REGION
Wednesday, December 6, 2017
East Oregonian
Page 3A
Report examines Oregon education against other states
Oregon graduation
rate second lowest
among states
“The continual
pattern in Oregon
education is that
you’re given less and
you expect more.”
By JAYATI
RAMAKRISHNAN
East Oregonian
Oregonians have heard
before that their graduation
rates are among the lowest
in the country. But some
data recently compiled by
the state’s Legislative Policy
and Research Office may
clarify why, and explain
that Oregon students don’t
always face a level playing
field when it comes to
achievement comparisons.
Additionally, the Oregon
Department of Education
released its statewide report
card last week, examining
overall numbers for many
aspects of Oregon education.
The report included data
on graduation and dropout
rates,
school
funding,
attendance, test results and
progress for students in
specific demographics.
Numbers for the two
reports did not always match
up, and the data comparing
various states was pulled
from several different years.
For some data points, the
year was not specified.
A few months ago, State
Representative Greg Smith’s
office requested data from
Greg Smith
Mark Mulvihill
the Legislative Policy and
Research Office with the
hopes of understanding why
Oregon’s graduation rates
are suffering. They asked
for a side-by-side compar-
ison of Oregon and 10 other
states: five high-performing
states and five comparable
Western states.
A spokesperson for Smith
said although they won’t
be able to act on the data
until the legislative session
begins, Smith wanted to take
a look at what states with the
highest-performing schools
were doing differently from
Oregon.
Against high-performing
states
Massachusetts,
Connecticut, New Jersey,
Vermont and Minnesota,
and western states Colo-
rado, Utah, Washington,
Nevada and Arizona, the
data showed how Oregon
stacked up in eleven cate-
gories.
Among the findings:
• Oregon displayed lower
scores than the other states
Heidi Sipe
in most categories. Oregon’s
graduation rate was 72
percent, lower than all
the states listed except for
Nevada, at 70 percent. New
Jersey’s graduation rate was
highest, at 89 percent.
• Oregon had one of
the shortest school years,
with students in school
161 days. Only Colorado’s
was shorter, at 160 days.
Students in most other states
listed attended for 180 days.
• Oregon had 22.18
pupils per teacher, one
of the highest. Utah and
Arizona had comparable
ratios, while Vermont’s was
the lowest, at 10.59 and new
Jersey’s was 11.96.
• Oregon and Washington
had the highest percentages
of chronic absenteeism,
at 22.7 and 24.8 percent,
respectively.
• Oregon requires 24
credits to graduate, tied with
New Jersey for the highest
number among the states
surveyed.
Massachusetts
and Colorado have no state-
— Heidi Sipe,
Umatilla Superintendent
wide credit requirement,
and Connecticut, Vermont
and Washington require 20
credits.
On the Oregon state-
wide report card, the
ODE reported that its
teacher-to-student ratio is
decreasing, and was at 20.26
for 2016-2017 (average of
all three school levels). It
said 95 percent of its funding
goes to school buildings and
student services, and that it
spent $11,241 per student in
2015-2016.
Data for the state report
card is available at the
state’s education website.
Some local educators
have said while a few of the
factors were comparable
across states, education
data tends to lump together
things that can’t really be
compared.
“Graduation rates are
difficult to compare state-
to-state because of what’s
reported and what’s required
for diplomas,” said Inter-
Mountain Education Service
District
Superintendent
Mark Mulvihill. He added
that some data, such as SAT
scores, can be compared
nationwide. But for things
like chronic absenteeism
and graduation rates, there
are too many factors that
don’t translate across state
boundaries.
He said in Oregon,
someone who completed
high school in four years
and completed 24 credits
is considered a “graduate.”
But someone who is cred-
it-deficient, or completes in
five years, will count against
the district.
“What we consider a
dropout versus what other
states do counts against our
graduation rates,” he said.
Umatilla
Superinten-
dent Heidi Sipe, who has
served on various statewide
education boards, echoed
Mulvihill’s comments.
“I think it’s great that
people are really looking at
this (data),” she said. “It’s
difficult to have a discussion
about graduation rates when
the comparisons are simply
not comparable.”
Sipe noted the discrep-
ancy in the number of days
of school Oregon students
attend and the number of
credits they’re expected to
complete.
“My kids went to school
one full school year less than
their cousins in Washington,
yet they’re expected to do
more than many students
in neighboring states,” she
said. “The continual pattern
in Oregon education is that
you’re given less and you
expect more.”
Sipe said considering
the
limited
resources
Oregon educators have,
they performed relatively
well. She cited a news
release from the Oregon
Department of Education in
September 2016 that noted
Oregon students scored
between 12 and 31 points
higher than the national
average on each section of
the SATs.
She said some of the
statistics are often linked to
low-income populations.
