Day Two: July 1, 2006

Members of the Oregon Caucus debate and discuss New Business Items.

We started bright and early this morning at 7AM with our state delegation meeting. We'll be meeting each morning this week before going over to the assembly hall at the convention center.

A representative from NEA addressed us about "NEA's Positive Agenda for the ESEA Reauthorization," a document covering NEA's plan for addressing the issues around ESEA AKA "No Child Left Behind" (NCLB). The bill will be expiring in 2007 but will be reauthorized, providing an opportunity to change some of the requirements that have been barriers to teaching for so many educators across the country.

This afternoon there are open hearings on the budget, legislative program and constitution/bylaws amendments. Keith Ayres, a delegate from Beaverton Education Association, invited us to join the Constitution/Bylaws Committee. He told us it's a low-key way to be involved as a first-time delegate, so we took him up on the offer.