Sherrie Sprenger's Capitol Update

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503-986-1417

900 Court St. NE

Salem, OR 97301

rep.sherriesprenger

@state.or.us

From Scio:

My name is Jenny and I live in Scio. As a junior in high school I was given the privilege to participate in the PACE program that allows students to attend community college while still in high school. By graduation I acquired over eighty transferable credits.

Willamette University was one of my top two choices so we met personally with an admittance counselor. Willamette is considered prestigious and very selective. The counselor explained the larger schools have more challenging classes available and are more competitive than the smaller schools. A valedictorian with a graduating class of 1500 is weighed more favorably than one from a class of fifty. He went on to explain that the rigor of the classes have a significant impact on how your GPA is calculated. Since many of the smaller schools are unable to offer the same variety and complexity of classes these students are at a disadvantage. He said because I had already demonstrated success in college and had taken the more difficult classes through the program it allowed me to be competitive with the students from the larger schools.

Being a competitive candidate not only increases your chances of acceptance into college but also has a huge impact on the types of scholarships and grants a school and private donors will offer. I was accepted to Willamette with a very generous financial package. Ultimately, I decided to attend OSU Honor's college where I am a Sophomore with senior standing studying Biochemistry/Biophysics.

Without the opportunity to take the more rigorous courses through the PACE program I would have been ill-prepared for the challenges faced as a science major. In many of the more difficult majors it often takes five years to complete. With the credits I earned through PACE it allows me to graduate on time and without the added stress of a heavier course load. Lastly, PACE gave me direction and an avenue to reach my goals and to realize my potential. I can't imagine where I would be now without having the option to be prepared, competitive, and ready to move beyond high school and realize, through hard work and perseverance, my goals in life.

Sherrie's Calendar

3/17/15: Agpac Legislative Reception

3/18/15: Oregon Legislative Sportsmen's Caucus Annual Banquet

3/24/15: Women's History Month Reception

4/2/15: Outdoor School Meeting

Recent
Press Releases

3-20-2015

3-17-2015

EDITED

to correct date for Economic Vitality Summit to April 29th

Constituent Engagement

Now, more than ever, it is critical that the voices of rural Oregonians are raised in the Capitol before they are completely drowned out by special interest groups in Salem. I encourage you to take a moment and read the Citizen Engagement section of the Oregon State Legislative webpage, particularly "How to Testify."

Sharing your stories and the real harm that bad legislation plays on our families and communities can be a very powerful tool in the legislative process and the steering of committee conversations. I'd be so proud to see you here.

"Making A Difference" A Citizens Guide on How to Testify

The Phasing Out of Fifth Year Programs

Yesterday afternoon the Senate Education Committee heard public testimony on SB 322, which threatens fifth-year programs such as PACE, Beyond LHS, and ACT.

Currently, fifth-year programs are funded out of the State School Fund, and the participating students are included in the aggregate day membership calculation which assists in determining the amount of funds distributed to a specific district. If passed SB 322 will essentially disallow funding of these programs through the State School Fund.

Right now, in the Lebanon, Sweet Home, Scio, North Santiam and Santiam Canyon districts we have approximately 189 students benefiting from a fifth-year program, and countless hopefuls looking to participate in upcoming years. These programs are doing exactly what the education reform means to do, these programs bridge the gap between small rural communities and an affordable college experience. This also directly sets Oregon on the right track towards the 40-40-20 goal addressed in the 2011 regular session.

I'd like to highlight a portion of Dr. Erin Prince, Corvallis School District's Superintendent's testimony today.

"Corvallis is in its second year with Running Start, our 5th year program. Our graduation rates jumped from 72% to 84% last year when our 5th year program began. This is not by chance and definitely not incremental. These rates are transformational and Running Start is the catalyst. Two years ago at College Hill, our Corvallis Alternative High School, 0% of the seniors went on to college. Out of this year's seniors, 50% are committed to attend College through our 5th year program."

Mike McInally of the Albany Democrat-Herald wrote a great editorial earlier this month on the same subject, you can find the article here.

Rural Oregon students can not afford to lose more opportunities! I applaud all of the students who testified in yesterday's Senate Education committee and thank them for their work on this.

Calling All Residents - April 29th!

Lanie J. McMullin, MFA and Debra Hansen have been announced as the Keynote speakers for the GROW EDC-sponsored North Santiam Economic Vitality Summit.

"The Summit planning team was specifically looking for compelling speakers who have a deep understanding of rural communities and who can share ideas for how these towns can successfully reinvent themselves. We're excited about Lanie and Debra; each of them have a special place in their hearts for rural communities." - Allison McKenzie, Director GROW EDC

This free event is aimed at invigorating our community and will include discussions about special opportunities for economic development in the North Santiam area. For more information about the event and registration details please see the original press release.