Susan Castillo
Encyclopedia
Susan Castillo heads the Oregon Department of Education
as the Superintendent of Public Instruction
. Although she currently holds an elective statewide non-partisan office, she is a Democrat
, and served from 1997 to 2003 in the Oregon State Senate
as a member of that party. Before entering politics, she had pursued a career in broadcast journalism, first for Oregon Public Broadcasting
, and later for KVAL-TV
in Eugene, Oregon
.
By the mid-1970s, Castillo was working as a secretary in the Affirmative Action
Office of Oregon State University (OSU)
for its director, Pearl Gray. Gray urged her to consider pursuing a college degree, which she did, graduating OSU in 1981 with a BA
in communications.
In 1982, began an award-winning broadcast journalism career, joining the reporting team at Oregon Public Radio
, and became a reporter for KVAL-TV
in 1982. As a journalist, she was frequently called upon to cover or comment on Oregon government and politics.
, and would later become the first to gain election to a statewide office.
She was first appointed by the Lane County
commissioners to fill a vacancy in the Oregon State Senate
in 1996, winning re-election in 1998. She became vice-chair of the Education Committee, dealing with such issues as charter schools, teacher tenure and school reform, and was selected an Assistant Democratic Leader for the 1999 and 2001 legislative sessions. During her tenure as a State Senator, she worked to bolster funding for public schools, foster innovation in school programs, and remove barriers to achievement.
In 2001, she gained national press attention when she and State Senator Margaret Carter
(D
-Portland
) filed suit in U.S. District Court to force the Census Bureau to disclose its adjusted statistical count, which they suspected would reveal an undercount of as many as 43,000 Oregonians. They further estimated the cost to the State of Oregon in lost federal funding for social and educational programs over ten years at US$16 million. Judge James A. Redden
ruled in favor of the disclosure, and the decision was upheld in 2002 on appeal by the Census Bureau.
, a nonpartisan
position, in the May, 2002, Oregon primary election. She ran against the incumbent, Stan Bunn
, a Republican whose administration had been marred by an ethics scandal, and Rob Kremer, a longtime charter school proponent. She received a majority of votes in the May primary, avoiding a runoff
in the November general election.
She was sworn into office on January 6, 2003 to a four-year term to oversee a State Education Department serving more than a half million students in over 1,200 public schools at a time when Oregon had experienced the worst budget shortfalls since World War II. She also faced turmoil within the agency, demoralized by her predecessor's alleged mismanagement and ethics violations, prompting a group of department employees to present the newly elected superintendent with a petition of grievances in a surprise public confrontation less than three weeks after taking office.
Oregon's school funding problems were sufficiently dire that Portland teachers agreed to working ten days without pay, and serious consideration was given to reducing the school year by nearly a full month. The situation received national attention, due in no small part to a series of Doonesbury
cartoon strips lampooning the situation. "Oregon is the poster child of what is going on in the states because of declining revenues," Jan Chambers of the Oregon Education Association
is quoted as saying, continuing, "It's ghastly here."
A key to Castillo's promotion of effective teaching practices has been to showcase schools that have made big gains and facilitating their sharing effective strategies through department sponsored workshops and presentations.
Concurrently, Castillo restructured the Oregon Department of Education around three core functions: accountability; leadership; and school improvement.
Castillo claims schools have improved during her term of office, despite severe budget constraints which predate her election to the post, and test scores do show modest increases since she took office, and stronger gains in closing the so-called "achievement gap." She states that her biggest disappointment in office was not being able to persuade lawmakers to put more money into education. Perhaps in evidence of this frustration, and despite the fact that they are members of the same party, she has not shied away from criticizing Governor Ted Kulongoski
over what she has seen as inadequate funding for education in his proposed budgets.
Through most of her first term as Superintendent, Castillo attempted to bolster the effectiveness of the Mastery Certificate programs, part of earlier educational reforms of her predecessor, Norma Paulus
, which had
failed to live up to expectations. After watching limited resources being consumed in administration of the programs, she proposed in 2006 that they be phased out in favor of higher standards for high school graduation. Castillo's advocacy led to the State Board of Education's adoption of the Oregon Diploma
, a redesign of Oregon's graduation standards, and the elimination of the CIM/CAM system.
In 2006, she was criticized by parents groups and the press for certifying a 2006 Oregon School Activities Association (OSAA) reclassification and redistricting plan based solely on school size. The plan requires lengthy and costly trips by athletes to compete against distant schools, often involving lost instruction time. She has defended the action as required under existing state law. The matter is in the courts, several districts having filed suit.
