n when: June 24-26, 2015 n where: Lewis & Clark Law School, Portland n how: For more information and to register, go to www.classroomlaw.org/ programs/summer-institute.

Colonial Williamsburg Teacher Institute

n WHAT: This six-day summer institute

meets elementary, middle, and high school American history and English/ Language Arts curriculum standards. Participants will engage in an interactive learning environment; exchange ideas with historians, analyze primary sources, learn museum techniques that actively engage students in history and so much more. n when: Various timeframes from June through Aug. 2015. n how: For more information, go to www. history.org/history/teaching/tchsti.cfm. FOR THE CLASSROOM

ReadWriteThink Offers Classroom Resources

n WHAT: ReadWriteThink offers standards-based lessons plans, student interactive tools that help students accomplish a variety of goals, activities and resources related to important events and people in history, and more. n how: Visit www.readwritethink.org and discover all the resources available to educators, students and parents.

Sources + Resources Law Day Conference for High School Students

n WHAT: This one-day conference offers 18 different workshops on legal issues concerning youth including student rights, immigration, gun control and careers in law. n when: Apr. 30, 2015. Registration deadline is April 17, 2015. n where: Portland State University, Ore. n how: For more information and to register, go to www.classroomlaw.org/ programs/law-day.

Next Generation Education Program

WHAT: This free online program provides teachers with tools to educate their students about the basics of life, health, and disability insurance, as well as financial planning fundamentals. Each module has a teacher’s guide, corresponding student activities, videos, and interactive quizzes. n WHo: For grades 9-12. n how: Visit www.scholastic.com/nextgeneration to access the program. n

WEBSITES

Susie’s & Tyler’s Current Events

n WHAT: Classroom Law Project’s Current Events webpage offers balanced reporting on current event stories that have been vetted and that looks at multiple views or offers additional sources to learn more, and includes constitutional connections, state standards and the Common Core. n how: Go to www.classroomlaw.org/ resources/susies-current-events.

Free Professional Learning Community

n WHAT: Arts and Music in Early Learning is a free professional learning community (PLC) that helps educators create and integrate fine arts and music into their classrooms. The community hosts online discussions to share ideas, practices, examples, and lesson plans, and offers free webinars, live chats, and more. n how: To learn more, go to www.edweb. net/artsandmusic.

BOOKS

In Defense of Read-Aloud: Sustaining Best Practice By Steven Layne, Foreword by Regie Routman Stenhouse Publishers, 2015; ISBN: 978-162531-040-8; $21.00 (List Price); Available at www.stenhouse.com Drawing on the latest research, the author presents information to defend the practice of reading aloud every day in grades K–12, and gives teachers practical advice and specific strategies.

3 Minute Motivators (Revised Edition) By Kathy Paterson Pembroke Publishers Limited, 2014; ISBN-13: 9781551382951; $24.00 (List Price); Available at www.barnesandnoble.com This book offers over 200 simple, fun activities for any grade that will help the educator use "a little magic" to take a quick break, engage students, and refocus them on the task at hand.

Sharing the Blue Crayon: How to Integrate Social, Emotional, and Literacy Learning By Mary Anne Buckley Publisher: Stenhouse Publishers, 2014; ISBN: 978-1-62531-0118; $20.00 (List Price); Available at www.stenhouse.com The author offers a flexible, practical program for teaching the interpersonal and emotional skills that students need to succeed as they learn to read and write. Using a workshop model, lessons are integrated throughout the school day and week to help build and sustain a caring, supportive classroom community that learns and grows together.

Teaching for Creativity in the Common Core Classroom By Ronald A. Beghetto, James C. Kaufman, John Baer Teachers College Press, 2014; ISBN: 0807756156; $34.95 (List Price); Available at www.tcpress.com Based on psychological research on creativity, the authors debunk common misconceptions about creativity and describe how learning environments can support both creativity and the Common Core. This resource offers classroom examples, ideas and lesson plans for teaching English language arts and mathematics and includes assessments for creativity and Common Core learning.

