Superintendent S Business Advisory Team

Full-Day Kindergarten Implementation Committee

Meeting Minutes Thursday, July 29, 2010 9:00 am to 12:00 pm Public Service Building – Room 251B Salem, Oregon

Members present: Karen Twain, Brenda Lewis, Valerie Sebesta, Pat Mickiewicz, Jean Underhill, Don Grotting, Annie Soto, Kristen Buffaloe

Legislative Advisors present: Senator Jeff Kruse, Representative Sherrie Sprenger

Oregon Department of Education (ODE) staff present: Morgan Allen, Catherine Heaton, Barbara Conreaux

Welcome and introductions Chair Karen Twain called the meeting to order at 9:10.

Approve minutes Members reviewed the minutes of the June 21, 2010, meeting. Don Grotting moved to approve the minutes. All members voted in favor of the motion.

Agenda review Chair Karen Twain reviewed the agenda and noted the emails sent by Patti McLeod and Kevin Spooner, members who were unable to attend the meeting today.

Review and discussion of draft committee report Morgan Allen led a discussion of the draft report and the recommendations that were included in the report.  Committee members’ title changes were noted.  Pat Mickiewicz remarked that full-day kindergarten has been supported by tuition in many districts and that has raised some equity issues.  Morgan Allen discussed the computer simulation that Steve Meyer of the Legislative Revenue Office prepared. Morgan explained the state school funding formula and how it applies to school districts that have full-day kindergarten.  Senator Jeff Kruse said that, from the perspective of the legislature, full-day kindergarten is a good idea and is no longer an issue. The real issue at this point is dollars and cents. He would like to see the capital costs.  Laurie Wimmer of OEA spoke to the committee about the phase-in portion of the computer simulation (run). She explained that the formula does not pay for full-day kindergarten and that changing the formula doesn’t change the funding. She stated that, in her opinion, the best way to present the recommendation would be to change the formula to a full-weight on the date the mandate goes into effect.  Morgan Allen reviewed Senate Bill 44 requirements. The majority of the committee voted to mandate full-day kindergarten for all Oregon public school students to ensure equal access and equity beginning with the 2015-16 school year. The majority of the committee voted to recommend changing the School Funding Formula to a full-weight (1.0) for each enrolled kindergarten student beginning in the 2015-16 school year. Full-Day Kindergarten Implementation Committee

Meeting Minutes Thursday, July 29, 2010 9:00 am to 12:00 pm Public Service Building – Room 251B Salem, Oregon

 Capital needs were discussed, and the recommendation to leave capital construction to the local school district was confirmed.  Attendance was discussed and confirmed as parental choice, but the committee recommends compulsory attendance law would apply to any student under the age of 7 upon enrollment.  Waiver of the full-day kindergarten mandate was discussed. A majority of the committee voted to remove the waiver option from the draft recommendation.  Morgan Allen asked the committee for wording to be included in conclusion. Representative Sherrie Sprenger suggested including the intensive work the committee has devoted to the recommendation. Brenda Lewis suggested a concluding statement that focuses on the children.

Next steps The revised draft report will be sent out to committee members during the week of August 15. The committee voted to open the final report to written public comment.

Next meetings The next meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, August 24, 2010, at 2:00 pm, in Public Service Building, Room 251 B or via telephone. The final meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, September 14, 2010, 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm, in Public Service Building, Room 251 B.

Brenda Lewis moved to adjourn. All voted in favor of the motion. The meeting was adjourned at 11:45 am.