Full-Day Kindergarten Implementation Committee

Full-Day Kindergarten Implementation Committee

Full-Day Kindergarten Implementation Committee

Meeting Minutes

Monday, November 9, 2009

Public Service Building, Room 251 B, Salem, Oregon

Members Present: Patti McCleod,Colette Peters, Valerie Sebesta, Annie Soto, Pat Mickiewicz, Jean Underhill, Kevin Spooner, Karen Twain.

Members via telephone: Don Grotting, Kristen Buffaloe, Brenda Lewis.

Legislative Advisors: Senator Mark Hass, Representative Sherrie Sprenger.

Oregon Department of Education (ODE) Staff Present:Susan Castillo, Morgan Allen, Catherine Heaton, Barbara Conreaux.

Welcome and Introductions:

Morgan Allen facilitated this introductory meeting and called it to order at 1:00 p.m. on November 9, 2009.All members introduced themselves and provided a brief summary of their work.Susan Castillo thanked all participants.

Review of Senate Bill 44 and work to be completed by the committee:

Morgan Allen reviewed Senate Bill 44 and opened discussion about work to be completed by the committee.

  • Section 3. (1) The Full-Day Kindergarten Implementation Committee is established.

The purpose of the committee is to aid and advise the Legislative Assembly, school

districts and public charter schools in developing and providing full-day kindergarten

programs by the2012-2013 school year.

(2) The Superintendent of Public Instruction shall determine the membership,terms

of service, and organization of the committee and shall appoint members of the

committee.

(3) The committee shall provide school districts and public charter schools with

resources to determine whether to implement full-day kindergarten programs and how to implement full-day kindergarten programs. The resources may include technical expertise related to capital needs, enrollment trends, funding requirements,

best practices for providing full-day kindergarten and other information a school district or public charter school may require.

  • Section 4. (1)The Full-Day Kindergarten Implementation Committee established bysection 3 ofthis 2009 Act shall submit a report and provide proposed legislation to theinterim legislative committees related to education no later than October 1, 2010. The report and proposed legislation:

a)Shall establish a method for providing funding for full-day kindergarten programs to school districts and public charter schools that offer full-day kindergarten programs.

b)May consider options for phasing in funding described in paragraph (a) of this subsection.

c)May not consider issues or propose legislation that is not related to the implementation of full-day kindergarten programs.

Review and approve draft committee rules:

Morgan Allenread through a draft of committee rules. Discussion followed, and several suggestions were added to the draft rules. Valerie Sebesta moved that the rules be adopted. All voted in favor of the motion.

Committee Rules

  1. The committee shall elect one of its members to serve as chairperson. The committee may elect a vice-chair.
  1. Each member serves at the pleasure of the appointing authority (Superintendent of Public Instruction). If there is a vacancy for any cause, the appointing authority shall make an appointment to become immediately effective.
  1. A quorum is comprised of a majority of the members of the committee. In the absence of a quorum, the committee may convene as a subcommittee for the purposes of public hearing or informational meeting.
  1. Rules applicable to the committee are those adopted by the majority of committee members and by the procedures in Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised, Tenth Edition. Committee rules may be amended by the affirmative vote of the majority of the committee, provided that one week’s notice is given in writing to each committee member.
  1. The chair shall call meetings, set the agenda and cause notice of the time and place of the meeting to be posted in accordance with ORS 192.640, with a goal of posting the agenda at least one week prior to the meeting date. The notice shall specify the type of meeting and, if applicable, whether testimony will be taken and whether a work session will be held.
  1. All meetings shall be open to the public and the press in accordance with the public meeting law. The committee shall not hold a meeting at any place where discrimination on the basis of race, creed, color, sex, age, national origin or disability is practiced. It is discrimination on the basis of disability for the committee to meet in a place inaccessible to the disabled, or upon request of a deaf or hard-of-hearing person, to fail to make a good faith effort to have an interpreter for deaf or hard-of-hearing persons provided at a regularly scheduled meeting. Each meeting shall be open to the public in a barrier-free location.
  1. Meetings shall be held at the regularly scheduled hour, or at the call of the chair, for the purposes of considering such items as may be on the agenda. Meetings shall be recessed or adjourned either by the chair or by an affirmative vote of a majority of those members present.
  1. Subcommittees may be appointed by the chair with specific instructions on matters to be investigated by the subcommittees. Meeting of subcommittees are subject to public meeting and public record laws. A majority vote of a subcommittee shall be required to report a recommendation to the full committee. Only the full committee is authorized to take final action on recommendations affecting any matter before the committee.
  1. A motion does not require a second.
  1. The affirmative vote of a majority of the members of the committee is required to take official action.
  1. All meetings of the committee shall be recorded and written minutes shall be available to the public within a reasonable time after the meeting. Written minutes shall include the following:
  2. attendance of members and staff;
  3. names of witnesses;
  4. all motions and their disposition;
  5. recorded vote on official action; and
  6. any announcements of conflicts of interest.