TODAY’S OEA | SPRING 2015

OEA MEMBERS SEEK AS S O C I AT I O N P O SIT IO N S

Candidate for OEA President 1 Position (2-year Term)

JOHANNA “HANNA” VAANDERING STATEMENT It has been an honor to serve as President and work with our members and staff to accomplish our goals, fulfill our mission and vision, and live the core values adopted by our members. I am asking for your support to continue our work together as we improve the teaching and learning conditions in our schools and community colleges and secure the funding to build a better Oregon. In the last two years we have grown the power of our Union. We have improved engagement and empowered members from every Council to share their voices in new and exciting ways. We are changing our Union to withstand the external pressures that want to tear public education down. I am proud of the incredible work we have done together. I ask for your vote and your commitment. Let’s work together to create the schools our students and members deserve. QUALIFICATIONS

Local - Beaverton Education Association » President » Vice President » Executive Board » Bargaining Team Chair » Insurance Committee » Curriculum and Instruction Committee » Building Representative State – Oregon Education Association » President » Vice President » Region I Vice President » Budget Committee Chair » Advocacy and Affiliate Services Cabinet Chair » PIE Delegate » Strategic Action Plan Task Force » Strategic Assessment Task Force » Legislative Contact » OEA RA Delegate National – National Education Association » National Council of Education Associations Pacific Region Board member » National Council of Urban Education Associations Pacific Region Vice President » Minority Leadership Conference » NEA Raise Your Hand Committee » NEA Membership Committee » Building Strong Affiliates Conference » Critical Issues Conference » NEA RA Delegate 28

TODAY’S OEA | SPRING 2015

Candidate for OEA Vice President

TONY CRAWFORD

C. JOHN LARSON

1 Position (2-year Term)

STATEMENT As a proud member of OEA, I have helped advance the interests of our members and Association. As Vice President, I have worked for budget transparency, increased member involvement, elevated use of the OEA Foundation, and greater organizational relevance for our members. Over the past two years I have visited UniServ councils, locals, schools, bus barns, and college campuses throughout the state, listening to issues important to OEA members. Responding to these issues and providing member support is expected of our leaders and our Association. Accepting this responsibility, I have addressed member issues with policy makers at both the state and federal level, I have walked with fellow members on the line, and I have worked behind the scenes to help shape policy that supports our collective interests. As Vice President I want to provide hope for OEA members to see a brighter day for public education in Oregon. QUALIFICATIONS

» OEA Vice President » OEA Executive Committee » OEA Budget Committee, Chair » OEA Delegation to the NEA Representative Assembly, Vice Chair » State Delegate to NEA Representative Assembly » OEA Cabinet for Advocacy and Affiliate Services, Past Chair » OEA PIE Board, Past Chair » NEA Professional Standards and Practices Committee » NEA Leadership Conference Planning Committee » NEA Resolutions Committee, Past Chair » OEA Resolutions Committee, Past Chair » Canby Education Association, Past President » ODE High School Graduation Essentials Skills Task Force » Oregon Legislature’s Accountable Schools Task Force » 2014 Oregon Peace Teacher of the Year » OEA Human and Civil Rights Award » National Geographic Society Teacher Consultant

1 Position (2-year Term)

STATEMENT I firmly believe that the power of OEA lies in its 42,000 members and the passion they bring to the field of education each and every day. The key to accessing this power is in listening carefully to members’ interests and echoing them in everything we do. We must organize around issues that are meaningful to all members including professional practice, the misuse of standardized testing, job safety, job security, and a living, sustainable wage for everyone. If elected, I will strive to make OEA an organization people look to when they think “education”. Elect me to amplify your voices. QUALIFICATIONS Hermiston Association of Teachers » President » Vice-President » Grievance Chair » Building Representative » Negotiations Chairperson Morrow County Education Association » President » Vice President » Secretary » Building Representative » Bargaining Chairperson Columbia River UniServ Council » President » Vice-President » Secretary OEA » OEA Board of Directors » Oregon Representative NEA Board of Directors » OEA Executive Committee » OEA Budget Committee » OEA Audit Committee » Co-Chair Cabinet for Advocacy and Affiliate Services » OEA Resolutions Committee » PAC Captain – NEA Fund For Children NEA » NEA Board of Directors » NEA Board of Directors Discussion Group Facilitator » NEA PAC Council Representative » NEA Resolutions Committee » NEA Resolutions Co-Chair Alternative Compensation Sub-Committee » NEA Student Member Planning Committee » NEA UniServ Advisory Committee

Candidates’ statements are printed exactly as submitted, and have not been corrected for spelling, grammar, or punctuation. The following candidates will be determined by a vote at the OEA Representative Assembly, April 17-18, 2015.

