The ongoing coronavirus pandemic has Oregon’s public schools in a constant state of flux.
While state education officials originally insisted that prolonged closures wouldn’t lead to districts launching online classes, they reversed course on that position less than two weeks later.
The news changes rapidly these days. Here’s the state of Oregon education as families and educators finish out the third week of school closures:
State says school is likely out until summer
The Oregon Department of Education is advising districts across the state to adopt distance learning techniques for all of their students as officials expect Gov. Kate Brown’s order shuttering public schools to extend beyond April 28.
Districts have until April 13 to launch their plans, which state officials said may be a combination of online classes and lesson packets distributed to students’ homes or at meal sites.
Some smaller districts, including Estacada and Corbett in the metro area, have already launched online programs as have many private schools.
Portland Public Schools goes online Monday
Teachers working for the state’s largest district spent the week preparing to launch on distance learning, according to memos obtained by The Oregonian/OregonLive.
Officials told the school board Thursday that these strategies will likely require continuous tweaking as educators adapt to a new workflow. And only high schoolers will be taking classes for credit because teachers can’t reliably and equitably measure proficiency for all of their students.
Students won’t receive failing grades in classes they take during the final two weeks of the year, either. Instead, teachers will assign incompletes, which students may address after classes resume as normal.
The district has lent out about 3,900 Chromebooks from its stock of about 45,000 laptops and tablets. About 7,000 families have requested a device, 1,800 of whom lack internet access.
The district also continues to provide to-go meals at 15 schools.
Portland Public Schools spokeswoman Karen Werstein said the district has handed out 76,150 meals since March 15. More than one quarter of those meals, or 21,000, were served Friday.
Coronavirus is going to impact district budgets. The question is by how much
Businesses across the state have made deep cuts to remain afloat as the coronavirus pandemic wreaks havoc on the economy. And several business owners are appealing to Oregon lawmakers, asking for an extension on payments into the state’s new $1 billion per year tax on profits of more than $1 million coming due in mere weeks.
That means districts expecting a slice of the $500 million Student Investment Account to hire teachers, counselors and other specialists may need to dial back their plans.
In Portland Public Schools, Deputy Superintendent for Operations Claire Hertz said the virus’ effects may extend into the general fund — she expects Superintendent Guadalupe Guerrero’s 2020-21 budget may require cuts of between 4% and 9%, or about $60 million.
Oregon’s public universities won’t ask for SAT scores anymore
High schoolers applying to Oregon’s public colleges and universities won’t need to submit SAT scores anymore. The state’s largest universities — Oregon, Oregon State and Portland State — were the last three to drop the requirement from their applications.
More than half a dozen universities in a joint announcement cited research showing strong ties between family income and test performance played a factor in their decision.
“Standardized tests add very little to our ability to predict an individual student’s success at a university or college,” said Jon Boeckenstedt, OSU vice provost for enrollment management.
It’s officially a ‘no’ on standardized tests
The Oregon Department of Education applied for exemptions to federal testing requirements in mid-March as the coronavirus pandemic was just ramping up in the state. Officials had already announced standardized tests — Oregon students typically take Smarter Balanced exams in kindergarten through eighth grades and again in their junior year of high school — were likely canceled for the year after the state was granted a preliminary approval.
Department spokesman Marc Siegel told The Oregonian/OregonLive the approval was finalized in late March.
Public online academies can’t accept new students
While it remains unclear which parts of Gov. Kate Brown’s school closure order applies to the state’s public online academies, officials at those schools are certain that they can’t accept new students.
Oregon Connections Academy, the state’s largest such institution with an enrollment of 3,886 as of October, won’t allow visitors to advance past the initial enrollment screen on its site.
“Due to Governor Brown’s Executive Order 20–08, as of March 27, 2020 the Oregon Department of Education has advised that no students are able to withdraw or enroll in any schools during the school closure. This closure lasts through April 28, 2020 and this timeline could potentially be extended,” a prompt reads.
--Eder Campuzano | 503-221-4344 | @edercampuzano
Do you have a tip about Portland Public Schools? Email Eder at ecampuzano@oregonian.com or message either of the social accounts above.
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