Jacob Lewin

Oregon's economy has been on the upswing and that's having unforeseen effects.  For some Oregon school districts, it's contributing to a serious shortage of teachers.

With surveys and workshops, the City of Corvallis is conducting a visioning process to see what residents want for the future.  What's clear so far is the enthusiasm for downtown and a desire to preserve it.

Twenty years from now, based on existing trends, Oregon public schools will be majority minority. Oregon still has a ten-point achievement gap between minorities and whites, and as students of color become a larger part of the school population, closing that gap becomes more important.

In recent months, unaccompanied minors and women with children have been crossing the border at a rate of 180-thousand per year. That's more than the surge of two years ago, and the Obama administration is preparing for a further increase this summer.  Some will likely come to Lane County to join refugees already here.

The City of Corvallis now has proportionately more Democrats than the City of Eugene, recently edging out the larger city. It's been a big, although gradual change.

Oregon is seeing a big increase in the number of Latinos applying for citizenship.  The main reason is the presidential candidacy of Donald Trump and his anti-immigrant rhetoric.

In Albany and Corvallis, he's a music teacher and guitarist, but in New Mexico, he's a star.  We're talking about Chris Arellano.

It doesn't seem to make sense.  Oregon students get average scores on national tests, but rank near the bottom in high school graduation rates.  Just over one in four Oregon high school students doesn't graduate in four years.

NPR Education Correspondent Claudio Sanchez talks with KLCC's Jacob Lewin.

Claudio Sanchez will give a public talk Wednesday evening at 7 o'clock at the UO Knight Law Center. Room 175

Spanish and English have been in contact with each other since colonial times. A University of Oregon professor has brought them together for a new class called "Spanglish."