Executive Director's Message

To our Education Partners and Friends,

First of all, I would like to thank you for your support during 2007 which helped us make a difference in the lives of thousands of students across the state. Our Oregon Small Schools Initiative has helped launch 38 new small high schools and now nearly 12,000 students (almost 7% of all Oregon high school students) are getting a more personalized and challenging education. E3 coaches are working closely with teachers and administrators to implement innovative teaching models, and providing professional development with nationally recognized experts in areas such as math, literacy, equity and project-based learning.  All these efforts are focused on helping teachers to connect with students and provide them with challenging, relevant classes and the kind of support they need to be successful in school, work and life.

Many of our schools only opened their doors last fall but we are already seeing signs of progress. Early indicators, consistent with other states, are showing positive trends in enrollment, attendance, student behavior, teacher attitude and academic performance. From 2004 – 2006, reading and math assessment scores increased at 13 of 14 small schools, and some of those increases were the largest increases of any school in their district.  Early indicators for college readiness were demonstrated in several ways.  Many small schools introduced their first Advanced Placement (AP) classes, or eliminated remedial courses, and 7 out of 8 small schools had increases in the number of sophomore students taking the PSAT test which is an indicator of those who will take the SAT college entry test their junior year.

Our Partnership for Student Success program continues to connect employers directly with schools in districts all over Oregon.  In communities like Albany and Salem-Keizer hundreds of employers are giving classroom presentations, holding mock interviews, providing work site tours, internships and job shadows to make learning more relevant for students.  Literacy Partners, our middle school reading program, continues to produce outstanding results in Eugene, Hillsboro, Springfield and Corvallis.  Volunteers are reading one-on-one with students to help improve fluency and comprehension scores.  Teachers report students show increased interest in reading and their academic scores are going up.  For example, in Corvallis reading fluency scores went up nearly 30% in two of the district middle schools last year.

We know our programs are making a real difference, but still less than 40% of African American and Latino students are meeting 10th grade reading benchmarks and far too many students are not graduating from high school at all. For Oregon to remain competitive in the global economy we must have an education system that is among the best in the world, one that prepares students for continuing education and gives them the skills they need to be successful in a changing world.

In 2008, we will continue to work with the Oregon Business Council to advocate for higher standards and reforms that make our education system stronger.  We will continue to work with our 38 small schools to make them models of excellence, and we will connect more employers directly with schools so they can help students understand the value of their education and what it takes to be successful in the world of work.

From all of us at E3, we thank you for your continuing partnership and support and wish you all the best for a healthy and happy 2008.

Sincerely,

René Léger
Executive Director

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