School, district square off over funding

meeting -- Charter school founders and board members work for compromise over operational dollars from state department

By Nancy Townsley

The Forest Grove News-Times, May 9, 2007, Updated Oct 30, 2009

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People on both sides of the Forest Grove Community School funding equation – school district officials and the charter school’s founders – plan to sit down tonight and sharpen their pencils.

“We both have positions, and we’re working at understanding each other’s positions,” said Terry O’Day, a founder of the new school that plans to open in Forest Grove next fall.

“Our position is that we need enough funding to be solvent,” she said. “Their position is, they’re uncertain about the future and don’t want to make commitments they might not be able to keep.”

School board chair Susan Winterbourne said last month that a careful evaluation of funding levels needs to be done now, because “the formula can’t be adjusted up.”

The two sides will discuss the issue tonight at 5 p.m. at the district administration office, 1728 Main St.

Much work done

School organizers already cleared a couple hurdles that have tripped up several charter schools in Oregon: they have found a location in the city’s downtown core and met enrollment minimums required by the district.

Now, with the aid of the charter school’s consultant and the district’s attorney, they hope to hammer out the fine points of a three-year contract.

The school, organized into mixed-age classrooms with an emphasis on outdoor learning, plans to open its doors to about 140 students in grades 1-9 this September.

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