<html>
<head>
<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=us-ascii">
<meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Exchange Server">
<!-- converted from rtf -->
<style><!-- .EmailQuote { margin-left: 1pt; padding-left: 4pt; border-left: #800000 2px solid; } --></style>
</head>
<body>
<font face="Arial, sans-serif" size="2">
<div>TO: All District and ESD Special Education Directors</div>
<div><font size="3"> </font></div>
<div>The message below is being forwarded to you on behalf of:</div>
<div> </div>
<div> </div>
<div>Nancy Latini, PhD</div>
<div>Assistant Superintendent</div>
<div>Student Learning & Partnerships</div>
<div>______________________________________________ </div>
<div><font size="3">May 8, 2009</font></div>
<div><font size="3"> </font></div>
<div><font size="3">RE: Revision of Oregon’s Persistently Dangerous School Definition</font></div>
<div><font size="3" color="#FF0000"> </font></div>
<div><font size="3">The No Child Left Behind Act requires State Education agencies to establish a school choice policy for students attending a persistently dangerous school <i>as defined by the state.</i></font></div>
<div><font size="3"> </font></div>
<div style="padding-left: 36pt; "><font size="3">“Each State receiving funds under this Act shall establish and implement a statewide policy requiring that a student attending a persistently dangerous public elementary school or secondary school, as determined
by the State in consultation with a representative sample of local educational agencies or who becomes a victim of a violent criminal offense, as determined by State law, while in or on the grounds of a public elementary school or secondary school that the
student attends, be allowed to attend a safe educational agency, including a public charter school.” (Title IX, Part E, Subpart 2, Section 9532)</font></div>
<div style="padding-left: 36pt; "><font size="3"> </font></div>
<div>No Child Left Behind provides the option for states to review and revise their definition for a Persistently Dangerous School. Oregon’s current definition, adopted in 2005, has not been previously reviewed. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>In response to feedback from school districts, education stakeholders, and legislators, the Oregon Department of Education convened a workgroup in December 2008 to give consideration to updating Oregon’s definition. Stakeholders were invited from DHS,
the Oregon Criminal Justice Commission, the Attorney General's office, the Oregon State Police, State Legislature, Governor's office, DA's office, U of O, ORI, OCCF, OSBA, OSEA, COSA, OEA, School Safety Officers Association, and representative school districts
from around the state. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>Based on input and review by stakeholders, ODE has updated Oregon’s definition. The new language is available at: <a href="http://www.ode.state.or.us/search/page/?id=1319">http://www.ode.state.or.us/search/page/?id=1319</a> </div>
<div> </div>
<div>The substantive changes to the previous definition are listed below:</div>
<div> </div>
<div style="padding-left: 36pt; ">1) Changed specific wording throughout the definition; schools previously described as “Unsafe” or being on the “Unsafe list”, are now referred to as being on a “Watch list”.</div>
<div><font size="3"> </font></div>
<div style="padding-left: 36pt; ">2) Category of "Violent behaviors" was removed. Only expulsions for weapons and expulsions based on arrests for violent criminal offenses will count towards a school’s identification for the “Watch list” or as “Persistently
Dangerous”.</div>
<div><font size="3"> </font></div>
<div style="padding-left: 36pt; ">3A) Increased the n-size from 1% for schools over 500 students to 3% for schools over 300 students. For smaller schools, the limit of five expulsions for schools under 500 was changed to nine expulsions for schools under 300.</div>
<div><font size="3"> </font></div>
<div style="text-indent: 36pt; ">3B) Changed the definition so that expulsions are counted on a "per incident" basis, rather than on a "per student basis".</div>
<div><font size="3"> </font></div>
<div>The changes to this policy will be effective beginning in the 2009-2010 school year.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>For more information on these changes, please contact Scott Hall at 503-947-5628. For media inquiries regarding these changes, please contact Morgan Allen at 503-947-5920.</div>
<div> </div>
<div><font size="3">If you have any difficulty viewing the above link, please contact Laura Allran at <a href="mailto:laura.allran@state.or.us"><font color="#0000FF"><u>laura.allran@state.or.us</u></font></a> or 503-947-5674.</font></div>
<div><font size="3"> </font></div>
<div><font size="3">Messages to and from this e-mail address may be made available to the public under Oregon law.</font></div>
<div><font size="3">===========End of Message============</font></div>
<div><font size="3"> </font></div>
<div><font size="3"> </font></div>
<div><font size="3"> </font></div>
<div><font size="3"> </font></div>
<div><font size="3"> </font></div>
</font>
<p>**********************************************************************<br />This email and any files transmitted with it are confidential and<br />intended solely for the use of the individual or entity to whom they<br />are addressed. If you have received this email in error please notify<br />the sender immediately and delete the communication and any attachments.</p><p>This footnote also confirms that this email message has been swept by<br />MIMEsweeper for the presence of computer viruses.<br />**********************************************************************</p>
</body>
</html>