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Superintendent's proposed budget for 2008-09February 25, 2008 Superintendent’s proposed budget for 2008-09 aims for financial stability and continued momentum for student achievement NEWS RELEASE Contact: Sarah Carlin Ames, PPS Communications, sames@pps.k12.or.us Portland, Ore. Superintendent Carole Smith on Monday proposed a Portland Public Schools budget for 2008-09 that invests in high school improvement, support for K-8 schools, increased access to counselors and incremental steps to add back enrichment courses. “I am pleased to submit to you a proposed budget for the 2008-09 school year that delivers on our promises - those made to our schools, our voters and most of all our students,” Carole Smith told the school board. “This budget is far from flush. But by setting clear priorities and continuing targeted strategies that are increasing student achievement, it leads us both toward financial sustainability and continued momentum for student achievement.” This budget builds on the foundation of past investments, by: · Enriching the curriculum from pre-kindergarten to 8th grade. The budget adds $1.35 million for enrichment into the staffing formula for elementary, middle and K8 schools (replacing the scattered grants of the current year). Schools will offer every student at least three periods a week of enrichment classes, whether art, dance, theater, world languages, music, or PE. As begun this year, the goal is to have students attend blocks of enrichment classes so their teachers may meet in teams for on-site professional development focused on their students’ achievement · Building on PPS high school strategies. The budget supports small schools where student achievement is rising, continues programs to help 8th grade students transition to high school and supports college preparedness on every campus through AP, International Baccalaureate and dual-credit programs with Portland Community College. · Dedicating staffing for counselors. The proposed budget builds on the current year’s expansion of counseling services. Every high school, middle school and K8 student will have access to a counselor, whose position will be allocated separately from the teaching jobs for each school. · Reducing kindergarten class sizes. The budget adds staff to bring average kindergarten class sizes to 21, with a goal of having no more than 25 students in any kindergarten class. · Continuing investment in new classroom materials. The budget includes $2.4 million to buy materials for teachers and students, including new adoptions for middle school social studies, PE and health. · Supporting reconfigured K-8 schools. In addition to support for enrichment, kindergarten class size reductions and counseling, the 28 emerging preK-8 and K-8 schools will also receive targeted support in 2008-09. The budget proposes funding to ensure K-8s offer algebra, to buy library books and materials for their older students, to upgrade science classrooms and to build the IB program at four K-8s. As the budget for facilities improves - whether through Construction Excise Tax collections next year, or through a possible capital bond measure - some funding will be dedicated to K-8s’ renovations, space needs and educational priorities. The proposed budget includes $427 million in General Fund spending, an increase of 1.3 percent from the current year. Superintendent Smith called the revenues “stable but inadequate,” noting that state funding has not fully rebounded from the cuts made during the Oregon recession, and that the state ranks low nationally in support for students and schools. The Portland School Board will hold a public hearing on the proposed budget in at 7 p.m. Tuesday, March 18, in the Blanchard Education Services Center, 501 N. Dixon. In addition, the school board’s Citizens Budget Review Committee, an oversight panel of volunteers, will review, evaluate and make recommendations to the school board regarding the Superintendent’s Proposed Budget. The Portland School Board will approve a budget April 14, which will then go for review by the Tax Supervising Conservation Commission. The final budget adoption will be June 23. The proposed budget document and summary materials are posted at www.pps.k12.or.us, with more background and past years’ data under the “Budget information” link in the right column. ### At Portland Public Schools, this is our goal: By the end of elementary, middle, and high school, every student by name will meet or exceed academic standards and will be fully prepared to make productive life decisions. For more information on Portland Public Schools, call (503) 916-3304, e-mail us at pubinfo@pps.k12.or.us, or visit www.pps.k12.or.us. Portland Public Schools is an equal opportunity educator and employer. _______________________________________________ Key-communicators-list mailing list
Written by imurauskas on Feb 28, 2008 at 05:16 PM Back |
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