Comments on Options for Marshall Boundaries

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Jeff Hammond

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Nov 1, 2010, 11:59:06 PM11/1/10
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FYI

The following is a letter I sent to the district outlining my thoughts on the Marshall boundary proposals.

For those that haven’t seen the options, check out this PPS website

http://www.pps.k12.or.us/departments/high-school-system/4718.htm

 

Also note, Franklin High School PTA will be hosting an informational Q&A session with district officials regarding the pending boundary changes due to the closure of Marshall High School.

The meeting will be held in the Franklin library, Wednesday November 10th from 7:00pm – 8:30pm.  Franklin is extending an invite to their feeder schools as well as those within the Marshall cluster.

Please join us for an opportunity to review the options, ask questions and get more information about pending changes to our boundaries.  The district needs to hear our voices and concerns.  I urge you to write letters, emails and attend meetings to make sure your opinions are heard.  These decisions can affect the Franklin community forever.

 

Jeff Hammond

 

 

Good evening Superintendent Smith, district staff & school board members.  Over this past week, I have met with many groups to review and analyze the district’s proposed boundary options for the Marshall students attending Lane.  These groups include the districts HSPAC, the ad-hock HS Coalition & Representatives from the Franklin and Creston communities.   As a result of these meetings and many hours analyzing options, I submit the following analysis and opinion of the options before us.  While I do not attempt to represent all points of views, I do represent a well thought out in depth analysis, looking at this from a broad rational perspective.  

 

The district has presented 3 options for boundary adjustments necessary as a result of the closing of the Marshall Campus.  These options all center primarily on how to distribute students attending Lane MS.  Option 1 was originally proposed last spring, but in an effort to examine SES issues, the district has developed the other 2 options examining ways to possibly begin to address the SES imbalance which exists between Franklin and Cleveland. We applaud the districts willingness to step back and examine other options as we feel the district must take advantage of this prime opportunity to remedy this SES imbalance as much as possible.

 

Option 1, which was the original proposal laid out by the superintendent in her recommendations last spring, adjust boundaries so that all of Marshall high school catchment will attend Franklin with the 1 exception of Harrison park which is proposed to attend Madison high school.  In addition, this proposal changed Creston K-8 feeder pattern from Franklin to Cleveland to help balance enrollment numbers.  Under this plan, the estimated 2014 FRL populations at Franklin are 55%, whereas at Cleveland they are 30%.  A huge disparity.

While this option may seem logical, there are several reasons we feel this option does little to achieve the ultimate goals of the HS redesign process.  1. This option concentrates a large portion of lower socioeconomic families at Franklin and Madison, and does not work to balance the disparity between SES  FRL populations at Franklin and Cleveland. 2. This option relocates Creston from Franklin to Cleveland.  Creston students if moved to Cleveland would be about 1.5 miles from their high school as opposed to their current .5 mile commute to Franklin.  The majority of students in the Creston catchment who attend Franklin walk or bike to school. This would be difficult if they were to attend Cleveland and most would resort to taking the bus or driving.  Isn’t the whole premise of neighborhood schools, that they are within the neighborhood and within walking distance where possible? The Creston boundary is literally across the street from Franklin.

The only advantage 1 would be proximity for those students of Whitman and Woodmere which attend Lane.  They would be marginally closer to the Franklin campus than the Cleveland campus.  Roughly a 30 minute vs 40 minute tri-met bus ride.  We do not believe this commute difference alone should be enough to disregard the possibility to provide a closer SES balance between Franklin and Cleveland.  In 2009-10 the FRL populations at Franklin were 48% whereas Cleveland’s FRL population was 26%. This is a staggering difference that must be addressed.