In 2007, Castillo and her department were involved in a high-profile dispute with a computer-based testing vendor that left school districts statewide scrambling to meet federal No Child Left Behind (NCLB) requirements. Castillo and Deputy Superintendent Ed Dennis blamed the vendor, Pennsylvania-based Vantage Learning, for the situation. State officials filed a lawsuit on behalf of the Oregon Department of Education, claiming Vantage Learning was in breach of contract. In November 2008, however, an Oregon jury ruled against the state and awarded Vantage Learning more than $3.5 million.
In 2008, an accounting scandal surfaced at the Oregon Department of Education. The agency's director of accounting services was accused of embezzling nearly $1 million intended for charter schools, anti-drug youth initiatives and school-based health programs. The scandal raised questions about the level of oversight and the strength of internal controls within the agency.
in a close election in May 2010 to win a third term.
Oregon Department of Education
The Department of Education of the U.S. state of Oregon is responsible for implementation of state policies with respect to public education at the kindergarten through community college level, including academic standards and testing, credentials, and other matters not reserved to the local...
as the Superintendent of Public Instruction
Oregon Superintendent of Public Instruction
The Superintendent of Public Instruction, sometimes referred to as the State Superintendent of Schools, is a constitutional office within the executive branch of the Oregon state government, and acts as administrative officer of the State Board of Education and executive head of the Department of...
. Although she currently holds an elective statewide non-partisan office, she is a Democrat
Democratic Party of Oregon
The Democratic Party of Oregon, based in Portland, is the official Oregon affiliate of the United States Democratic Party. It is recognized by the state of Oregon as a major political party, along with the Oregon Republican Party...
, and served from 1997 to 2003 in the Oregon State Senate
Oregon State Senate
The Oregon State Senate is the upper house of the state-wide legislature for the U.S. state of Oregon. Along with the lower chamber Oregon House of Representatives it makes up the Oregon Legislative Assembly. There are 30 members of the State Senate, representing 30 districts across the state,...
as a member of that party. Before entering politics, she had pursued a career in broadcast journalism, first for Oregon Public Broadcasting
Oregon Public Broadcasting
Oregon Public Broadcasting is the primary television and radio public broadcasting network for most of Oregon as well as southern Washington. With its headquarters and television studios in Portland, OPB consists of five full-power television stations, dozens of VHF or UHF translators, and over...
, and later for KVAL-TV
KVAL-TV
KVAL-TV, channel 13, is a television station in Eugene, Oregon, USA. It is an affiliate of the CBS network. The station began broadcasting on April 15, 1954...
in Eugene, Oregon
Eugene, Oregon
Eugene is the second largest city in the U.S. state of Oregon and the seat of Lane County. It is located at the south end of the Willamette Valley, at the confluence of the McKenzie and Willamette rivers, about east of the Oregon Coast.As of the 2010 U.S...
.
Life before politics
A third-generation Hispanic American, Castillo was born in Los Angeles, and raised there by her mother, who had not finished eighth grade. She cites watching her mother's struggles as a source of her understanding of the importance of education. "Growing up and seeing your parent experience that," she told Northwest Education in a 2006 interview, "you really do make that connection between education and opportunity."By the mid-1970s, Castillo was working as a secretary in the Affirmative Action
Affirmative action
Affirmative action refers to policies that take factors including "race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation or national origin" into consideration in order to benefit an underrepresented group, usually as a means to counter the effects of a history of discrimination.-Origins:The term...
Office of Oregon State University (OSU)
Oregon State University
Oregon State University is a coeducational, public research university located in Corvallis, Oregon, United States. The university offers undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degrees and a multitude of research opportunities. There are more than 200 academic degree programs offered through the...
for its director, Pearl Gray. Gray urged her to consider pursuing a college degree, which she did, graduating OSU in 1981 with a BA
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
in communications.
In 1982, began an award-winning broadcast journalism career, joining the reporting team at Oregon Public Radio
Oregon Public Broadcasting
Oregon Public Broadcasting is the primary television and radio public broadcasting network for most of Oregon as well as southern Washington. With its headquarters and television studios in Portland, OPB consists of five full-power television stations, dozens of VHF or UHF translators, and over...
, and became a reporter for KVAL-TV
KVAL-TV
KVAL-TV, channel 13, is a television station in Eugene, Oregon, USA. It is an affiliate of the CBS network. The station began broadcasting on April 15, 1954...
in 1982. As a journalist, she was frequently called upon to cover or comment on Oregon government and politics.
Legislative career
Castillo was the first Hispanic woman be seated in the Oregon Legislative AssemblyOregon Legislative Assembly
The Oregon Legislative Assembly is the state legislature for the U.S. state of Oregon. The Legislative Assembly is bicameral, consisting of an upper and lower house: the Senate, whose 30 members are elected to serve four-year terms; and the House of Representatives, with 60 members elected to...
, and would later become the first to gain election to a statewide office.
