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Local schools oppose tuition bill
Virgil Stevenson, 17, grinds the welding on a handicap ramp for the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Department during an industrial arts class at North Medford High School. Under Senate Bill 783, Stevenson could take the class at a community college and the school district would be required to pay for it. Say proposed college-course fees are attempt to establish voucher program By DAMIAN MANN Jackson County school superintendents have denounced a state Senate bill that would further cripple their budgets by forcing them to pay nearly $275,000 in tuition for high school students to attend college-level courses. "It strips scarce dollars from already tight district budgets," said Rogue River School District Superintendent Charles Hellman. Senate Bill 783, also known as the "Expanded Options Program," is designed to reduce the dropout rate among high school students by offering them educational alternatives.
But districts, facing severe cutbacks this year, believe that any 11th- or 12th-grader who wanted to go to Rogue Community College or even a private school could take advantage of this program and districts would have to pay for it. State officials have calculated the maximum cost to a district would be about $32,000 for each 1,000 students in a high school. Superintendents believe the bill, which has made its way past initial legislative review, is just another attempt to foist vouchers on public education. Superintendents worry that students other than dropouts would take advantage of the legislation to enroll in college-level courses, thereby saving tuition fees. They also believe that there are already programs in place that allow some high school students to attend college classes. "This bill would replace a very solid relationship we already have with the community college," said Hellman. SB783 would take money that schools receive for each student - about $4,000-5,000 a year - and force the districts to use it to pay for college courses. "This bill is being sponsored by the voucher folks - a lot of conservative, right-wing Republicans," said Butte Falls Superintendent Clay Dunlap. "If this goes through, the kids could choose to go to RCC." Proponents of the bill say it is designed to help dropouts and students who are low-income, at-risk or minorities by giving them an option other than high school. The bill now awaits review by the House Ways and Means Committee. If it makes it past this committee, the bill would then go before the Legislature. Sponsored by Sen. Avel Gordly, D-Portland, and backed by Associated Oregon Industries, the bill had a previous legislative incarnation as the "Student Bill of Rights." Karen Powell, legislative analyst for Gordly, said the original bill was altered to put a cap of $32,000 for each 1,000 students at a high school. She said the bill could not be written specifically to benefit dropouts or at-risk students because that would be discriminatory. "The option of going to a college course is available now for certain students," said Powell. "But not for at-risk or dropouts. That's why we focused on those two populations. With a different setting, it might spur them to stay in school." She rejected the notion that the bill is being backed by conservatives. "Senator Gordly is a Democrat and she's sponsoring the bill." Medford School District, with about 3,500 students at its two high schools, could stand to lose about $100,000 under the proposal, further weakening its already tight budget. "I don't think public schools can afford any more dollars lost," said Medford Superintendent Steve Wisely. One of the students at North Medford High School, Virgil Stevenson, 17, said he would consider taking courses at RCC if the district would pay for them. "That'd be cool to go to college," he said. But Wisely said that many of the students who went to Rogue Community College would eventually feel out of place because the average age is 34. "I think 15- to 17-year-olds need to be in a high school setting," he said. Frank McNamara, director of school services for the Confederation of Oregon School Administrators, said the bill faces an uphill battle in the Legislature because it comes with a $340,000 cost to create the bureaucracy to run the program. His organization also believes that students other than dropouts would take advantage of the program "In our view, it is more likely that a very alert student or parent will look at this bill and see they get a good portion of college credits paid for by the high school," he said. Reach reporter Damian Mann at 776-4476, or e-mail dmann@mailtribune.com |