Candidate for OEA Candidate for NEA Director 1 Position (3-year Term)

REED SCOTTSCHWALBACH

TOM KANE STATEMENT I ask for your vote for NEA Director. I bring essential qualities arising from broad life and political experience including fundraising for Congressional campaigns. I hope you remember me actively on the floor introducing numerous NBIs ranging from divesting our relief fund from fossil fuels to compelling our union’s support for member-driven organizing efforts against high-stakes testing. I intend to lobby legislators to end the punitive approach to education. Also, our union must do more to create a just and sustainable society. I pledge to bring an activist teacher viewpoint to elected officials and fresh ideas to our NEA Board. QUALIFICATIONS

Building Rep, Bargaining Rep, OEA-RA Rep, PAT Executive Board, OEA Cabinet for Advocacy and Affiliate Services, OEA Bargaining Task Force, Joint PAT and PPS District Advisory Committee on Assessment, PAT PAC Board, PAT Legislative Committee, Executive Board Liaison to PAT Community and Human Relations Committee, OEA-PIE Convention, Graduate of the Oregon Labor Candidate School, Currently enrolling in leadership and organizing training with NWEI and 350PDX for action on Climate Change, and I have been a long-time activist on Peace and Environmental issues. I am a precinct chair for Clackamas County Democrats. Have taught at both high school and college level.

Candidate for OEA Candidate for ESP Director 1 Position (3-year Term)

STATEMENT My union work started when I realized my classroom was impacted by decisions made without consideration of students’ and educators’ day-to-day realities; it won’t be done until students and educators are at the center of decision making. We must engage colleagues, our communities, and lawmakers to implement good educational policy. We must have a clear decision-making process that includes all perspectives in order to create the best possible outcomes for all. I am dedicated to listening to and engaging our members, building coalitions, and collectively ensuring the viability of our work for future generations. Thank you for your vote. QUALIFICATIONS

I am honored to have served in a wide variety of positions that have helped prepare me to serve as a NEA Director. Local » President » Vice-president Chair: » Political Action » Grievance » Bargaining » Bargaining Crisis » World Language Department Delegate: » OEA-RA » NEA-RA » PIE State » OEA Board of Directors » OEA Budget Committee » Region 1 PRAM coordinator » OEA GLBTQ co-chair » Governor’s Task Force on School Safety, K-12 representative » Facilitator, SPARKS program » State delegate, NEA-RA » New Member Advisory Council » Judicial Council » Congressional Advocacy Team » Cabinet for Affiliate Services

KATHLEEN MITCHELL COON STATEMENT My goal as Education Support Professional Director is to bring to light the issues of ESP's all over the state of Oregon to the OEA Board. My passion is to create and restore positions that enable Education Support Professionals the ability to support their families and to feel regarded by the school districts and the communities they live in. I have observed that my co-workers in Grants Pass and around the state are dedicated to the point of staying in jobs that will never be full time. They do this, as I do, because working with the children is their QUALIFICATIONS

Local: Grants Pass Association of Classified Employees » Active Association member 10 years » Building Rep 5 years » President-Elect 4 years » Bargaining Team Chair 2014-15 » Southern Oregon Bargaining Council 4 years » SOBC Chairperson 2014-15 State: CEA » Cabinet for Advocacy and Affiliates » Three time OEA RA Delegate » Bargaining Task Force » Oregon Council of Education Support Professional National: NEA » Member since 2004 » NEA Delegate 2014 Personal » Mother of 3 Grants Pass School District 7 Alumni graduates » Grandmother: 4 Oregonian Grandchildren » Special Education Support Professional 15 years » Married 21 years

National » NEA Crisis Guide Advisory Panel » NEA Campaign to Win » Fulbright grantee, trainer, selection committee, US State Department

