Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 10, 1997)
SEPT. 10, 1997 ÏI]C Jlortbtwh <©b*ert*rr Oregon Test Scores Are Up Oregon students in 1997 scored higher than students in previous years on state math and reading tests and maintained high cores on writing tests. Students in grades 3, 5 ,8 and 10 were tested last spring. After years o f flat math scores, scores for grades 3 and 5 jum ped three points and grade 10 increased one point. Grade 8 rem ained the same. Math scores for grades 3 and 5 are the highest in the seven years o f state testing, while scores for grades 8 and 10 match previous highs. Reading scores continued their steady climb. Scores for grades 3,5 and 8 increased, while the grade 10 score held steady. “We are seeing dramatic im p ro v e m e n t in th e e le m e n ta ry grades,” said State Schools Supt. Norma Paulus. “Y ounger students are experiencing the new higher standards from the beginning o f their education and the difference shows in their scores. As more and more students move through the new system, we will see marked im provem ent” Standards are Higher For the first time since state test ing began, the tests now are con nected to higher academ ic stan dards. Last fall, the State Board o f Education increased scores stu- | dents are expected to achieve on | the tests. “We raised the bar m uch higher,” said Paulus. “A lthough it will take | time for students to reach the new I I higher expectations, this year’s re- I suits show that students are step- | ping up the academic ladder.” I "W e need to keep in m ind that I the new standards are m uch higher I than ever before,” said Pualus. For I example, students scoring 226 on I the g rad e 10 sta te m a th te st I achieved the proficient level ofper- I formance in previous years. The I new standard is 239. In m ost cases, more students are I meetingthe standards. Forexample, J 62 percent o f third graders achieved I the math standard com pared to 52 I percent in 1996. Fifty-nine percent I o f fifth graders achieved the math I standard com pared to 48 percent in I 1996. I Grade 8 and 10 m ath results are I not as positive. Forty-nine percent I I I o f eighth graders met the standard, up one percent from 1996, and 30 percent o f tenth graders met the standards, down one percent. I A study in 1996 shows that stu- dents who take tough math courses in high school have little difficulty meeting the standard. However, Or- egon students trail students na- tionally in the percentage who take those classes. Paulus praised Salem -K eizer School D istrict’s “Algebra for All” ‘Build a firewall around instruc- tionaltim e’ I Protecting class time is critical, said Paulus. “Schools need to build a firewall around their classrooms. Too many timesnatchers are grab- bing instructional time. W e never see a football gam e interrupted for m ath practice, but math class is I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I interrupted all the time to get ready for a football gam e.” O ther program s which steal in structional time, she said, include the DARE program, pep rallies and assem blies, d riv er’s education, walk-a-thons, health screenings, im munizations and fundraisers. “They need to occur outside the regular school day, not during it,” she said. “Communities can start taking care o f some o f these things and not expect schools to do it all.” Beginning in 1998-99, tenth grad ers m ust meet standards on read ing, writing and math tests to re ceive a Certificate oflnitial mastery. Except for Asians, minority stu dents have more difficulty meeting the new standards. For instance, only 22 percent o f Hispanics, 26 percent o f N ative Americans and 27 percent o f Blacks met the grade 8 math standard. Fifty-eight per cent o f Asians and 53 percent o f W hites met the standard. M in o rity stu d e n ts are e n ro ll in g in p u b lic sch o o ls in h ig h e r num bers. For exam ple, H ispanic en ro llm en t increased 11 percent la st sch o o l y e a r co m p ared to an o v erall en ro llm e n t in crease o f 2 p e rc e n t. For m any o f these students, lan guage barriers, poverty and mobil ity make learning more difficult. Test results are available on the Oregon Department o f Education’s web page on the Internet (http:// www.ode.state.or.us) "Back to School" W ith Experience Corps!! Puppeteers needed To Serve Lo cal Schools The Kids on the Block A w are ness Program is seeking up to eight volunteers to help present elementary school puppet shows he Experience Corps pro aimed at stopping gangs and vio gram, a national dem on lence, vandalism, and sexual abuse. stration project recently held their Volunteers are trained in a particu annual kick-off, to celebrate and lar topic and in the art o f puppetry bring together the teams from the and then commit just tw o m orn six participating schools in the ings a month from October to May fight to end illiteracy am ong for school performances. Portland ’ s First, Second, and Third Fall training begins Sept. 11 and grade children. continues one-half day per week The Experience Corps program or six weeks. consists of older adults (5 5+) work “We have 40 dedicated puppe ing in teams to organize projects teers who gave more than 300 per embracing the needs o f elem en formances on 13 deferent topics