March 30. 2011
®*it Fortiani» OBbserüer HOUSING special edition
IN S ID E
Week ¡nThe Review
H ousing
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FredMeyer
What's on your list today?,
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Missing Teen at Risk
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A lo c a l g i r l , Y a ’S h a w n e e
V au g h n , 14, w as last seen on S a t­
u rd ay , M arch 19 at T a c o B ell on
N o rth e a st 8 2 n d A v en u e. F am ily
m e m b e rs say she w as su p p o se d
to be on h e r w ay to m eet h er
c o u sin , b u t n e v e r m ad e it.
P o rtla n d P o lice at first in v e s ti­
g a te d the d is a p p e a ra n c e as a ru n ­
aw ay but now c o n sid e r V au g h n
as a p e rs o n at ris k a n d h a v e
o p e n ed a m issin g p e rs o n ’s case.
H er c e llp h o n e h as been d ead and
n o o ne has see n o r h eard from her.
V aughn w as last seen w earing a
red and black hat, a w hite v neck
shirt, a black jacket, yellow and green
sw eats, and blue chucks.
A nyone w ho has seen o r heard
from Y a’Shaw nee is urged to call her
Ya 'Shawnee Vaughn
parents, m other Shaquita L ouis at
5 0 3 -7 7 4 -5 2 1 2
and
f a th e r
Y o'Shaw nee V aughn at 310-571-
7259.
State Schools Cut Proposed
short o f continuing all current ser­
vices, w ith roll-up costs, next year,
school officials said.
The d istrict is already taking ac­
tion to reduce the shortfall by ask ­
ing all em ployees to forgo any cost-
Leaders o f a legislative budget- of-living pay increase for next year
writing com m ittee T uesday proposed (a s n e g o tia te d w ith e m p lo y e e
a $5.7 billion State School Fund for unions); and budgeting for high
the next tw o years that is $ 1 billion schools based on teachers teach­
less than budget analysts say is nec­ ing six o f eight class periods.
essary to keep O regon’s school staff
W ith those savings, the legisla­
and services intact next year.
tors’ proposal translates into a short­
For Portland Public Schools, that fall in Portland schools o f m ore than
level o f state funding is $39.6 million $29 m illion next year - the eq u iv a­
Portland could
face $32 million
budget shortfall
lent o f 320 teaching positions across
the d istrict o r ju s t over four w eeks
cut from the school y ear for stu­
dents, local school officials said.
In addition, voters will decide on
a renew ed local option levy for op ­
erations in the M ay 17 election. If
that m easure passes, the expanded
levy is forecast to add $ 19 m illion to
the budget, protecting at least 200
teaching positions from cuts.
Even w ith the local option levy,
Portland Public Schools w ould still
face an estim ated $ 10.2 million short­
fall under the budget proposed.
Uneven Student Discipline Tackled
Advocates hope to end racial
disparities in suspensions, expulsions
fNÏEDHINMlNÏ
pages 10-12
O pinion
pages 14-15
C lassifieds
page 16
H ealth
page 18
F o o d ¿
page 28
P ortland Public Schools and a
co alitio n o f ed u catio n advocates
have reached a partnership ag ree­
m ent to address the problem o f d is­
proportionate discipline m eted out
to students o f color.
B lack, L atino and N ative A m eri­
can students are su sp en d ed and
expelled 2 to 8 tim es as often as
w hite students in local schools.
T o address this problem o f racial
disparity in suspension and expul-
bers and adm inistrators to review ,
develop and im plem ent procedures
and practices that w ill reduce inci­
dents o f referrals, suspension and
sion, the school district revised its expulsions.
discipline policies in 2009. N ow
Each school will work on develop­
school leaders are w orking w ith a ing individual discipline plans that
m ulticultural coalition o f advocates m eet the needs o f each school, but
to put those policies into action.
are in line with the board's policy on
C om m unity E ducation Partners discipline. This w ould include devel­
is a b road-based group o f co m m u ­ oping consistent system s for collect­
nity o rganizations focusing on ed u ­ ing data by race and ethnicity. In the
cation disparities.
2011-12 school year, the com m unity
T en schools have been selected advocates will w ork with each partici­
to take part in a pilot program which pating school to put these plans into
will unite parents, com m unity mem - practice and follow the results.
Oregon Unemployment Benefits Extended
G ov. John K itzhaber signed tw o
pieces o f legislation T hursday that
w ill extend unem ploym ent benefits
up to 26 w eeks for O regonians w ho
have exhausted all other options.
“ A lthough w e are on the path to
econom ic recovery, there are th o u ­
sands o f O regonians w ho are still
stru g g lin g ,” said K itzhaber. “E x ­ ceive the additional benefits by the
tending unem ploym ent benefits is a end o f the year.
life line to people in need right now .”
The other bill will use $26 m illion
O ne piece o f legislation allow s from State U nem ploym ent T rust
O regon to use $225 million in federal Fund toextend benefits forsix weeks.
funds to extend unem ploym ent ben­ T his m oney w ill go to an estim ated
efits for 20 w eeks. N early 50,000 17,500 O regon w orkers w hose ben­
O regonians will be eligible to re­ efits w ould otherw ise expire in April.