Oregon 47th in school ranking. Here are 5 fixes.

By Jessica Gomez for Governor,

Oregon public schools rank in the bottom third nationally. Democrats in Salem have devalued Oregon’s high school diploma. To no longer verify that high school graduates can read, write or perform math at the high school level sends a message that failure is an option.

Friends, this is the wrong direction.

Support for Parents: Parents should be given a choice of the public school best suited for their child, provided that school has space for that student in the classroom. Charter schools should be supported. By giving families ways to support academic excellence, students will become more self-disciplined, more involved in school, more responsible, and eager to learn. Parent/Guardian Workshops can help. These workshops should be integrated with our public education system.

Support for Teachers: Large class sizes make it more difficult for teachers to keep everyone engaged. Implement K-12 instructor-to-student ratio standards for core academics such as math, science and language arts. Adding more in-class support for teachers will provide the individualized attention students need.

Close the Achievement Gap: If a student graduates from our K-12 system, and is required to take remedial courses at an Oregon public college, those courses should be provided at no cost to the student, including tutoring and bilingual support.

Youth Apprenticeships: Measure 97 enabled schools to bring back career technical education. It’s time to take this to the next level with a statewide youth apprenticeship model. Starting in 11th grade, students should be offered the opportunity to work in an industry of their choice, earn academic credit and learn a trade. Align high school curriculum with regional workforce needs, and partner with industry associations to develop apprenticeships for high demand Oregon jobs. Let’s make Oregon a leader in hands-on learning.

Universal College Credit: To reduce the cost of college education and improve outcomes, there must be better coordination between higher education institutions. Implement a universal college credit program that ensures all credits are transferable in full between any community college or public university in the state.

Jessica Gomez for Governor,