TODAY’S OEA | SPRING 2015

2015 P R O PO S E D P O L I CY A M E ND M E N TS

Revisions: new language is underlined, deleted a is struck through. POLICY AMENDMENT A Board of Directors Forwards Policy Amendment A with a Do Pass Recommendation 7000 RELIEF FUND POLICY PURPOSES AND POLICY DEVELOPMENT II. SITUATIONS FOR WHICH EXPENDITURES MAY BE AUTHORIZED F. The 2015 RA authorizes the forgiveness of the unpaid balance (principal and interest) of the 1999 building/renovation loan from the OEA Relief Fund. Rationale: 1. As per the 2014 OEA RA NBI #4, the OEA Board is submitting this proposed Policy Amendment to forgive the 1999 building loan. Background information: The relief fund value and investments have grown by more than $10 million since this loan was approved in 1999, OEA paid back $963,356 prior to budget limitations; but, because of the 4% interest term of the original loan, OEA still owes approximately $2.3 million, forgiveness of the loan will not prevent the fund from supporting locals and members on strike, the recession of 2008 and OEA membership losses have severely limited the ability to make annual repayments, including interest, to the Relief Fund from the General Fund without eliminating existing priority programs and staff. Submitted by: OEA Board of Directors Contact: Keith Ayres POLICY AMENDMENT B Board of Directors Forwards Policy Amendment B with a Do Pass Recommendation 7000 RELIEF FUND POLICY PURPOSES AND POLICY DEVELOPMENT III. ELIGIBILITY FOR BENEFITS A. For Receipt of Benefits in All Cases 1. In the event of a school closure other than a strike, money will be distributed only to OEA members and Fair Share fee payers. 2. Relief Fund benefits are integrated with unemployment compensation the second week of the school closure/lockout. OEA members and Fair Share fee payers will receive the full benefit for the first week of the closure. In no case will tThe OEA Relief Fund benefit plus the unemployment benefits shall not exceed the weekly take home salary of the 30

TODAY’S OEA | SPRING 2015

employee unless or except for specific circumstances established by the Relief Fund Committee pursuant to OEA Policy 7000of the school district/college. Rationale: 1) To provide that part-time employees who participate in full-time strike activities are eligible for the maximum daily stipend. For example, under current OEA Relief Fund Policy (III.A.2), a .5 FTE employee earning $22,500/year on a 185 day contract ($122/day) will have take home pay (assuming a 25% tax obligation) of approximately $456 per week versus $600/week s/he could receive if eligible for the full day stipend ($120) allowed by this policy amendment when the employee is working on full time strike activities. NOTE: The Relief Fund Committee has recommended, subject to approval of this policy amendment, that the stipend for employees on strike and working on approved strike activities on a “full-time” basis be $120/day. For all other employees on strike and working on approved strike activities on a “part-time” basis, the stipend will be $75/day. Submitted by: OEA Board of Directors Contact: Keith Ayres POLICY AMENDMENT C Board of Directors Forwards Policy Amendment C with a Do Pass Recommendation 3200 I. MEMBERS’ PERSONAL, PROFESSIONAL, LEGAL AND HUMAN RIGHTS G. Qualifying for OEA Bargaining Crisis Assistance 1. It is strongly recommended that locals participate in the OEA UniServ and/or local association organizing bargaining training. The OEA Bargaining Campaign Manual and Organizing Books the OEA Crisis Campaign Manual shall provide assistance and direction in preparing for crisis. 2. Not later than the expiration of the statutory 150 days of bargaining Before mediation is likely to be called, the local association, in cooperation with the local UniServ Consultant, will shall: a. Form an organizing committee and, ab. Complete and submit the OEA Initial Organizing Checklist Mediation Readiness Survey, along with supporting documentation, to the local UniServ Consultant and the OEA Associate Executive Director for the Center for Advocacy & Affiliate Services, who will provide a copy to or

