Document text
68 °F Forecast | Road Cams Tuesday, May 24, 2005 Today's News | Shop Our Valley | Tempo | Health | Community | Home Delivery | Contact Us SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion Tempo AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map SPECIAL SECTIONS Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Menu Guide How To Guide Health Biz Connection Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Real Estate Guide Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Wedding Guide Passport to the Rogue Valley SHOP OUR VALLEY AutoFinder HomeFinder JobFinder Classified Place an ad TOP JOBS EXTRA Ashland News NIE Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People Volunteer Moving here? eSouthernOregon CUSTOMER SERVICE FAQ's Advertise with us Home Delivery Employment Contact Us Media Kit Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend May 17, 2005 State House passes CIM/CAM cut The bill would end school reforms enacted by legislators in 1991 Staff and wire reports SALEM — Landmark school reforms passed by the state Legislature in 1991 — such as the controversial academic benchmarks known as CIM and CAM — would be undone by a bill passed by the Oregon House on Monday. Critics say the reforms have not produced results and have bogged down teachers with extra work. But others argued that the plan should not be completely thrown out, and that turning to outside companies for standardized tests could subject students to lower-quality exams. "I agree that the CIM and CAM in its current form must give way to an improved structure that will help us create better outcomes for Oregon high school students," state schools Superintendent Susan Castillo said in a prepared statement. "But today’s House vote simply destroys the existing system with no plan for the future." The bill passed the House 34-23 and will now head to the state Senate. Advertisement Under the legislation, the much-debated Certificate of Initial Mastery and Certificate of Advanced Mastery would be scrapped and the Oregon Department of Education would contract out for standardized testing for the 2007 school year. The department currently develops and owns the standardized tests used throughout the state to evaluate students’ performance. "Oregon’s assessment tests are already in place, fully meet federal requirements under the No Child Left Behind Act, and are aligned to our state standards," Castillo said. Ashland schools Superintendent Juli Di Chiro also has defended the CIM program as locally produced standards that enable schools to meet federal requirements. About 30 percent of Oregon students got a CIM-certified diploma last year. In Jackson County, just 27 percent of graduates completed CIM requirements. CAM certification is not available until 2008. On the Net:House Bill 3162www.leg.state.or.us Mail Tribune Home | Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life | Opinion AP News | Archives | Site Map | Community | Classified Copyright © 1997-2005 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Website Feedback Free Music Downloads Conference Calls - $50/Month Home Security Systems Trunks, Footlocker, Trunk, Footlockers home equity loans helzberg diamonds Distance Education Diamonds Online Poker Auto Insurance Mesothelioma Slippers Student Loans tcg student loan consolidation teleconferencing Website Design & Marketing Memory Foam Mattress w2 forms Mortgage Calculator Free Home-Loan Referrals Payday Loans Advertisement s