LEBANON - The Oregon Department of Education has asked to meet with Superintendent Jim Robinson regarding complaints about People Involved in Education.

Ed Dennis, deputy superintendent of public instruction, said the department received one e-mail and one phone call complaining about PIE shortly after the Lebanon School Board's Dec. 3 meeting, when members voted 4-1 to renew PIE's contract to run Sand Ridge Charter School.

Both complaints, which were anonymous, said the Lebanon board had received information showing PIE was not complying with certain state rules and regulations and was not acting on the information. The caller and the e-mail asked the state to intervene.

"My hope is whatever the issues are, they can be resolved at a local level and there isn't something that would require the state to get involved," Dennis said this morning. "I don't know if there is or isn't at this point. That's part of the reason I want to have a conversation with the foks down there."

Dennis asked Robinson to meet with him Jan. 15 and bring the materials presented to the Lebanon board. He said he wanted to talk with Robinson before contacting PIE.

Robinson said he hopes to meet with PIE prior to the meeting to hear their response to those findings, which were given to the board Dec. 4.

In that report, Robinson, school district lawyer Paul Dakopolos and various district staff members outlined some two dozen recordkeeping concerns about PIE's administration of Sand Ridge. Some were paperwork issues surrounding policies and accounting procedures, while others, Robinson said, represent "material breaches" of the current contract.

The breaches involve PIE's administration of multiple school programs spanning Lebanon and Sweet Home. Current contract language states PIE and Lebanon must agree on language regarding expansions planned by PIE, and that PIE will notify Lebanon before expanding. Neither has occurred.

PIE Chairman Jay Jackson has said state law doesn't preclude PIE from running more than one school and he believes liability issues can be resolved without forming a new corporation. Further, he said, formal notification wasn't necessary because Lebanon was aware of PIE's plans.

Jackson called some of the district's other issues "hypothetical concerns," such as whether funds are being shared among PIE's various programs. He said he would appreciate the chance to rebut the report.

PIE Negotiations

LEBANON - Two members of the Lebanon School Board have volunteered to join district officials in negotiating with People Involved in Education on a new contract for Sand Ridge Charter School.

Representatives from the district also are asking to meet with PIE to talk about the current contract, which they say contains several paperwork concerns and at least two violations.

Chairman Jay Jackson said his board meets tonight and will discuss how to proceed with both issues.

Lebanon board members on Monday agreed by consensus not to conduct negotiations for a new charter as a full board, saying that would subject the talks to public meeting laws and limit the opportunity for private discussion.

Board member Rick Alexander disagreed, saying he interprets both state law and district policy to say the full board should be involved. However, he and Josh Wineteer volunteered to represent the board during negotiations.

PIE had asked to have the full board conduct negotiations.

The Lebanon board voted 4-1 last month to renew a five-year contract with PIE to run Sand Ridge. The law allows 90 days to come to terms on contract language, although the deadline can be extended.