to tary schools and their com m uni more than 26,000 school children ties. The teams help to fill critical this past year — throughout Mult types opened up by school fund n o m ah , W a sh in g to n and ing cuts and the increased needs Clackamas counties. But w e’ve o f children. Our goal is to match barely made a dent reach ing all the older Americans whose consider children whos lives are being torn able experience constitute an ex apart by violence, gangs and traordinary repository o f help for abuse,” says Denise Tomasovic, our children. With their energy executive director for Kids on the and enthusiasm they can create Block. “We believe our program s service achievement, strengthen do make a difference, but we want ing parent-teacher organizations, to do more. Serving 15-20 schools and developing and implementing out o f 300 with a given topic just after-school programs. isn’t good enough. But we need Our dedicated m em bers at O.P. help to do m ore.” Lent Elementary School invite you Kids on the Block programs to join them in their “back to use child-size puppets to help school” poetry readings. This children learn to understand and project, called “poetry break” in accept disabilities and other dif spires children to expand their read ferences in one another, and how ing and comprehension skills while to stay safe in difficult situations. exposing them to other forms o f W orking in pairs, the puppets literature and diversity. The event present a short skit and then an will take place on Tuesday Sep swer children’s questions, ad tember 2, 1997 at9:00a.m . dressing fears and concerns in a We hope that you can attend simple, non-threatening way. Each our “Back to School” with Experi program takes about 25 minutes, ence Corps. If you have any ques including Q& A. Teachers receive tions or wish to confirm, please follow-up materials and discus call the Experience Corps staff at sion questions. 249-0469. T ¿OS Dr. Dapo Sobomehin of Portland with his son Remi and friend Andromeda Thomas enjoy a light moment during summer vacation. Sobomehin is executive director of Operation EASY, School^ That Fits Your Life Flexible programs. Convenient class tim es. Classes at three cam puses, three centers and 200 neighborhood locations. Affordable tuition. ♦ Start on a bachelor s degree ♦ Train for a new career. ♦ I Jpgrade your job skills. ♦ Enhance your life. Register now. Classes start Sept. 22. Call 977-4382 for information or visit our web site at ww w.pcc.edu. Portland Community College Cascade Campus 4 th Annual High School C ssoy Contest Announced program book: “My T urn” Essay: student Voices,” which will be dis tributed at high schools nationwide. “We are committed to helping stu dents get into college,” said Johathan Grayer, Kaplan ’ s president and CEO. “This contest not only provides stu dents with funds for school, but it serves as a forum through which they can voice their opinions on key is sues that will impact their future.” “Our goal is to honor the best and brightest o f the nation’s young writ ers,” said Richard M. Smith, editor- in-chief and president o f Newsweek. “And we hope this contest will en courage all students to develop their writing talents.” The first-place w inner will also receive a free K aplan PS A T , SAT or ACT course or product, subject to availability. Students are asked to subm it a 500-1,000 word essay on one o f six designated topics. Entries must be accom panied by an official entry form and postmarked by March 27,1998. For a complete entry packet, in cluding official rules and official en try form, students should contact their guidance counselor, or call K aplanat l-800-K A P-TEST(orvisit th e K a p la n w eb site at www.kaplan.com). Kaplan Educational Centers is one o f the nation’s prem ier education com panies, providing individuals with a full range o f resources to achieve their educational and career goals. W ith 1,200 locations throughout the U.S. and abroad, Kaplan has served 3 m illion students in its na tionally-recognized test preparation courses. In addition, Kaplan offers admis sion services, student loan inform a tion program s career services, indi vidualized study programs for gram mar school students and educational tools for universities and businesses. Kaplan is a wholly-owned sub sidiary o f The W ashington Post Company. The connection obstacles to build a solid foundation The roots o f African Americans in this country are deep. They have toiled for hundreds o f years for their rightful place in American society. Throughout the times o f struggle, it was by maintaining family connections fo r to d a y 's y o u th . A link to history is nurtured by a c o n n e ctio n to fa m ily roots. At U S WEST", we recognize the importance o f learning and sharing the history o f African Americans. We help families share their histoiy by providing the best telecommunications products and service s a v a ila b le a n y w h e re . This way, your family connections are always maintained - across the miles, over the years - throughout history. that they persevered. Their endurance was strengthened by the determination inherited from parents, grandparents and great grandparents and is a testimony to their heritage. They understood injustice and overcame countless - ■ ’ « s