“Most of the time, high
poverty schools really align
with low attendance,” she
said.
Mulvihill said it was
important to hold Oregon
schools accountable, but
that some national compari-
sons were unfair to students.
“Some of these indica-
tors are ‘apples to apples,’
and some are ‘apples to
oranges,’” he said. “The
‘apples to apples’ are where
we need to have conversa-
tions.”
–——
Contact
Jayati
Ramakrishnan at 541-564-
4534 or jramakrishnan@
eastoregonian.com.
No settlement reached
for Houfmuse
room Monday before it
was closed for the private
No settlement was hearing. They talked about
reached Monday during the toll the last few months
has taken on their
a
conference
family.
between
the
“His kids are
Umatilla County
just going through
District
Attor-
hell,” said Beverly
ney’s Office and
Cragun,
the
Tyree Houfmuse,
victim’s mother.
who is charged
His
sister,
with
murder,
Cynthia Bailey,
m a n s l a u g h t e r,
said the family
felon in posses-
was hoping for a
sion of a firearm,
life imprisonment
and two counts Houfmuse
sentence.
of unlawful use
She said the family was
of a weapon, in the May
death of Hermiston resident also hoping to find out
exactly what happened that
James Cragun.
Jaclyn Jenkins, the chief night, as they still don’t
deputy district attorney, know the exact series of
said the next step would events that led to Cragun’s
likely be for the judge to set death.
Some of Houfmuse’s
motion dates and trial dates,
but no such dates have yet relatives were also at the
courthouse on Monday.
been scheduled.
Cragun’s parents and Houfmuse’s aunt declined
sister were at the court- to comment on the case.
East Oregonian
PENDLETON
Schools interested in joining
education research project
East Oregonian
Pendleton could get
another extension service,
but not in the field of agri-
culture.
At a meeting Monday,
the
Pendleton
School
Board discussed entering
the school system into the
Oregon Research Schools
Network, a University of
Oregon pilot project that
touts itself as the agricultural
extension service model for
education.
Under the five-year
project, Pendleton and
several
other
districts
across the state would have
an embedded researcher
studying local schools and
providing best practices to
teachers based on the data.
In exchange for funding
the researcher position, the
university will get a chance
to do student outreach and
recruitment.
Superintendent
Chris
Fritsch said the researcher
would likely be an existing
faculty member who would
split their time between the
classroom and research.
He added that one area the
Pendleton researcher could
study is best teaching prac-
tices for Native American
students.
Fritsch said the district
and the university are trying
to hammer out the final
details of the project and not
every aspect of network’s
offerings will make it to
Pendleton. For instance,
the network’s dual-credit
program would replicate the
dual-credit classes Pendleton
High School already offers.
Director of Business
Services Michelle Jones said
she will return to the board
with an intergovernmental
agreement between the
district and college.
The board seemed
supportive of the project and
like the length of the univer-
sity’s commitment.
“It seems like a good
opportunity that’s not going
to collapse in 18 months,”
board member Debbie
McBee said.
BIRTHDAY!
Please come join us for a SURPRISE 75th
Birthday Party for Helen Mcafee on Saturday
December 9th from 1:30 to 4:00 P.M. at the
Hermiston Christian Event Center located at
1825 W Highland Avenue
in Hermiston,Oregon.
We will provide appetizers and entertainment.
No gifts needed just your
presence.
Staff photo by E.J. Harris
Flipped semi on I-84 shuts down eastbound lanes
Pendleton firefighters respond to a semi-trailer flipped on its side causing another cash with a vehicle in the
eastbound lane of Interstate 84 on Tuesday in Pendleton. The wreck completely closed traffic in the eastbound
lanes of the freeway.
COMING EVENTS
WEDNESDAY, DEC. 6
ADULT BEGINNERS’ COM-
PUTERS, 3-4 p.m., Pendleton
Public Library meeting room,
502 S.W. Dorion Ave., Pend-
leton. Registration is required.
Classes tailored to the needs of
the attendees. (541-966-0380)
ADULT & TEEN COLOR
CLUB, 5:30 p.m., Pendleton
Public Library, 502 S.W. Dorion
Ave., Pendleton. A relaxing hour
of coloring. We have colors and
coloring sheets so just come join
us. (Mary Finney 541-966-0380)
COMMUNITY CHRISTMAS
LIGHTING CELEBRATION, 6
p.m., SAGE Center, 101 Olson
Road, Boardman. Living nativ-
ity, Christmas tree lighting, pre-
school choir, Christmas carolers,
Santa Claus, refreshments and
more. Free. (541-481-7243)
KIDS CLUB, 6:30-8 p.m.,
Hermiston Christian Center,
1825 W. Highland Ave., Herm-
iston. For ages 5-12. Includes
open gym, games, prizes,
snacks music, puppets and
more. Transportation available.
