Remember, as an OEA member you can get involved in electing pro-education legislators. Politicians who work outside your school district are making more and more decisions that impact your schools. Although community colleges were not funded for projected enrollment growth, additional funding was allocated to community colleges in other bills for distance learning, annexation, high-technology programs and capital costs. The final version allows districts to ask voters for additional revenue. But, passage would be virtually impossible for districts with a low industrial base, modest residential property values or a high proportion of fixed-income retirees.
Charter schools are exempt from most rules and statutes.
Only school districts and the State Board of Education may sponsor charter schools. Neither fair dismissal nor public employee bargaining laws apply to charter school employees unless provided for in the charter itself. If employees choose to form a bargaining until they have a choice between joining the sponsoring school district s education association or forming their own. Employee assignment to a charter school is voluntary and a school district is required to grant at least a two-year leave to an employee choosing to work in a charter school. This requirement mimics Oregon s child-abuse reporting statute which obliges a person who has reasonable cause to believe to report suspected abuse.