designee; the OEA Executive Committee and to the OEA Relief Fund Committee. c. Submit a crisis organizing plan to the local UniServ Consultant and the OEA Associate Executive Director for the Center for Advocacy & Affiliate Services or designee. 3. Prior to the first mediation session Before impasse is likely to be declared, the local association, in cooperation with the local UniServ Consultant, will shall: a. Complete the OEA Pre-Mediation Organizational Readiness Survey Impasse Readiness Survey. The local UniServ Consultant in cooperation with local leadership will administer this survey. This survey is to and be submitted it, along with supporting documentation, to the OEA Associate Executive Director for the Center for Advocacy & Affiliate Services or designee, who will provide a copy to the OEA Executive Committee and to the OEA Relief Fund Committee; and, b. Execute the OEA’s Crisis Organizing Agreement; 4. After the declaration of impasse, but before Prior to the 30 day cooling-off period begins, the local association, in cooperation with the local UniServ Consultant, will shall a. complete the OEA Strike Readiness Survey and submit it, along with supporting documentation, to the OEA Associate Executive Director for the Center for Advocacy & Affiliate Services, who will provide a copy to the OEA Executive Committee and to the OEA Relief Fund Committee. 5. Before the 30 day cooling-off period ends, the local association, in cooperation with the local UniServ Consultant, shall: a. Participate in an initial P pre-S strike E evaluation by OEA administered by a Strike Evaluation Team as indicated in Section E H Below. The Team will be composed of UniServ Consultants and local leaders.from other local OEA associations. In consultation with the local UniServ Consultant, the Associate Executive Director for the Center for Advocacy & Affiliate Services shall appoint the Consultants to the team, and the OEA President shall appoint the local leaders. The local association may request changes in the Strike Evaluation Team. A report from this Team will be forwarded to the local association, the local UniServ Consultant and the OEA Associate Executive Director for the Center for Advocacy & Affiliate Services or

designee.

strike. (moved to 5a)

b. Approximately two weeks following the initial S strike E evaluation, after having addressed any organizational weaknesses identified in the initial report, the local association will: P participate in a follow-up P pre-S strike E evaluation by the same OEA team. after having addressed any organizational weaknesses identified in the initial report. A final report from this Team will be forwarded to the local association, the local UniServ Consultant, the OEA Associate Executive Director for the Center for Advocacy & Affiliate Services or designee, the OEA Executive Committee, and the OEA Relief Fund Committee.

HI. Local Association Strike Assessment

c. The Strike Evaluation Team is advisory to local associations. The Team shall conduct its evaluation and make its confidential recommendations to the local leadership, but does not decide if a local is to strike. 6. The OEA Executive Committee and Board Director(s) from the involved OEA district(s) may sanction a strike based on the pre-strike investigation evaluation reports. 7. The release of resources will be based upon the readiness surveys and supporting documentation provided by the local association and upon the prestrike evaluation reports. Procedures for administering the Relief Fund are given described in Policiesy 7000.

Before a strike is called, the local association governing body shall: 1. Notify its members, in writing, of the OEA Policy: that all members have a duty to honor any primary picket line authorized by the local association, and that the local association may initiate charges against any member strikebreaker through the judicial review process. 2. Conduct a minimum of at least one, one-on-one strike assessment (as per OEA Strike Assessment Guidelines) with all members prior to an actual strike vote. Rationale: The proposed changes to Policy 3200 clarify and streamline the procedural requirements for requesting bargaining crisis assistance. The renaming of the crisis paperwork documents reflects a similar streamlining of the scope, sequence, and content of those documents. Submitted by: OEA Advocacy Cabinet Contact: Michael Endicott

H. Strike Evaluation 1. Involvement of a Strike Evaluation Team may be initiated either by request of the local association or by direction of the Associate Executive Director of the Center for Advocacy & Affiliate Services or designee. (redundant â&#x20AC;&#x201D; covered in 5a) 2. The Associate Executive Director for the Center for Advocacy & Affiliate Services or designee shall appoint a Strike Evaluation Team and shall notify the OEA Executive Director, the local UniServ Consultant and the local association of the appointments. The local association may request changes in the Strike Evaluation Team. (moved to 5a) 8.3. The assignment of a Strike Evaluation Team None of the above shall not preclude or replace other OEA assistance such as legal, public relations, and other aid. 4. The Strike Evaluation Team is advisory to local associations. The Team shall conduct its evaluation and make its confidential recommendations to the local leadership, but does not decide if a local is to

TODAYâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S OEA | SPRING 2015

2015 P R O PO S E D BY LAW A M E N D ME N TS

Revisions: new language is underlined, deleted language is struck through.