(Joanna Hayden 541-561-5573)
V E G A N / S U S TA I N A B L E
LIVING POTLUCK SUPPER,
7 p.m., location varies, location
varies, Pendleton. Bring a veg-
an dish and recipe. Gluten-free
friendly group. Call to RSVP and
for driving directions. (541-969-
3057)
TOUR OF KNOWLEDGE,
7-8 p.m., Eastern Oregon Higher
Education Center, 980 S.E. Co-
lumbia Drive, Hermiston. Discus-
sion of public hearings, meetings
and events relevant to the area,
and reports on sites and facilities
that impact natural resources
and places of historical interest.
Free and everyone welcome.
(Eileen Laramore 541-303-3872)
THURSDAY, DEC. 7
PRESCHOOL STORY TIME,
10:15-11 a.m., Pendleton Public
Library, 502 S.W. Dorion Ave.,
Pendleton. Stories and activities
for young children. (541-966-
0380)
PRESCHOOL STORY AND
CRAFT TIME, 10:30 a.m., MIl-
ton-Freewater Public Library, 8
S.W. Eighth Ave., Milton-Free-
water. (Lili Schmidt 541-938-
8247)
PEARL
HARBOR
DAY
EVENT, 11 a.m.-5 p.m., Pend-
leton Air Museum, 21 S.W. Em-
igrant Ave., Pendleton. Meet
and greet opportunity with lo-
cal Pendleton WWII veterans
and members of the Pendleton
VFW talking about Pearl Har-
bor. Cookies and coffee will be
served. Free. (Becky Dunlap
541-278-0141)
BOARDMAN
SENIOR
MEAL SERVICE, 12 p.m.,
Boardman Senior Center, 100
Tatone St., Boardman. Cost is
$4 for seniors 55 and over or $5
for adults. (541-481-3257)
HERMISTON
SENIOR
Merry Christmas
from Michael’s Fine Jewelry
Special Savings Storewide
through December 24th, 2017
MEAL SERVICE, 12 p.m., Our
Lady of Angels Catholic Church
parish hall, 565 W. Hermiston
Ave., Hermiston. Cost is $4 for
adults, free for children 10 and
under, $4 for Meals on Wheels.
Extra 50 cents for utensils/dish-
es. Bus service to parish hall by
donation. (541-567-3582)
PENDLETON
SENIOR
MEAL SERVICE, 12-1 p.m.,
Pendleton Senior Center, 510
S.W. 10th St., Pendleton. Costs
$3.50 or $6 for those under 60.
Pool, puzzles, crafts, snacks,
Second Time Around thrift store
9 a.m. to 1 p.m. For Meals On
Wheels, call 541-276-1926.
(541-276-7101)
SENSORY STORY TIME,
12:30 p.m., Boardman Public
Library, 200 S. Main St., Board-
man. For children from birth to
age 4. (541-481-2665)
SKILLS FOR LIFE, 3-5 p.m.,
Pendleton Recreation Center,
510 S.W. Dorion Ave., Pendle-
ton. Gym activities and life skills
for middle and high school stu-
dents. Registration requested.
(Danny Bane 541-379-4250)
YARN CLUB, 5:30 p.m.,
Hermiston Public Library, 235 E.
Gladys Ave., Hermiston. (541-
567-2882)
UMATILLA COUNTY CHIL-
DREN AND FAMILY GRIEF
RECOVERY CENTER ORGA-
NIZATIONAL MEETING, 6 p.m.,
New Hope Community Church,
1350 S. Highway 395, Hermis-
ton. Meet-and-greet at 5:45 p.m.
followed by meeting at 6 p.m. All
those interested in volunteering
are encouraged to attend. (Matt
Terjeson 503-720-1620)
STUDENT
OF THE
WEEK
Sadie Wilson
Senior - Griswold High School
Griswold High School is proud to name Sadie
Wilson as its Student of the Week. Sadie is a senior
at Griswold High School. She is a member of FBLA,
National Honor Society and is the current ASB Vice-
President. She is also an all-around athlete lettering
in volleyball, basketball and track! At the Old
Oregon League District Volleyball Tournament this
year Sadie Wilson was selected 1st team All-District
and made the All-Tournament District Team. She
has done all of this while maintaining a 4.0 GPA.
Congratulations Sadie and keep up the good work!
Proudly Sponsored By:
Proudly Sponsored By:
“Creating Memories”
234 S. Main Street • Pendleton, OR 97801 • 541-276-0303
michael@michaelsfi nejewelrystore.com
www.michaelsfi nejewlerystore.com
Mid Columbia Producers, Inc.
345 N. 1st Place, Hermiston, OR 97838
541-289-5015 • www.mcpcoop.com