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Press  Oregon Live.com

Several North and Northeast Portland Schools Chosen for Pilot Program to end Racial Disparity in Suspensions
March 22, 2011



Several North and Northeast Portland Public Schools are the recipients of a trial program that aims to end racial disparities in school suspensions and expulsions.

The program, an agreement between PPS and a coalitiion of education advocates, wants to lower the number of Black, Latino and Native American students who are suspended and expelled at a rate two-to-eight times as often as white students in PPS, acording to a press release announcing the program.



To address this problem, PPS revised its discipline policies in 2009  and is now working with advocates involved in the Community Education Partners group to put the policies into actiion.

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Ten schools have been selected for the pilot program, which will bring together parents, community members  and administrators to review, develop and implement procedures and practices that aim to reduce referrals, suspension and expulsions.

They are Beaumont, Beverly Cleary School, Grant High, Rigler and Irvington in NE; Boise Eliot and George in North; Bridger in SE, Lincoln High and Jackson SW.

Community Education Partners is made up of members from Urban League, Community & Parents for Public Schools, Portland Parent Union, Resolutions Northwest, Black Parent Intiative, Stand for Children, IRCO Africa House, Latino Network, Multnomah County Department of Community Justice,  Portland School  Foundation  (Founders) , Multnomah County Commission on Children and Families, and Juvenile Rights Project.

Larry Bingham, Oregon Live

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