Portland parents speak out against potential 2010-11 reduction reductions | OregonLive.com

Portland parents speak out against potential 2010-11 reduction reductions | OregonLive.com

Portland parents speak out against potential 2010-11 reduction reductions

By Kimberly Melton, The Oregonian

April 12, 2010, 9:29PM

More than 150 people gathered at Madison High School Monday night to oppose reductions to the Portland Public Schools budget in a community forum. Parents, teachers and community members asked the Portland School Board reconsider potential cuts in special education, English as a Second Language, physical education and health.

Most of the people gathered spoke about the district's 2010-11 English as a Second Language budget, which includes a reduction of 23 bilingual staff throughout the district. In the proposed budget, Portland's English as a Second language department will add 12 certified ESL teachers to its roster but will also cut about one-third of of the department's bilingual education assistants.

The district is adding teachers to make sure it meets state standards for serving ESL students. Portland has been cited by the state in 2005, 2009 and 2010 for not adequately serving those youth.

Students, parents and community activists from the Slavic, Latino, African and Asian and Pacific Islander communities testified before the Portland School Board and said that change shouldn't come at the expense of bilingual education assistants. Diana Fernandez, the district's ESL director,