Sponsored by: Paul Zastrow, Education Caucus Approved: 06/28/2015
A RESOLUTION OF THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY OF OREGON
Whereas the Oregon Legislature has adopted the QEM (Quality Education Model) as the standard for achievement for Oregon’s schools based on both research and best practices since the early 1990’s; and
Whereas the QEM is based on the best research and proven best educational practices since the 1990’s; and
Whereas the QEC (Quality Education Commission) evaluates the progress made by Oregon education toward the QEM goal every two years; and
Whereas the QEC considers educational research, best proven classroom practices, public values, and professional opinions in developing cost-per-student prototype programs for elementary, middle and high school program; and
Whereas each prototype school provides a vision for a high-performing school with goals of class size, numbers of teachers and specialists, special needs, materials and supplies, and technology improvements and other factors; and
Whereas Oregon schools are deficient in a number of categories nationwide with the third largest class size and in the lowest 20 in terms of spending per pupil*; and
Whereas Planks 1 and 3 of Article 3 of the Democratic Party of Oregon 2014 Platform call for “sufficient, equitable, stable and sustainable public funding” and a “restoration of a full range of courses and services”; and
Whereas attempts to close the funding gap, including an additional $1 Billion in 2013-2015 still leave Oregon short of the QEM goal by over $2 Billion; and
Whereas the current 2015-2016 budget proposed by Governor Kitzhaber does not reduce this funding shortage for QEM for K-12 education and still falls $2 Billion dollars short of the target:
Therefore, be it resolved that the Democratic Party of Oregon:
- Reaffirms it support for full implementation of the QEM in Oregon.
- Calls on the Legislature to make every possible attempt to continue to reduce the gap between QEM targets and actual funding including modifications to the proposed budget.
- Requests a public forum sponsored by the Oregon Department of Education to include students, parents, educators, and administrators as a means to find the resources to achieve QEM goals.
Submitted by Paul Zastrow for the Education Caucus of the DPO, December 2, 2014; formatted by the P&RC Chair, Dec. 5, 2014.
