Oregon K-12 school budget, at $5.7 billion, takes first step toward approval (16th Article)

Harry Esteve
"Oregon K-12 school budget, at $5.7 billion, takes first step toward approval"
The Oregonian
April 07, 2011
URL: http://www.oregonlive.com/politics/index.ssf/2011/04/oregon_k-12_school_budget_at_5.html

Summary: SALEM – A legislative budget committee sent ahead a $5.7 billion spending level for K-12 schools Wednesday night despite objections from teachers, who showed up in force to plead with lawmakers to blunt what they say will be massive layoffs and shortened school days. "The proposed spending level will only make those bad conditions worse." they said. Sen. Chris Edwards, D-Eugene said, "This is the beginning of a series of miserable decisions we're going to need to make this session."

Intended audience: Teachers, educators, parents

Key points: 1. Teachers, school board members and other education advocates talked about PE classes of 60 students or more, of two-year salary freezes of spending hundreds of dollars from their own bank accounts to pay for classroom supplies.

2. "Today the only solution left is to come before you and ask for more funding -- please more funding from the Education Stability Fund," said Deborah Barnes, a teacher in the North Clackamas School District.

Relevance: We are hearing more and more miserable decisions from Education Department. Is the budget cutting good for students? No. It is sad, but what can teachers do?