Legislative panel urges more funding of schools
The Joint Committee on Student Success, a legislative committee tasked with identifying ways of improving Oregon schools, has released its report after a year of research and study. Their primary takeaway? Oregon schools need billions of dollars in additional school funding for students to have high-quality schools.
Committee members engaged in listening sessions around the state, hearing from educators, students, and other community stakeholders.
“The challenges schools face identified in this report are exactly what I hear from educators every day,” says John Larson, high school English teacher from Hermiston and president of the Oregon Education Association. “First and foremost, our schools need more funding to reduce class size and give students the individualized attention they deserve.
“We must work to support students who come to school with unmet needs by investing in mental health programs and resources for families, serving the whole child. Our efforts must support students of color, students with disabilities, and other historically disadvantaged students who disproportionately bear the burden of under-funding. Each school district needs flexibility to be able to serve its unique student population.”
“I’m glad to see that the Joint Committee on Student Success has come to the same conclusion educators and parents across the state know to be true: our schools need significantly more funding if they are to serve our students well.”
The Oregon Education Association said it anticipates much discussion of the recommendations and themes in this report over the coming months and is grateful for the work of the committee to listen to our communities over the last year.