Submitted by: Student Membership Committee

Article I., Section 3.

Contact: Margarett Peoples, Chair

BYLAWS AMENDMENT A Board of Directors forwards Bylaws Amendment A with a Do Pass Recommendation.

BYLAWS AMENDMENT C Board of Directors forwards Bylaws Amendment C with a Do Pass Recommendation.

Rationale: This section refers to the election of all delegates and should be clear about the inclusion of student delegate.

ARTICLE VII. ELECTION OF OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS

ARTICLE I. MEMBERSHIP AND DUES

Section 2. Nominations The filing deadline for the OEA Board of Directors and NEA State Delegates shall be January 15. If the nomination deadline for materials falls on a weekend or federal holiday, nomination materials must be postmarked or received by the next business day, including electronic (fax/email) submission. Persons nominated for officer, director, or delegate positions shall be active members as defined in Article I., Section 3. Rationale: There has been a problem with mail not being post-marked when it is a holiday. In these cases a person may actually have mailed the materials in time, but because of the holiday it is not postmarked. In these cases the Credentials Chair has ruled them as late, and inadmissible. The Committee would like to be able to consider nomination papers in these circumstances. Submitted by: Chair, Credentials Committee Contact: Jo Cooper BYLAWS AMENDMENT B Board of Directors forwards Bylaws Amendment B with a Do Pass Recommendation. ARTICLE I. MEMBERSHIP AND DUES Section 3. Active Members A. Continuation of Membership Persons who were active members of the Student OEA for the previous membership year shall be considered continuing active members of the Student OEA as long as they have not accepted employment with a district having employees represented by the OEA. Rationale: This is to add information about continuations of membership congruent to statements of other members of OEA. Student membership is for 1 calendar year; is not based on school or fiscal year.

TODAYâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S OEA | SPRING 2015

Section 5. Student Members B. Dues for each student member shall be set by the Student OEA at its annual meeting and shall include Student NEA dues. In the event no Student OEA annual meeting is held, the dues will be set by the OEA Board of Directors. The dues shall be reviewed annually and reported in the Budget Proposal: Programs and Services for Members. Rationale: Till such time as there is a Student OEA Annual meeting, governance should look at programs provided and cost implications.

Submitted by: Student Membership Committee Contact: Margarett Peoples, Chair BYLAWS AMENDMENT F Board of Directors forwards Bylaws Amendment F with a Do Pass Recommendation. ARTICLE I. MEMBERSHIP AND DUES Section 2. Nominations The filing deadline for the OEA Board of Directors and NEA State Delegates shall be January 15. Persons nominated for officer, director, or delegate or student delegate positions shall be active members as defined in Article I., Section 3.

Submitted by: Student Membership Committee

Rationale: Clarifies inclusion of student delegates as part of nomination process.

Contact: Margarett Peoples, Chair

Submitted by: Student Membership Committee

BYLAWS AMENDMENT D Board of Directors forwards Bylaws Amendment D with a Do Pass Recommendation. ARTICLE VII. ELECTION OF OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS ARTICLE VII. ELECTION OF OFFICERS, AND DIRECTORS AND DELEGATES Rationale: This section refers to the election of delegates and should be titled so. Submitted by: Student Membership Committee Contact: Margarett Peoples, Chair BYLAWS AMENDMENT E Board of Directors forwards Bylaws Amendment E with a Do Pass Recommendation. ARTICLE VII. ELECTION OF OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS Section 2. Nominations The filing deadline for the OEA Board of Directors, and NEA State Delegates and Student Leadership Conference/NEA Delegate shall be January 15. Persons nominated for officer, director, or delegate positions shall be active members as defined in

