Oregon Public Broadcasting

A coalition backed by Oregon’s largest teachers’ union launched its campaign Thursday to defeat two education-related ballot measures. Rob Manning reports.

Measure 58 limits teaching English as a Second Language to two years, and Measure 60 would base pay on classroom performance, rather than on seniority.

The so-called “Parents and Teachers Know Better” group argues that the measure to limit ESL instruction would harm students who don’t speak English at home - especially kids with special needs.

Portland-area parent, Meg Ruby, opposes the teacher pay initiative, Measure 60, because she expects it would use standardized tests to determine a teacher’s income.

Meg Ruby: “In my sons’ schools, we’re nearly drowning in standardized tests.”

The measure doesn't spell out how "classroom performance" would be judged.

Measure 60 is a second attempt by Bill Sizemore, to enact a teacher pay measure. The first effort failed in 2000, despite his argument that it would reward good teachers.

Sizemore says the ESL measure would eliminate programs that aren’t working.