`Appalling' Oregon school gets state funds

PORTLAND - A for-profit alternative school is still receiving taxpayer money five months after a regional agency refused accreditation because it found the school had no identifiable academic standards or trained teachers.

"I have never seen anything as appalling as what purports to be a school there," said Roberta Hutton, retired associate superintendent of the Oregon Department of Education and chairwoman of the Northwest Association of Schools and Colleges accreditation team.

"It was very bad in every way."

The Northwest School of Success in Oregon City lost its accreditation in January.

Oregon does not require accreditation. But state officials and school districts provide almost no oversight of alternative schools, so accreditation is used to judge the quality of the programs.

The Northwest School of Success is run by Norman Stewart, who also runs an Internet law school that issues degrees not recognized by the state of Oregon. His partner is Lloyd Patterson, a retired maintenance man from Molalla, Ore., with no experience in education.

Stewart defended his alternative school, saying it is being unfairly judged as a traditional high school even though it serves students with histories of disciplinary and academic problems.

"Once these kids come to this particular school and alternative schools in general, they feel it's a fresh chance," Stewart said.

The Northwest School of Success is one of 126 private alternative schools registered with the Oregon Department of Education to serve students who have not been successful in standard classroom settings. State officials could not say how many of the schools are accredited.

To get on the state-approved list of programs, alternative schools must submit an application. It's up to the school district to evaluate the quality of the programs.

Portland just this year began collecting data on retention, student conduct, attendance and academic achievement of students in alternative programs, as well as budget information. But many district officials say they don't have the staff members or resources to gather such information.

Stewart's school receives about 40 students from the North Clackamas, Oregon City, Gladstone and Canby school districts.

Those suburban Portland districts received between $3,335 and $3,950 from the state for each student this year. They pay Stewart about $23 a day for each student in his program.

Officials from the districts could not answer questions about how the money is spent, who owns the school or how decisions are made.

Barry Rotrock, superintendent of Oregon City schools, said desperation to place difficult students - including those who have been expelled from high school - has contributed to a general lack of oversight of private alternative programs.

He said the Oregon City district has about 21 students at the Northwest School of Success.

Karen Phillips, assistant director of secondary programs in North Clackamas, said the district has been pleased with Stewart's program.

But members of the accrediting association who have visited the school on four occasions since 1996 have found little evidence of a solid academic program.

During a December visit - the final visit before the school's accreditation was dropped - officials cited a general lack of academic standards and policies, as well as a poor library with outdated textbooks, a small collection of fiction and minimal access to research.

The building was cold and dirty when the accreditation committee visited last winter. It lacks an adequate fire warning system and is not inspected regularly, according to the report.

"There is not a public school that could operate in a facility like that," Hutton said.