Page 16
(The
Fortiani» (Pbseruer
December 14, 2011
Urging Caution on Governor’s Overhaul
Parent’s
Corner
BY
Sometimes when we're hungry,
we bite off more than we can chew.
Then, we end up choking. T hat’s
my reaction to the well-m eaning
efforts of the governor's Early
Learning Council, which has just
issued plans to drastically over
haul the delivery of early child
hood services to Oregon's most
needy children.
The c o u n cil, at G ov. John
Kitzhaber's urging, was supposed
to "diagnose" the system 's ills
and draft a proposal to revam p
early learning. Along the way,
however, the council forgot to
diagnose the problem s associated
with research-based, com prehen
R on H erndon
sive early learning program s such
as Head Start. It, instead, deliv
ered a mass of restructuring rec
om m endations as solutions to
problem s it never diagnosed.
The council wants legislators to
consider its all-encompassing, di
agnosis-less prescriptions in Feb
ruary. This is a recipe for heartburn
and indigestion, if not gagging.
The crux of the proposal gives
th is u n e le c te d c o u n c il o f
governor’s appointees total power
to set standards, policies, require
ments and services for early learn
ing services across Oregon. The
council proposes to provide ser
vices through local "hubs" that
w ould serve as o n e-stop-shop ing policies to an unelected body.
intake centers for fam ilies. These
This naturally creates anxiety and
hubs would contract with "family uncertainty among program provid
resource managers" who will serve ers. They're wondering why they're
as state-appointed casew orkers being punished without first being
for hundreds of fam ilies. This told what they've done wrong.
would end early childhood edu
The real losers here will be the
cation as we know it in Oregon children and families, children who
and add a new administrative layer live at or below the poverty level
- all by as early as next year.
and are now served by tested, scru
Given how m any years it has tinized and monitored programs like
taken to plant and nurture the o r Head Start. This proposal, unfortu
chard that is now O regon's early nately, takes a "give me the author
learning system , this is akin to ity and ask questions later" ap
setting a forest fire to prune proach.
branches. Talk about heartburn.
Recently the council did take a
Much o f this sounds good, but positive step, however, in propos
im plem entation is where every ing to implant federal Head Start
thing gets tricky. This change standards in law. This will, we hope,
could result in dism antling high- prevent any future tampering with
functioning program s like Head the nourishing menu of Head Start
Start for the sake o f applying un services our neediest children re
tested theoretical changes. In quire, the intensive education,
stead o f determ ining what pro physical, dental and mental health
grams need uprooting, pruning or services and family involvement that
more fertilizer, the council has these standards mandate. These
proposed a broad transfer o f au standards will help guarantee out
thority over statewide early learn comes.
But before we embark on a major
overhaul of these programs for our
poorest and most disabled children,
the council must issue its diagnosis
of what changes need to be made
first.
We stand ready to work with the
co u n cil and m ove fo rw ard
collaboratively. In a recent editorial
in the Oregonian, the newspaper
correctly support more accountabil
ity and budget innovation in early
childhood programs. So do Head
Start advocates.
We stand ready to adopt any real
changes that are based on a clear
diagnosis of what ails our programs.
But until that diagnosis is delivered,
Head Start will continue to ask the
council to protect Oregon's poorest
children and families, who currently
benefit from research-proven pro
grams.
Ron Herndon is a long-time ad
vocate for educational opportuni
ties for African-American children.
He has served as director of Head
Start in Portland since 1975
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