Appeal to School Board

I finally made a formal appeal to the School Board of the Corvallis 509J School District.

Following is the text of the email:


Members of the Board,


My name is Ronald Bjarnason. My daughter is in first grade at Adams School. My oldest son will attend kindergarten this coming year.

For the past few months I have been engaged in a dialogue with various administrators of the Corvallis 509J School District, discussing the issue of kindergarten fees.



There are two issues that I feel have not yet been resolved.

1. While fees and tuition are prohibited for regular school classes (by OAR 581-022-0803 and ORS 339.155), ORS 339.155(1)(a) and ORS 339.141(2) provide that fees may be applied to "classes or courses of study ... which are not a part of the regular school program" (quoted from ORS 339.141(2)).

Currently, children enrolled in 5-day full-day kindergarten programs are assessed a fee. No distinction is made between the regular school program and the extra class time. It seems clear in the literature printed by the district that the fee is for the entire program.

I request that the district make a clear distinction in the daily school schedule between the regular school program and the extra programs. This distinction is already clear for the 3-day full-day programs (allowing students to attend 2.5 days of the program at no charge), but not for the 5-day full-day program. Making such a distinction would facilitate open and free enrollment of all kindergarten age children in the district to all regular school kindergarten programs without any requirement (implied or otherwise) to also attend extra programs that may be offered by each school.


2. ORS 339.155(1)(a) is very clear that the previously discussed fees are subject to ORS 339.147, which states that no fees may be levied against low-income families (defined in ORS 339.147(1)(b) as those who qualify for free or reduced price lunch). Currently District 509J offers tuition waivers to a pre-determined number of students based on a random lottery. Some students who qualify under 339.147(1)(a,b) are currently paying tuition for "courses not part of the regular school program".

I request that a new 509J policy be adopted allowing children of low-income families open and free enrollment to all kindergarten programs, including those classified as extra programs. I request that this new policy be included in all kindergarten literature published by the district where such fees are discussed, and that this policy be communicated to those low-income families that are currently paying such fees.


For your reference, the Oregon statutes referenced above can be found at the following websites:
ORS 339.141, ORS 339.147 and ORS 339.155: http://www.leg.state.or.us/ors/339.html
OAR 581-022-0803: http://arcweb.sos.state.or.us/rules/OARS_500/OAR_581/581_022.html


I have personally met with Patty Pearson (Principal of Adams School), Kathy Rodeman (Director of Business Services) and Superintendent Dawn Tarzian regarding this issue. I do not feel that this issue has been resolved. By sending this email, I am formally appealing this issue to the School Board of Corvallis School District 509J.

I have also sent this email to the following persons that have filed as candidates (and provided emails on their public filings) in the coming election for seats on the school board:

Marilyn Dilles - md3045@yahoo.com
John M. Turman - turmanfinancial@comcast.net
Anne M. Schuster - schustea@peak.org
Lisa Corrigan - lisa_corrigan@comcast.net
Kari Rieck - rieckk@comcast.net AND kari.rieckk@comcast.net (provided in mailing)
William Scott Ten Pas - btenpas@comcast.net

Joshua A. Kvidt did not provide an email address in his filing, and has not been included on this message.

As with all of my communications regarding this matter, I have copied this email to Russ Sweet at the Oregon Department of Education.

I have also sent this email to Rob Priewe and Jennifer Moody at the Corvallis Gazette Times and Lebanon Express.

I continue to blog my efforts at http://corvalliskindergarten.blogspot.com

Ronald Bjarnason
Corvallis, OR