May 15, 2006

Superintendent Vicki Phillips
Portland Public Schools
501 N. Dixon Street
Portland OR 97227

Re: Ockley Green Middle School Arts Magnet Grant

Dear Superintendent Phillips:

We have reviewed a copy of the Ockley Green Middle School Arts Magnet Grant for the Jefferson Cluster Magnet Project, and have a number of questions regarding the status and implementation of the grant and grant funds. From the copy of the grant that we have and PPS Board Actions in 2005, we were able to determine the following:

Grantee: School District No. 1, Multnomah County
Project: Jefferson Cluster Magnet Project
Grant Total: $6,251,938.00
Grant Start Date: 10/1/04
Grant End Date: 9/30/07
Federal Grantor: United States Department of Education Magnet Schools Assistance Program / Office of Grants Management
Administrator: Mr. Steve Brockhouse / U.S. Department of Education
Office of Innovation and Improvement
FOB6 – Room 4W229 / 400 Maryland Ave.
Washington D.C. 20202
Email: steve.brockhouse@ed.gov / Phone: (202) 260-2476
OMB Control No.: 1890-0004
PPS Project Director: Dr. Harriet Adair
PPS Schools In Grant: Applegate Elementary School; Kenton Elementary School; Ockley Green Middle School
Grant Schools Now Closed: Applegate Elementary School (closed March 2005); Kenton Elementary School (closed March 2005)

It is difficult for us, as citizens, taxpayers, PPS parents and members of the Jefferson High School PTSA, to determine how you are implementing the Ockley Green Middle School Arts Magnet Grant for the Jefferson Cluster Magnet Project. We request that you provide answers to the following questions by June 10, 2006.

1. Please provide a list of the past and current partners working with Portland Public Schools to implement the Arts Magnet Grant for the Jefferson Cluster (page iv).

2. Please provide the 2004-2005 external evaluation of the implementation of the Arts Magnet Grant (page vi).

3. In the Arts Magnet Grant, $262,075.00 was to be allocated for the purchase of equipment (page vi).
a. Please provide evidence of the specific type(s) and cost(s) of the equipment that has been purchased.
b. Where is the equipment currently housed?

4. In the Arts Magnet Grant, $600,000.00 was to be allocated for portables and a science lab (page vii).
a. Please provide evidence of the specific type(s) and cost(s) of portables that have been purchased.
b. Is there a science lab, funded by the Arts Magnet Grant, located at Ockley Green Middle School?

5. How does Ockley Green Middle School compare with DaVinci in terms of arts courses (page 3)? Please provide comparison documentation.

6. How many eighth grade students at Ockley Green Middle School who benefit from the Arts Magnet Grant this school year plan to attend Jefferson High School in the 2006-2007 school year?

7. Is there staff funded by the Arts Magnet Grant? Who are the staff members? For which years?

8. Is there a certified arts-based teacher on special assignment (TOSA) funded by the Arts Magnet Grant (page 19)? What is the name of the teacher?

9. Who is the technology specialist funded by the Arts Magnet Grant (page 20)?

10. What is the current status of the "quality project website" funded by the Arts Magnet Grant (page 21)?

11. Please provide evidence of integrated curriculum, technology-supported assessment, and on-line peer coaching funded by the Arts Magnet Grant (page 21).

12. Are there six arts teachers in the four arts (visual, theater, music, dance) at Ockley Green Middle School (page 21)? What are the names of the six teachers?

13. Have "programs that will prepare and encourage more students to go on to Jefferson High School" been developed (page 21)? If so, what programs? Please provide evidence of each.

14. Page 21 of the grant discusses "Jefferson High School's Spanish Immersion Program." Does Jefferson High School have a functioning Spanish Immersion Program? Please provide evidence.

15. Have Ockley Green Middle School staff worked "closely with Tom Breuckman, principal of the district's DaVinci special focus arts middle school program, and his staff, and with teachers involved in establishing the Artful Learning / Bernstein model at Jackson Middle School" (page 22)? Please provide evidence.

16. Please provide a list of the magnet advisory committee members (page 24).

17. Is the magnet advisory committee meeting "at least quarterly"? Is the committee providing "advice and feedback" (page 24)? Please provide meeting minutes.

18. Are the magnet content strands established in (page 28):
a. Arts & Communications?
b. Health Sciences & Biotechnology?
c. Computer Technology & Business?
d. Occupational Technology?
Please provide evidence of each.