She was first appointed by the Lane County
Lane County, Oregon
-National protected areas:*Oregon Islands National Wildlife Refuge *Siuslaw National Forest *Umpqua National Forest *Willamette National Forest -Government:...
commissioners to fill a vacancy in the Oregon State Senate
Oregon State Senate
The Oregon State Senate is the upper house of the state-wide legislature for the U.S. state of Oregon. Along with the lower chamber Oregon House of Representatives it makes up the Oregon Legislative Assembly. There are 30 members of the State Senate, representing 30 districts across the state,...
in 1996, winning re-election in 1998. She became vice-chair of the Education Committee, dealing with such issues as charter schools, teacher tenure and school reform, and was selected an Assistant Democratic Leader for the 1999 and 2001 legislative sessions. During her tenure as a State Senator, she worked to bolster funding for public schools, foster innovation in school programs, and remove barriers to achievement.
In 2001, she gained national press attention when she and State Senator Margaret Carter
Margaret Carter
Margaret L. Carter was a Democratic member of the Oregon State Senate, representing the 22nd District from 2000 to 2009...
(D
Democratic Party of Oregon
The Democratic Party of Oregon, based in Portland, is the official Oregon affiliate of the United States Democratic Party. It is recognized by the state of Oregon as a major political party, along with the Oregon Republican Party...
-Portland
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
) filed suit in U.S. District Court to force the Census Bureau to disclose its adjusted statistical count, which they suspected would reveal an undercount of as many as 43,000 Oregonians. They further estimated the cost to the State of Oregon in lost federal funding for social and educational programs over ten years at US$16 million. Judge James A. Redden
James A. Redden
James Anthony "Jim" Redden Jr. is a judge and politician from the U.S. state of Oregon. Since 1980, he has served as a Senior Judge of the United States District Court for the District of Oregon...
ruled in favor of the disclosure, and the decision was upheld in 2002 on appeal by the Census Bureau.
Tenure as State Superintendent of Schools
Castillo was elected Superintendent of Public InstructionOregon Superintendent of Public Instruction
The Superintendent of Public Instruction, sometimes referred to as the State Superintendent of Schools, is a constitutional office within the executive branch of the Oregon state government, and acts as administrative officer of the State Board of Education and executive head of the Department of...
, a nonpartisan
Nonpartisan
In political science, nonpartisan denotes an election, event, organization or person in which there is no formally declared association with a political party affiliation....
position, in the May, 2002, Oregon primary election. She ran against the incumbent, Stan Bunn
Stan Bunn
Stan Bunn is an American politician and lawyer in the U.S. state of Oregon. Born and raised in Yamhill County, he is part of a political family that includes his brother Jim Bunn who served in Congress...
, a Republican whose administration had been marred by an ethics scandal, and Rob Kremer, a longtime charter school proponent. She received a majority of votes in the May primary, avoiding a runoff
Two-round system
The two-round system is a voting system used to elect a single winner where the voter casts a single vote for their chosen candidate...
in the November general election.
She was sworn into office on January 6, 2003 to a four-year term to oversee a State Education Department serving more than a half million students in over 1,200 public schools at a time when Oregon had experienced the worst budget shortfalls since World War II. She also faced turmoil within the agency, demoralized by her predecessor's alleged mismanagement and ethics violations, prompting a group of department employees to present the newly elected superintendent with a petition of grievances in a surprise public confrontation less than three weeks after taking office.
Oregon's school funding problems were sufficiently dire that Portland teachers agreed to working ten days without pay, and serious consideration was given to reducing the school year by nearly a full month. The situation received national attention, due in no small part to a series of Doonesbury
Doonesbury
Doonesbury is a comic strip by American cartoonist Garry Trudeau, that chronicles the adventures and lives of an array of characters of various ages, professions, and backgrounds, from the President of the United States to the title character, Michael Doonesbury, who has progressed from a college...
cartoon strips lampooning the situation. "Oregon is the poster child of what is going on in the states because of declining revenues," Jan Chambers of the Oregon Education Association
Oregon Education Association
The Oregon Education Association is the largest public education employees' union in the U.S. state of Oregon, representing more than 46,000 teachers and classified personnel. It has local affiliates in each of the state's 199 public school districts, and 8 community colleges...
is quoted as saying, continuing, "It's ghastly here."
Administration
In a position which has little control over school policies and curricula, which largely remain the province of local school districts, nor school funding, which is solely dependent upon local levies and state support levels set by the legislature, Castillo quickly focused her attention on six priorities for her administration:- increasing education system accountability;
- closing the gaps in achievement for low income and minority students;
- raising literacy levels at all grades;
- improving middle and high Schools;
- creating community schools; and
- enhancing Department of Education efficiency.
A key to Castillo's promotion of effective teaching practices has been to showcase schools that have made big gains and facilitating their sharing effective strategies through department sponsored workshops and presentations.
Concurrently, Castillo restructured the Oregon Department of Education around three core functions: accountability; leadership; and school improvement.
