Oregon Public Broadcasting

Auditors from the state Department of Education gave a stern warning to Oregon’s largest school district yesterday. The state says Portland Public Schools need to do a better job educating learning English.

The audit found that Portland is not providing adequate English instruction for students who speak another language at home. The school system is also failing to provide some English learners access to education basics, like math and history.

And the audit found major differences between what the district is doing in the classroom, and what it told the state it would do. Finally, Portland educators haven’t been communicating with foreign-language speaking parents in their own languages.

The audit warns of state and federal violations.Marta Guembes is a Portland parent and a Latino activist. She appreciates the audit of 49 schools. But the findings trouble her.

Marta Guembes: “It is very upsetting, I’m very angry that Portland Public Schools are not following up with their guidance, with the federal moneys and state money, that they’re supposed to do to give the best education to our children.”  Carole Smith: “We take it really seriously.” Portland school superintendent, Carole Smith says auditors told her there’s been progress since the last audit, four years ago - just not enough.

Carole Smith: “We want to make sure that we’re meeting the needs of students where they need to be met, every classroom, every zip code. And audit like the one we just got - highly valuable information for us.” 

Smith says the district will follow the state’s recommendations. That means better training and tools for teachers and administrators. But mostly, Smith says it means more consistency across the district.

The district has three months or less to respond.