Achievement growth similar in Portland K-8, elementary and middle schools
By Kimberly Melton, The Oregonian
April 09, 2010, 4:10PM
Achievement in Portland's K-8 schools has kept pace with achievement trends in Portland's K-5 and middle schools, according to preliminary datareleased this week. The results are the first part of a larger evaluation of the K-8 academic program and structure.Portland Public Schools launched the K-8 reconfiguration nearly five years ago to cut costs and boost achievement by closing schools and merging many elementary and middle schools together.
These smaller schools were supposed to be better able foster relationships between the schools and families. The transition process, however, has faced several challenges. Some K-8's didn't have the proper equipment or materials, sometimes not even enough desks. Some students didn't have access counselors and others weren't offered algebra.
Portland has addressed several issues but is still trying to find ways to better support the K-8 school structure and make it successful. The achievement trends in those new K-8's, however, do show some promise.
At the middle school level, some K-8 schools are doing far better than the middle schools they replaced. As a middle school in 2004-05, 44 percent of Portsmouth students met state reading benchmarks. The district analyzed the data of middle school students in that neighborhood who would be
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