Question about Oregon public schools.

[carpetbagger]

How do they compare to ones in other states and districts (I've lived on Long Island, NY, and multiple places in Florida, Maryland and Texas).

I'm interviewing for a job in Eugene in a week, and I've applied for an opening that might land me in Salem, Portland, or Vancouver.

[Viva_La_Revolution]

1. As good as Colorado; way way better than Arizona

Portland School District is in trouble, but it seems most of the smaller districts are really good.

Welcome! :hi:

[grasswire]

2. Portland Public Schools have been damaged by ...

...young professional people moving here from out of state who do not wish to support the schools. It's extremely ignorant of them. And it's making the natives angry.

[wakemeupwhenitsover]

3. You've posted something like this before:

It's all the fault of the out-of-staters. Could you please provide some links to back that up? I can certainly give you my personal opinion (granted it's meaningless). My area is probably 50 50 split between locals & out-of-staters. Every school bond has passed handily. A dear friend lives in a community that is almost 100% locals. They haven't had a bond pass in eons.

BTW. Here's a link showing over 2 dozen school bonds that passed (including one in Portland). Please show me where the out-of-staters voted against these bonds & the 'natives' (I put it in quotes since if you're not native Indian than I can't quite figure out how you're a native) voted for it.

http://www.osba.org/hotopics/election/success/index.htm

Edited to take out unnecessary snark.

[PetrusMonsFormicarum]

5. Careful who you call ignorant

or you might be called a generalizer.

I'm one of those young professional people who moved here back in the early 90s. I love everything about Portland (except Freegans in my dumpster!). I support tax increases when I know that the money is staying local. I am intentionally childless, yet I continue to support Portland public schools through taxes as a resident and homeowner, and also as a volunteer. I realize that a great part of the livability of this town has to do with local pride and people raising their children with open minds and hearts. The schools have suffered through a lot, and I am ashamed to know that arts, music, and phys ed. have suffered the most.

[wakemeupwhenitsover]

6. Welcome to DU!

:hug:

[oregonjen]

4. Here is a link regarding Measure 5 and how it hurt Oregon schools

http://www.blueoregon.com/2006/05/repeal_measure_.html

This is one of the reasons some of the school districts are hurting.

[LWolf]

7. Interviewing for a job as a teacher?

Or interviewing for a job that would move your kid/s to an Oregon public school?

I don't know much about schools in Florida, Maryland, Texas, or NY to compare OR to. I do know a couple of teachers who've taught in Florida and TX. I taught in CA for years, so I can compare those 2 systems.

From a teacher's perspective, Oregon has been, thankfully, behind the NCLB curve. That's a good thing, making Oregon schools more relaxed, friendlier, more enjoyable places for both teachers and students to be. That's changing rapidly, but we still haven't caught up to the frenetic stress of CA or TX.

The curriculum is fine; state standards and benchmarks are good. I find my students to be quite a bit behind their CA counterparts in basic skills, but I believe that is a reflection of the community, not the district or school. It's a rural community, and attitudes about literacy, about anything intellectual or academic, are very different from those in my larger, suburban school/district in CA.

While this may differ from district to district, my current spot does half-day kindergarten, and I see a big difference in how prepared the kids are for first grade. I previously taught in a school that had been doing full day Kdg for a decade, and the difference is significant. My current district also has the shortest school year I've ever experienced, due to budget cuts. 168 student days. That also impacts teaching and learning. The community likes it that way, though. It gives them more time for "real life," which is generally comprised of outdoor work and recreation. Hunting, fishing, biking, boating, hiking, climbing, riding, ranching. We have poor attendance in comparison to my CA district; it's common for students to take off for extra trips during the school year, and I've had a third of the class gone when deer hunting season opens in October.

I really have no idea how this compares to schools in Portland or other metro areas in Oregon.

[carpetbagger]

8. No, moving to get my kids out of Texas, among other things.

I interviewed on Monday in Eugene, and I should hear back from them in about a week. I'd give it 50/50. I also have an active application for a job in Salem, but I may take a job in Florida if Eugene turns me down and Salem doesn't come through in the next week. Small chance I might end up in Roseburg or Warrenton, at least for a few years. My wife's thought about going into teaching, but she may not do it if we move to a university town with a tight teaching market.

At any rate, at least I now know I won't be the only one yanking my kids out in January to go see some "real life", i.e., the sun.

[LWolf]

9. Oregon or Florida?

Wow. That's almost 2 different universes. :D

Do you prefer a more tropical climate, or do you like 4 seasons?

I don't like heat. I don't like humidity even more. So Oregon is great for me.

I used to have family in Sutherlin, which is just north of Roseburg. Personally, I prefer Eugene to Salem, but either would work for me.

Good luck on the jobs!

[carpetbagger]

10. They're not as different as it seems.

Both places have four months of perfect weather, four of ok weather, and four where going outside means getting dripping wet. My main criteria were good schools, good parks (local/city and surrounding state/national), access to a university for my wife to eventually finish her school, some cultural amenities, and at least socially moderate, with secondary criteria being university towns, smaller rather than larger cities, close to the beach, interesting natural features, and reasonable cost of living.

Best as I can tell, Oregon and Florida have all of those things. The places I looked at also survived my rules against not going where my occupation is cutthroat, and not going to a place where the winter is too cold and long.

I've spent half of my life in the north, half in the south. The grass will always be greener on the other side, but that's what vacations are for. What I can say is that if you get out of the human-dominated environment, the four seasons are quite easy to notice in Florida from Sarasota/Ft. Pierce north. And Oregon has rainforests and, winters in places, and you can in fact grow palm trees there.

[Greyhound]

11. Shit, Florida = Texas + humidity.

Not much of a choice, IMO.