Ballot Measures 48 and 41, legislative advocacy related to school funding, and changes in state assessment head a power-packed agenda for the first “Off The Record” meeting of the school year, set for September 22 at 11:30 a.m. in the Salem Convention Center. 

“This is a session no school leader will want to miss,” COSA Executive Director Kent Hunsaker says.  “We’ll have reports from several key experts, the opportunity to question and comment, and a ton of important information for superintendents.”  Agenda highlights include:

• Chuck Sheketoff, Executive Director of the Oregon Center for Public Policy, will share the potential impacts of Ballot Measures 48 and 41.  After 13 years under a Measure 48-like Constitutional amendment, there was such a negative impact on Colorado schools and other public services that the amendment was suspended earlier this year by that state’s voters.  The decline in public education was stark.  High school graduation rates plummeted and spending on K-12 education dropped from 35th in the nation to 49th.  If Oregon had been operating under Measure 48 since 1990, the state would have 25 percent less funding today for public education, health care and other basic services. Ballot Measure 41, the tax deduction initiative authored by Bill Sizemore, will, if passed, have an immediate, retroactive effect.  Measure 41 will cut state revenue by $151 million today, and cutmore than $337 million in K-12 funding from the 2007-09 budget.
  
  
• Hunsaker will discuss the COSA/OASE Funding Coalition’s priorities for legislative advocacy related to school funding.  Included will be conversation about the 2007-09 funding level goal, possible targeting of funding above “essential budget level,” creation of a meaningful “rainy day” fund, and repeal or revision of the “double majority” requirement.
  
  
• Oregon Department of Education Assistant Superintendents Doug Kosty and Nancy Latini will report on changes in state assessments, including the process for establishing new cut scores for state tests in grades 3, 5, 8 and 10, and testing of IEP students.

Other agenda items include a report from OAESD Chair Dennis Dempsey regarding the ODE/OAESD partnership, new superintendent introductions, and a message from “Off The Record” meeting sponsor Comotiv Systems.

“Off The Record” meetings are generally held three times per year. They are attended by school superintendents from all Oregon school districts and invited guests. OASE President George Russell will chair the meetings this year.  The meetings are set for:

• 9-22-06, 11:30 a.m., Salem Conference Center
• 2/1-3/07, TBA, Salishan Conference 
• 5-11-07, 11:30 a.m., Salem Conference Center