CLASS Project Expands to Additional School Districts
Four School Districts Awarded $30,000 Each to Design Career and Compensation Reforms; Two Others Granted Over $148,000 Total to Implement Designs
PORTLAND-August 11, 2011- The CLASS Project, which began with three school districts in 2007, now reaches 16 school districts or almost a quarter of Oregon’s student population.
Ashland, Lincoln County, Pendleton and South Lane school districts will each receive $30,000 grants to design expanded career paths, educator evaluation systems, relevant professional development and new compensation systems. Vernonia and Sisters school districts will receive $51,250 and $97,500 respectively to implement their teacher-created designs.
CLASS is designed and led by teachers for teachers, on the ground, one district at a time. All districts focus on the four components, but each district designs differently with the needs of their staff and students in mind.
“It has always been Chalkboard’s mission to help make Oregon’s schools among the best in the nation. CLASS is seeing promising results and we are encouraged by the increase in demand and the rapid expansion of the work. There are no silver bullets in education, but CLASS is making an impact on teaching and learning in the state,” said Sue Hildick, Chalkboard Project President.
In the initial three CLASS districts, teachers report an increased focus on student learning and improvement in their practice as educators. The student learning outcomes are also very promising. For example, since the implementation of the CLASS Project, the Tillamook School District is seeing over three times the growth of similar districts in the number of students meeting and exceeding benchmarks on state tests.
“We wanted to be a part of the CLASS Project because we have seen the impact on districts like Sherwood and Tillamook. Giving our educators the chance to enhance their experiences as professionals and the support they need to do their best work for students is every school district’s dream,” said Krista Parent, South Lane School District Superintendent.
The CLASS Project has the potential of expanding even further this year with the passage of Senate Bill 252. SB 252 creates the School District Collaboration Fund to support the kind of collaborative, bottom-up reforms that CLASS represents. The fund was allocated $5 million.