Contact: Margarett Peoples, Chair BYLAWS AMENDMENT G Board of Directors forwards Bylaws Amendment G with a Do Pass Recommendation. ARTICLE VII. ELECTION OF OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS Section 2. Notification The OEA Executive Director shall notify the officers of each local association in the October issue of the official publication of the OEA each year as to the number of the various OEA officers and directors, NEA Directors, and state NEA Representative Assembly State Delegates which may be nominated and elected from that area that year. Section 2. Nominations The filing deadline for the OEA Board of Directors and NEA State Delegates shall be January 15. Persons nominated for officer, director, or delegate positions shall be active members as defined in Article I., Section 3. G. Nominations for Student Leadership Conference/ NEA Delegate shall be made by the direct vote of the members of the Student Oregon Education Association. The Student Membership Committee of OEA shall report the names of the nominees

postmarked or received on or before January 15. The report shall be in in writing with a statement of qualifications to the OEA President. For the 2015 NEA Representative Assembly, the student member to attend as the Student Leadership Conference/ NEA Delegate shall be appointed by the OEA President. This is for one (1) year only. Rationale: Clarifies inclusion of student delegates as part of nomination process. Submitted by: Student Membership Committee Contact: Margarett Peoples, Chair

TODAYâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S OEA | SPRING 2015

ON THE WEB / Spring2015 » www.oregoned.org

OEA ACTIVISTS: THERE’S AN APP FOR THAT!

eing an educator and an involved union member takes an incredible amount of time – no doubt about it. Wouldn’t it be great if you could send a message to your legislator, or find a nearby OEA event, or download the newest issue of Today’s OEA – all on a single device and with the swipe of a finger? Busy educators – look no further! The OEA Activist app is now available for download in the iTunes and Android stores! Earlier this month, OEA launched its first-ever mobile app to empower members with the tools they need to become strong activists within their own union. The OEA Activist app includes a location-enabled event and office finder application so that you can find events, meetings, and local offices, no matter where you’re located in Oregon. To equip you with highly functioning advocacy features, the App connects you with the OEA Action Center, where you can send messages to your legislators and donate to important causes like OEA-PIE and the OEA Foundation. The app also is linked to OEA’s social media feeds, videos, and news blog — so you’ll receive all the important information related to your profession and your union in one seamless setting. “We are excited to launch our first OEA App! This App will allow us to stay connected with our members and share the latest news and events,” said Hanna Vaandering, President of the OEA. “We can move beyond purely passively broadcasting information to our membership and actively engage them to take actions to help us reach our vision of improving the future of all Oregonians through quality public education.” When breaking news hits, or an opportunity to take action on a particular issue of importance to our schools and

TODAY’S OEA | SPRING 2015

students, the app can send out a push notification. You’ll receive an alert on your smartphone with an important public service announcement, advocacy opportunity or media update on the fly. Besides having access to OEA’s complete calendar of meetings, conferences and upcoming events, here are just a few of the exciting actions you can take on the OEA Activist app: n Contact and lobby policymakers on current public education policy decisions n Write letters to the editor n Sign petitions and take other actions n Send advocacy postcards (using your own photos, if you’d like!) n Contribute to OEA-PIE and the OEA Foundation n Check in at OEA events n Read Today’s OEA online and other OEA publications

n Connect to OEA’s website and

newsfeed n Stream OEA’s social media feeds from Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Flickr n Find OEA and local association offices n Contact OEA n Get great member discounts through MyDeals Mobile, a service of NEA Member Benefits The app is FREE and available for download today! Connect to the iTunes or Android store, depending on your smartphone, and search “Oregon Education Association.” Your union is literally at your fingertips!

The Official Publication of Oregon Education Association

OEA • NEA 6900 S.W. Atlanta Street Portland, OR 97223 tel: (503) 684-3300 fax: (503) 684-8063 www.oregoned.org

Periodicals POSTAGE PAID at Portland OR

SIX INNOVATIVE WORKSHOP TRACKS THAT WILL: • Provide the necessary skills to win revenue in 2016 • Create a dialogue on social equity & building community allies • Enhance skills to lead the way on educational practices and policy • Formulate strategies for offensive bargaining campaigns • Gain insights on teaching techniques for change.

2015 OEA Summer Leadership Conference

SAVE T HE DA NEW L TE OCATI ON!

Sunriver Resort in Sunriver, Ore. July 28-30, 2015 www.oregoned.org/2015summerconference