Nomination and election of committee chair and vice-chair:

Karen Twain expressed an interest in chairing the committee. Patti McCleod moved to elect Karen Twain to serve as chair. All voted in favor of the motion. Valerie Sebesta expressed an interest in serving as co-chair. Colette Peters moved for Valerie Sebesta to serve as co-chair. All voted in favor of the motion.

Historical context and review of current status of kindergarten in Oregon

Catherine Heaton provided an overview of an unofficial data collection that ODE has conducted about full-day kindergarten. These data have not been validated, but show a steady growth in full-day kindergarten in Oregon since 2003-2004. These data are available on the ODE website.

Discussion: Creating a work plan for the committee

Morgan Allen opened the discussion of creating a work plan and a timeline for the committee work.

1. The first consideration discussed was whether to include data and research in the

committee report.

  • Annie Soto recommended that we look at long-term data for which the effects are measurable. She commented that there is little validated research.
  • Representative Sherrie Sprenger said that the report needs a foundation. We should include research and contact Oregon schools for data.

2. What other issues might the committee consider?

  • Should full-day kindergarten be a priority over other programs such as music, physical education, and art?
  • Should full-day kindergarten be mandatory or optional?
  • The charge of the committee is weighted in favor of options.
  • Patti McCleod expressed a concern about equitable opportunity. How does equity play into the charge?
  • If only some districts provide full-day kindergarten, parents will often transfer their

children to a school that has full-day kindergarten.

  • Karen Twain suggested a problem-solving meeting for issues such as transportation and balancing student population.
  • What services are available? For example, programs for English Language Learners and SpecialEducation.
  • Should the committee invite outside experts to make presentations?
  • Valerie Sebesta asked if there were any speakers from the Kindergarten Summit who could be asked to present.
  • Morgan Allen said the committee is expected to come up with a list of best practices.
  • Are there questions about data or how the formula works that the committee should consider?
  • Valerie Sebesta asked if there is any information on cost and facilities needs.
  • Patti McLeod has an interest in data and researching what other states are doing.
  • Catherine Heaton gave an overview of the Oregon full-day kindergarten funding 2008-2009 handout.
  • Representative Sherrie Sprenger asked about district tuition fees. Catherine Heaton said thelargest tuition feethat has been reported to her is $325 per month. She will provide the committee with a sample of whatdifferent districts charge for tuition across the state.
  • Annie Soto reminded the committeethat if there is mandated full-day kindergarten, it is still a parent’s choice to enroll the child.

3. Sub-committees might consider the following:

  • Capitol needs /infrastructure needs of the districts
  • Enrollment trends
  • Costs and funding formula options
  • Best Practices: What a quality full-day kindergarten program would look like

Next meeting date and agenda

The next meeting is set for Tuesday, January 12, 2010, at 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

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