Response from School Board

I had three emails in my inbox this morning regarding the Kindergarten issue.

From Kari Reick (current Chair of 509J School Board):

Mr. Bjarnason:

Thank you for taking the time to inform the board of your concerns. We appreciate that you first talked with the principal and superintendent. Your willingness to bring issues forward has assisted the district in providing clearer communication this year regarding transportation for kindergarten students.

I have included my responses to each of your concerns in blue within your original e-mail. If you have any additional questions, please let me know.

Sincerely,

Kari Rieck
Chair, Corvallis School Board

-----Original Message-----
From: Ron Bjarnason [mailto:rbjarnason@gmail.com]
Sent: Friday, May 04, 2007 10:40 PM
To: schoolboard@corvallis.k12.or.us; md3045@yahoo.com; turmanfinancial@comcast.net; schustea@peak.org; lisa_corrigan@comcast.net; rieckk@comcast.net; kari.rieckk@comcast.net; btenpas@comcast.net
Cc: russ.sweet@state.or.us; rob.priewe@lee.net; Jennifer.Moody@lee.net
Subject: Kindergarten Fees


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.

The literature provided to parents and available on the district website states that: “The State of Oregon provides funding for a free, half-time kindergarten program, which is available at all Corvallis Schools. In addition, we also provide two fee-based options: a full day, everyday program that adds 5 extra half days of kindergarten each week and a full-day, three-day program which adds 1 extra half day of kindergarten per week. These fee-based options, available in many of our schools, provide more time to extend the current kindergarten program for children whose parents feel they are ready for an all-day experience.”

The information is designed to provide the distinction of what is free education and what is fee based. Your request, as I understand it, is to clarify the actual structure of the day. The structure of an extended kindergarten program looks different than a half day program due to the fact that the teacher has the opportunity to provide additional instruction. The 3 and 5-day programs are not designed as a “second” part of the child’s day, but instead a structure that may be similar to other grades. For example, a lesson would be provided over an extended time period and not split between the “free” part of day and the “fee based” part of the day. Included in the packet for kindergarten parents is a letter that simply states that we also provide two fee-based options. There is no reference that would require or encourage parents to opt for a fee-based program.


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.

ORS339.147 When tuition authorized; waiver of tuition and fees:

Notwithstanding ORS 339.141, no district school board or public charter school as defined in ORS 338.005 shall require tuition for courses not part of the regular school program, except for traffic safety education, from a pupil who is a member of a low-income family in an amount in excess of what the low-income family may receive as money specifically to be used for payment of such tuition.
(b) As used in this subsection, “low-income family” means a family whose children qualify for free or reduced price school meals under a federal program, including but not limited to the National School Lunch Act and the Child Nutrition Act of 1966, and all their subsequent amendments.

The district does not require tuition or fees for low-income families. The admission for an extended kindergarten program is based on the number of openings available. If the number of students exceeds the spaces, a lottery system is used. In addition, the district makes available a specified number of full and partial scholarships. If the request for scholarships is greater than those available, a lottery system is used. A family who applied for and did not receive a scholarship has the choice to place their child in the 1/2 day “free” program or pay the fee. Because the extended programs are options and the funding for the teacher, materials, supplies and other costs are not covered using state funded dollars, the district is unable to provide an unlimited number of scholarships.

You may be interested in Senate Bill 213, which is before the State Legislature. This bill would allow full-day kindergartens to be state funded. The bill does not require districts to offer full-day kindergartens, but if they do, they will receive a full student allocation for full-day kindergartners, which will allow for free full-day kindergarten. Currently districts only receive 1/2 a student funding for any kindergartner, regardless of their 1/2 day or full day status.




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

From Lisa Corrigan:

Mr. Bjarnason,

I have no additional information regarding Kindergarten fee structures. Kari has covered it with a well–researched and thorough reply. I have also heard that full-day Kindergarten funding is a topic coming up at state level, and may possibly change (to full funding) in the future.

Best Regards,

Lisa Corrigan
Seat 6 Candidate

From Marilyn Dilles:

Hello! Our last forum (for May 15 election) is
Thurs-
day, May 10, at 7:00 p.m. at Westminster House, Monroe
St., near west OSU campus. If you're interested in
hearing what various opinions are, this would be a
good time to ask your q.
Keep in mind that, for the lst 10 years, this 509J
school district has closed schools, eliminating
teachers, and, with the latest closure of Inavale
School in June, 2006, caused Lincoln, Adams, and of
course Franklin with its wait-list, to become crowded
to over-crowded.
In my opinion, Oregon has been chronically under-
funded in WHAT SHOULD BE THE STATE'S #ONE PRIORITY--
funding for the public education of its citizens from
K through 20. Health, including mental and emotional
health, police, transportation, etc. etc. etc. all
have
conflicting agendas and want/demand their share of the
pot.
Some Caifornians visiting here mentioned that Ca.
has a statewide mandate to have no more that 20
children per Kindergarten class. I am certainly FOR
this, which means hiring moe teachers but gives them
breathing space to address individual child's
progress. The Chalkboard Project out of Portland has
had three bills in the House education Committee; one
speaks of funding K OR lst grade with a maximum of
15 to 17 children per class. Doing this statewide is
millions of dollars. Best practices, yes; affordable,
at this time, highly unlikely.
I hope that you can come to the NAACP forum at
Westminster House on Thursday. We do know that, what
with a local tax over-ride for public schools here,
and a promise of more funding from the State, 509J
should be better off than these "down" years. The
operative word is SHOULD!
Best, Marilyn Dilles