Castillo claims schools have improved during her term of office, despite severe budget constraints which predate her election to the post, and test scores do show modest increases since she took office, and stronger gains in closing the so-called "achievement gap." She states that her biggest disappointment in office was not being able to persuade lawmakers to put more money into education. Perhaps in evidence of this frustration, and despite the fact that they are members of the same party, she has not shied away from criticizing Governor Ted Kulongoski
Ted Kulongoski
Theodore R. "Ted" Kulongoski is an American politician, who served as the 36th Governor of Oregon. A Democrat, he has served in both houses of the Oregon Legislative Assembly, as the state Insurance Commissioner, the Attorney General, and an Associate Justice on the Oregon Supreme Court.-Early...
over what she has seen as inadequate funding for education in his proposed budgets.
Through most of her first term as Superintendent, Castillo attempted to bolster the effectiveness of the Mastery Certificate programs, part of earlier educational reforms of her predecessor, Norma Paulus
Norma Paulus
Norma Paulus is an American attorney and former politician in the state of Oregon. A native of Nebraska, she was raised in Eastern Oregon before becoming a lawyer...
, which had
failed to live up to expectations. After watching limited resources being consumed in administration of the programs, she proposed in 2006 that they be phased out in favor of higher standards for high school graduation. Castillo's advocacy led to the State Board of Education's adoption of the Oregon Diploma
Oregon Diploma
The Oregon Diploma is part of the public high school graduation requirements in the U.S. state of Oregon. It is the end result of a redesign effort of Oregon's K-12 education system that focused on graduation requirements...
, a redesign of Oregon's graduation standards, and the elimination of the CIM/CAM system.
Controversies
Castillo's administration of the Department of Education has not been without controversy. In November, 2001, the state Attorney General's office notified the education department a new state law prohibited providing funds for "transition services" for youthful offenders leaving jail. In addition to the new legislation restricting funding to classroom instruction, questions were raised over contracts being awarded without bid, and other financial irregularities. Education department spokesmen responded that the mismanagement issues were due to inadequate management practices of the previous administration which were being addressed under Castillo's leadership, and that the decision to continue the funding was within the discretion of the Superintendent, who was not bound by the notification from the Attorney General's office.In 2006, she was criticized by parents groups and the press for certifying a 2006 Oregon School Activities Association (OSAA) reclassification and redistricting plan based solely on school size. The plan requires lengthy and costly trips by athletes to compete against distant schools, often involving lost instruction time. She has defended the action as required under existing state law. The matter is in the courts, several districts having filed suit.
In 2007, Castillo and her department were involved in a high-profile dispute with a computer-based testing vendor that left school districts statewide scrambling to meet federal No Child Left Behind (NCLB) requirements. Castillo and Deputy Superintendent Ed Dennis blamed the vendor, Pennsylvania-based Vantage Learning, for the situation. State officials filed a lawsuit on behalf of the Oregon Department of Education, claiming Vantage Learning was in breach of contract. In November 2008, however, an Oregon jury ruled against the state and awarded Vantage Learning more than $3.5 million.
In 2008, an accounting scandal surfaced at the Oregon Department of Education. The agency's director of accounting services was accused of embezzling nearly $1 million intended for charter schools, anti-drug youth initiatives and school-based health programs. The scandal raised questions about the level of oversight and the strength of internal controls within the agency.
2006 Re-election
In December 2005, Castillo announced she would run for a second term amidst widespread speculation she was considering a Gubernatorial or Congressional bid. She was challenged by Deb Andrews, an Oak Grove education consultant, who said Oregon schools fail to match curriculum to individual students. She was also critical of reading instruction in most Oregon schools, which she proposed should employ phonics-based reading programs and Direct Instruction, a highly scripted teaching method used in a handful of Oregon schools. Castillo, with the backing of the Oregon Education Association, received 67% of the votes cast, and began her second four-year term in January 2007.2010 re-election
In October 2009, Castillo indicated she would run for another term, and defeated state representative Ron MaurerRon Maurer
Ron Maurer is a Republican politician from the U.S. state of Oregon. He served in the Oregon House of Representatives until January 2011. He represented District 3, which encompasses most of Josephine County, including the cities of Grants Pass and Cave Junction...
in a close election in May 2010 to win a third term.
Distinctions and awards
- 2004 - Named one of the “100 Most Influential Hispanics” in America, Hispanic Business Magazine.
Trivia
- While still a broadcast journalist, Castillo appeared in the 1993 film, Fire in the SkyFire in the SkyFire in the Sky is a 1993 film based on an alleged extraterrestrial encounter, directed by Robert Lieberman, and written by Tracy Tormé based on Travis Walton's book The Walton Experience. The film stars Robert Patrick in the leading role as Walton's best friend and future brother-in-law, Mike...
playing a TV news anchor.