Beaverton to address $12 million accounting error, GOP walkout puts sexual misconduct bill in limbo: The week in education

A revised Beaverton schools budget will dip heavily into the rainy day fund to mitigate the effects of a $12 million accounting error that contributed to next year’s $30 million shortfall.

On the other side of the West Hills, Portland Public Schools is in the midst of addressing reforms recommended by investigators who said filing practices and a lack of key personnel in the central offices allowed a longtime educator to dodge decades of sexual misconduct allegations.

One of those reforms, a Senate bill intended to strengthen the authority of the state agency in charge of licensing teachers and investigating claims of misconduct, is in peril as Republicans have gone AWOL in the Senate chambers.

Here are this week’s education stories from Portland and beyond:

From the archives, newly relevant:

Earlier this year, we documented the journey of Senate Bill 155, which would give broader authority to the state agency in charge of licensing teachers and investigating claims of misconduct. The bill was supposed to get its second and third readings before a vote to send it to the House this week, but a walkout by Senate Republicans opposed to a cap-and-trade bill puts it, along with several other pieces of legislation, in peril.

Oregon Senate Republican walkout: What do they want?

Despite a marathon negotiating session Wednesday to find a compromise set of amendments to Oregon's carbon cap and trade policy, HB 2020, Republicans and Democrats came up empty handed. Here's the big picture changes Republicans are seeking.

From around Portland:

The Beaverton Valley Times reports that the Beaverton School District’s budget committee has signed off on a revised budget that mitigates a $30 million short, the majority of which stemmed from required payments to the state’s public pension fund and a multimillion-dollar accounting error. The school board is expected to approve the budget Monday, Courtney Vaughn reports.

The latest chapter in OPB’s “Class of 2025” project explores a longstanding debate among the Portland Public Schools community. The district is in the process of moving away from the K-8 system at several schools and creating distinct elementary and middle schools. What are the benefits of one over the other? Elizabeth Miller followed students in both structures for her story.

And around Oregon:

In Bend, a 9-year-old saw a pornographic image on a school-issued iPad. The local school district said the image was a thumbnail-sized screenshot of a video that came up in a during a search but that the student couldn’t access the site. But her parents want the district to issue an apology or get rid of the devices entirely. The Bulletin’s Jackson Hogan reports.

From The Oregonian/OregonLive:

Portland Public Schools hires Title IX director tasked with training, compliance in federal sexual harassment and discrimination policies

Teachers union, Portland Public Schools agree to change filing practices that allowed educator to dodge sexual misconduct allegations for years

University of Oregon fraternity suspended 2 years for hazing (via The Associated Press)

Taxpayers pay nearly $55,000 for PSU investigation they’ll likely never see

Oregon’s 7 public universities plan tuition hikes of 2% and 10%

OSU launches research lab focused on hemp

From other Portland-area media:

Dayton loses several teachers, board chair as turmoil continues (The Yamhill Valley News-Register)

Woodburn School District superintendent announces retirement (The Salem Statesman-Journal)