19. What are the "extended-day opportunities" at Ockley Green Middle School (page 28)? Please provide evidence.

20. Has the K-12 arts camp been held at Ockley Green Middle School (page 28)? How many students attended the camp? Please provide evidence.

21. What extracurricular activities are students involved in at Ockley Green?
a. Is there a Saturday Academy (page 30)?
b. Is there a pre-college program (page 30)?
c. Is there an Advocates for Women In Science, Engineering, and Mathematics (AWSEM) Club (page 30)?
Please provide evidence of each.

22. Is Ockley Green implementing the "Artful Learning framework of infused arts curriculum developed by the national Bernstein Center" (page 47)? Please provide evidence.

23. How are parents involved? Is the parent involvement goal for the Arts Magnet Grant being met (page 47-48)? Please provide evidence.

24. We understand that PPS is currently operating under "Special Terms and Conditions" imposed by the federal grantor, the United States Department of Education, with regard to the Arts Magnet Grant. Please provide a copy of the federal grantor's "Special Terms and Conditions" regarding this grant.

25. The Arts Magnet Grant start date was October 2004. Applegate and Kenton Elementaries were closed in March 2005. When and how was the United States government / federal grantor notified of the closures of Applegate and Kenton Elementaries? Please provide evidence.

26. The grant discusses "Jefferson High School." Please provide evidence that "Jefferson High School" currently exists, along with Jefferson High School's current State identification number.

27a. If "Jefferson High School" currently exists, has it been accredited by an accreditation organization since June 2004? If so, what organization?
27b. Please provide evidence of accreditation for Jefferson High School prior to the 2004-2005 school year.
27c. Please provide evidence of accreditation for Jefferson High School prior to the 2005-2006 school year.

28. The grant (page iii) states: "Over three years, the Jefferson Cluster Magnet Project is designed to reduce or prevent minority student isolation and foster interaction among students from diverse ethnic / cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds."

Page 2-3 of the grant also states: "As indicated in the attached demographic data, the trend among these schools is toward increasing minority group isolation" and that "the Jefferson Cluster Magnet Project is designed to reduce or prevent this trend toward minority student isolation."

a. Has the Ockley Green Middle School Arts Magnet Grant positively impacted desegregation? Please provide evidence.
b. With your administration of the Ockley Green Middle School Arts Magnet Grant, will the goal of reducing or preventing the trend toward minority student isolation be met? Please provide evidence.

Given the disharmonious Jefferson process over the past year, the current unknown status of the new Jefferson and Tubman academies, and the current citywide reconfigurations, it is essential you provide clear and specific answers in the requested timeframe.

Thank you for your assistance. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions.

Very truly yours,

Lynn Schore and Steven Linder
Jefferson High School PTSA members
Neighborhood Schools Alliance members

Cc: United States Senator Gordon Smith
United States Senator Ron Wyden
Governor Ted Kulongoski, State of Oregon
Mayor Tom Potter
Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings, U.S. Department of Education
Steve Brockhouse, U.S. Department of Education
Superintendent Susan Castillo, Oregon Department of Education
PPS Board Director Dilafruz Williams
PPS Board Director Dan Ryan
PPS Board Director Sonja Henning
PPS Board Director Douglas Morgan
PPS Board Director David Wynde
PPS Board Director Bobbie Regan
PPS Board Director Trudy Sergeant
PPS Student Representative Melissa Miller
Dr. Harriet Adair
Larry Dashiell, Principal, School of Pride and Schools of Champions
Joseph Malone, Principal, Ockley Green Middle School
John Wilhelmi, PPS Director of Secondary Administration
Carolyn Leonard, Director, PPS Office of Diversity and Compliance
Ann Nice, President, Portland Association of Teachers
Jeff Miller, Vice President, Portland Association of Teachers
Glenda Walker, President, Jefferson High School PTSA
Jefferson High Site Council
Neighborhood Schools Alliance
Dr. Calvin Henry, President, Oregon Assembly for Black Affairs (OABA)
John Canda, Executive Director, Northeast Coalition of Neighborhoods
ACORN
Sisters In Action
Mr. Aaron Gray / Kenton Neighborhood Association
Ms. Christine Duffy / Arbor Lodge Neighborhood Association
Ms. Nancy Clark / Humboldt Neighborhood Association