Increased K-12 funding to be accompanied by renewed accountability system to improve student success

Salem, OR — On March 10th, Governor Tina Kotek outlined the legislative lynchpin of her 2025 Education Initiative, a plan to renew Oregon’s education accountability system and make sure state education investments translate into high-quality instruction for every student across the state.

“Getting public education right is one of the biggest promises we make to Oregonians. Students and families want a quality public education that works for them,” Governor Kotek said. “When schools aren’t delivering for students, we all have to step up. It’s time to be clear-eyed about our numbers and change how the state and districts work together on improving student outcomes.”

“Pairing additional resources with strong accountability measures will help support our schools as we all work together to improve educational outcomes for our students,” Senate President Rob Wagner (D-Lake Oswego) said. “To secure Oregon’s future economic strength, we must prioritize educating our students today.”

“We need to be clear-eyed about the challenges facing Oregon’s K-12 system and treat the current situation with the urgency it demands,” House Speaker Julie Fahey (D-West Eugene and Veneta) said. “Oregon students can’t wait for us to get this right down the road – they need genuine accountability and real results now.”

The Governor introduces this legislation as she proposes a historic $11.36 billion State School Fund (SSF) investment and legislation to provide school districts with more financial predictability for future budget cycles. She believes the state has a responsibility to make sure increased funding is used in ways that deliver the best education for every Oregon student.

The Governor’s proposal to renew the accountability system:

• Builds on existing metrics embedded in the Student Success Act (2019) and adds two new metrics to Oregon’s accountability system that research shows are strong predictors of student success.
• Standardizes the use of “interim assessments,” which measure student performance growth over the course of the school year, allowing Oregon to better understand what is working as well as allow educators to make real-time adjustments.
• Takes a more hands-on approach to supporting districts when their metrics are not improving over time, including required coaching and support, and eventually state directed spending of up to 25% of State School Fund (SSF) and Student Investment Account (SIA) dollars if necessary.
• Allows schools more time to focus on students by requiring the Oregon Department of Education to identify and streamline duplicative reporting, programs, and processes.

The Governor also believes the Oregon Department of Education must deliver for students, be responsive, and operate with best practices. In tandem with legislative action, the Governor has directed the agency to take action to consolidate grants to ease the workload for school districts, strengthen data collection and public transparency, improve internal operations, and elevate existing best practices and responsive support for school districts across Oregon.

Find more information on the legislation here.