 

Option 2, proposes to split Lane MS and distribute 2/3 of their catchment (Woodmere & Whitman) to Cleveland.  In addition, due to the enrollment numbers, the Woodstock catchment which currently feeds to Cleveland would be shifted to Franklin. (except for those students in the Chinese immersion program).  This proposal does the most to balance SES, resulting in an estimated 2014 FRL population of 50% at Franklin and 37% at Cleveland.  At first thought, there may be concern with the shifting of Woodstock K-5 to Franklin, but in reviewing historic feeder patterns, prior to the closure of Kellogg MS in 2005, Woodstock did feed to Franklin.  Therefore this feeder pattern has precedence and has melded well with the Franklin community in the past.  One concern though, is the continuation of the Woodstock Chinese immersion program creating a split feeder of to Cleveland, much like that which exists with the Richmond Japanese immersion program that splits Mt. Tabor to Franklin and Grant HS.

If the district is not committed to the concept of immersion programs existing within a single cluster and willing to change the Richmond Japanese program, then this Chinese split shouldn’t be an issue.  We  recommend the district implement this option and as a means to minimize the transportation impact to these students provide “yellow bus” service to Cleveland, much like that provided for the Skyline community to attend Lincoln HS.

 

Option 3, is a hybrid split of Lane, shifting 1/3 to Cleveland, 2/3 to Franklin, leaving both the existing feeder patterns of Woodstock and Creston in place.  With Whitman attending Cleveland, and Woodmere attending Franklin the 2014 FRL populations are projected to be 53% at Franklin and 34% at Cleveland.  Still a 19% differential.  We believe this option does not go far enough to promote SES balance among our high schools when there are opportunities before us which come much closer.  In addition, this splits the close communities of Woodmere & Whitman and reduces the efficiency of a common “yellow bus” possibility for these students. 

 

In closing, I would recommend the district implement option 2.  I must say that like in most situations, some options are much easier to implement than others.  With this said, I caution the district from taking the path of least resistance and instead, use this opportunity to make long term changes which benefit the district as a whole, never losing sight of the ultimate goals of the HS Redesign process.  In addition, ideally we would be reviewing the elementary and middle school boundaries as well, as they are random and inconsistent across the board, many were developed decades ago with a different portfolio of high schools, elementary schools, middle schools and K-8’s.  I urge the district to take this next step and tackle this issue along with the K-8 transfer policies which eat away at our ability to truly be successful with HS redesign.  We must address the system with a holistic approach and not only limit this exercise to our High schools.  I am confident in Superintendent Smith’s vision and will continue to be an advocate and supporter.  With this said, I am confident in Carol’s desire for community input and wiliness to engage.  I thank you all for your commitment to the students of Portland and look forward to working with you thru this process.

 

I invite your comments and suggestions and urge you to let me know if you have any questions or need additional information

Sincerely,

 

Jeff Hammond

President - Franklin High School PTA

Parent Representative – FHS Site Council

“an advocate for all students of PPS”

503-502-3004

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2009-10 SES/FRL data of neighborhood populations

 

Currently feeding Franklin:

Mt. Tabor MS                          29%

Atkinson K-5               51%

Glencoe K-5                27%

Creston K-8                             48%

Arleta K-8                               59%

 

Currently feeding Cleveland:

Hosford MS                             38%

Woodstock K-5           36%

Abernethy K-5             16%

Sellwood MS                           27%

Buckman K-5                          49%

 

Per district proposals, these schools are to be reassigned as a result of closing Marshall.

Harrison Park   MS                  79%     to Madison

Lent K-8                                  81%     to Franklin

Bridger                                     56%     to Franklin       

Marysville K-5                         79%     to Franklin

Lane MS                                  79%     pending boundary decisions

Kelly K-5                     79%     to Franklin

Woodmere K-5           79%     pending boundary decisions

Whitman K-5               82%     pending boundary decisions

Woodstock K-5                       36%     possible change from Cleveland to Franklin

pending boundary decisions

Creston K-8                             48%     possible change from Franklin to Cleveland

                                                            pending boundary decisions     

 

 

 

 

julie archer

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Nov 2, 2010, 12:24:53 AM11/2/10
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Thank you Jeff!  I really appreciate your articulation of all of this and I have sent emails stating roughly the same thing.  I also asked the Franklin be given more priority in receiving any bond monies for facilities upgrades to help us handle and prepare for the new additions to our school community.  - Thanks again - Julie

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