Your Tuesday evening update on Salem news

Good evening, Salem.

Reading has been a hot topic this school year.

Western University of Health Sciences Lebanon Oregon

From the governor’s office to local school board races, the share of kids behind on reading skills has dominated conversations about schools. Oregon students performed significantly worse than the national average on reading tests last year.

There’s been a big push in Salem this year to reverse the declining share of students reading well. We wanted to take you inside the classroom to show what’s being done – and some early data about how it’s going.

Managing Editor Rachel Alexander spent time this spring in three schools with experienced teachers who are doing a new job this year. Their focus is on getting kids caught up and helping them learn to read.

That’s backed by a multimillion dollar school district effort to revamp curriculum and spend more time training teachers on phonics instruction and other key skills to help kids learn.

We’ll continue to report on this key issue as new test scores are released in the fall and local and state efforts continue.

Here’s some of our latest news. Catch all of our reports anytime on our website.

www.salemreporter.com

Dismal reading scores prompt new effort in Salem schools

The Salem-Keizer School District this year undertook the biggest push in recent history to focus on teaching kids to read. It’s an issue educators say is urgent after state tests…

www.salemreporter.com

City council restores some funding for safe parking program

Salem city councilors put $50,000 in city money for a Church at the Park program that gives homeless people places to sleep in vehicles, take showers, and connect with case…

www.salemreporter.com

Judge pauses UGM stabbing case while Bend man’s mental state is evaluated

A judge ordered on Tuesday that Tony Williams remain in the Marion County Jail while a mental health expert evaluates whether he is able to face criminal charges over the…

www.salemreporter.com

Salem-Keizer School Board to vote on budget, appoint student advisers

The Salem-Keizer School Board will vote Tuesday on adopting the district’s budget, which adds several dozen staff positions, largely in special education and behavior.

www.salemreporter.com

Oregon Veterans of Foreign Wars moves headquarters to Salem

Oregon’s Veterans of Foreign Wars held a ribbon cutting and open house on Friday for a new headquarters on Southeast Liberty Street in Salem after nearly 40 years in Portland.

www.salemreporter.com

Bill enacting nation’s strictest limits on corporate health care influence signed by Gov. Kotek

“We need to make sure that our health care providers and our delivery system stays local,” the governor told reporters Monday when explaining her decision.

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Dismal reading scores prompt new effort in Salem schools

City council restores some funding for safe parking program

Judge pauses UGM stabbing case while Bend man’s mental state is evaluated

Salem-Keizer School Board to vote on budget, appoint student advisers

Oregon Veterans of Foreign Wars moves headquarters to Salem

Bill enacting nation’s strictest limits on corporate health care influence signed by Gov. Kotek

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