FLORENCE, Ore. — Florence's TA Battle for Public Education is a local group pushing for a public charter school in the Siuslaw School District.
A process that began nearly a year ago may be reaching a critical breaking point.
Our reporting team spoke to those promoting and opposing new schools.
The Siuslaw Valley Charter School Committee's goal is simple.
We must start advocating for higher standards for our students. Because that's what we need to do to prepare our students for our future,” said Aric Sneddon, Co-President of Siuslaw Valley Charter School.
SVCS first proposed joining the Szyłław district in March 2023.
The proposal was not approved due to its relationship with Hillsdale College, a private Christian school in Michigan.
Hillsdale will provide the K-12 curriculum to the charter school, but will also provide consultation and oversight of hiring decisions.
After months of public meetings, email exchanges, and multiple proposals from Siuslaw Valley Charter School, what really boils down to this moment is this term “affiliate.”
Oregon law (Oregon Public Law) states that public charter schools cannot affiliate with non-public sectarian schools or religious institutions. In this case, Hillsdale College. Currently, the Siuslaw Valley Charter Board says it is not affiliated with Hillsdale College. Andy Grzeszkowiak, the district's attorney, says that's not the case.
The law is very clear,” says Grzeszkowiak. “The intent is very clear and it must be maintained. There is absolutely room in Florence to establish charter schools, but it must be done within the law.
“The question of belonging was just dead in the water. I was incapacitated, and if I wanted to hang myself I could have done that, but it became very clear,” Sneddon said. .
“But this is the law, so if people are concerned about whether having an affiliated charter school is against the law,” we responded.
“Again, remember that affiliation means control. So private schools and religious organizations cannot open charter schools under this law. That's not us.” says Sneddon.
However, the word “partnership” is used in the agreement between SVCS and Hillsdale.
Hillsdale's own website refers to similar charters as “affiliated schools.”
There is no control. We will prepare a curriculum for you. we will provide you with training. “It would be foolish to move on,” Sneddon said. “At this point, it's semantics.”
On Wednesday, the board will meet again with agenda item 6.6, “Board discussion to disavow third-party affiliation during heated controversy.”
It's tearing people apart. It is tearing apart friendships. I can see it. But it doesn't have to be that way,” said Amy Tregoning, a teacher at Siuslaw High School and president of the Siuslaw Education Association.
“This has been going on long enough and it's upsetting people. This needs to end,” said Maureen Miltenberger, vice chair of the Siuslaw School Board. “It needs to end, however it ends.”
Check out our previous article on charter schools here.
