If you live in Oregon, then you might know about the state’s low education performance. According to the
Oregon Department of Education, Oregon’s high school graduation rate was only 76.7 percent in the 2016-17 school year, a minimal increase over the prior year. Oregon still needs improvement considering this rate. Graduation rates, state testing scores, and length of the school year are important variables that impact education performance.

While most states require 175-180 school days, Oregon only has about 165, nearly 40 fewer days. Due to fewer school
days, teachers have less time to work with students and cover the curriculum. If Oregon wants to meet the goal of having 100 percent of students graduate in 2025, students need to be closer to a level three on state assessments, meaning they are more likely to graduate. By extending the number of school days to what most of the other states are at, there is a higher chance of graduation due to not missing out on extra school days.

“Oregon is known for having one of the shortest [number of school days] in the country,” English teacher Blain Willard said. “Students attend school fewer days. By the time they graduate high school, students have lost several months of instructional time.”

According to the Oregon Department of Education’s 2016-2017 statewide report card, only 34 percent of high school students who took the state mathematics assessment met or succeeded at level three-four, and those who took the science state test had an average of 54 percent for level three-four. While this is an average level in test taking, not every student met this level. Even though graduating only requires a level two, the more students who come close to level three-four, the more who graduate. Students can better prepare for state testing by taking teachers’ advice on how to study and using online practice tests.
“The test shows what percentage of juniors are on track to go to a four-year college,” Marcie McArthur, a math teacher, and testing site coordinator explained. “When the public hears 30 percent, it sounds like we are failing. [only] 34 percent of our juniors are prepared to go to a four-year college. If we could get through the curriculum, [students would] be prepared. There are certain parts of the test they are not going to be as prepared for.”

While Oregon’s graduation requirements may be more complicated than other states, there is much to improve. Both students and teachers can help raise state testing percentages and graduation rates. Students can better prepare for state testing to guarantee they graduate on time because by better preparing for those tests, they have a higher chance of getting a passing score. Teachers and Oregon as a whole can make sure students have access to practice tests and other helpful materials to ensure they are as prepared as possible. Schools can be sure to stick to a specific plan to help them succeed in bringing up graduation rates and testing scores.

_________________________________________________________________________________

Complaint File

When students get ready for their class and enter their classrooms, they notice the temperature of the room is either reaching over 75 degrees or falling to around 60 degrees. It doesn’t matter which classroom you go into or what time of day it is, and the heat problem in the school isn’t just something that happens every once in a while: it is happening every day. Teachers might get complaints from their students, but there isn’t much they can do about it except open windows, if they even have any, on those extra toasty days. When it’s too chilly, students and teachers just have to sit there, teeth chattering, until the end of the day. Since this is an ongoing issue, teachers should talk to maintenance. While the current budget may not allow a complete fix, the district maintenance team should look into a solution to the problem or find a way to make it comfortable for most everyone, even if that includes fans in rooms or space heaters.