Oregon lawmakers kicked off the 2025 legislative session last week. Over the next several months, state leaders will decide on dozens of key education issues — from school funding and accountability measures to student health and safety.
The largest focus for school spending is on the State School Fund, the multi-billion dollar bucket of money the state draws from to support districts. The fund operates on a two-year cycle and is a major focus for lawmakers in odd-numbered years.
That funding is based on a weighted average enrollment. But fewer students are enrolling in Oregon’s public schools, as previously reported by OPB, which means less state money is going to school districts. At the same time, costs to provide the same services in schools are going up.
Gov. Tina Kotek has proposed a way to restructure the state’s school funding formula and get more money to districts. But retirement costs are projected to skyrocket over the next two years, canceling out much of the money saved from the effort.
Kotek’s proposed budget for the 2025-27 biennium includes $11.3 billion for Oregon’s 197 school districts, as well as additional investments into Oregon’s Early Literacy Initiative and Summer Learning programs.
Students work on reading skills during a summer program at Imlay Elementary School in Hillsboro, Ore., on July 31, 2024. Oregon lawmakers kicked off the 2025 legislative session last week, and will decide on dozens of key education issues.
Natalie Pate / OPB
With more money also comes an attempt at more accountability.
Several placeholder bills — such as Senate Bill 302 and House Bill 2453 — aim to evaluate the adequacy of Oregon’s public K-12 system. Meanwhile, proposals like Senate Bill 311 would require the Oregon Department of Education to study the adequacy of state funding.
Oregon already has a Quality Education Commission, whose job is to recommend adequate spending levels to support public schools. For years, it has recommended more funding than lawmakers have provided, even with record investments.
Lawmakers will also decide this year whether to raise the cap on special education funding.
As it stands now, Oregon school districts get a small increase in funding depending on how many students with disabilities they serve. However, the increase is capped at 11% of a school district’s student body. This, despite the fact that about 15% of Oregon students — more than 82,000 children in the 2023-24 school year — receive special education services for their disabilities.
Districts are struggling with how to meet the needs of students with disabilities without sacrificing programs for other students. Some bills this session aim to increase the cap over time or eliminate it altogether.
Student-athletes welcome freshmen as they walk a red carpet at North Salem High School on Sept. 3, 2024. Oregon lawmakers kicked off the 2025 legislative session last week, and will decide on dozens of key education issues in the coming months.
Natalie Pate / OPB
With a range of student health and safety issues facing school leaders — from gun violence to sexual abuse to mental health difficulties — lawmakers have several bills aimed at protecting students.
Senate Bill 631 would direct each school board to adopt a child sexual abuse prevention instructional program that addresses child sex trafficking, for example. Whereas House Bill 2180 would have the state study the practice of hiring retired police officers to provide security in public schools. And House Bill 3083 brings back the conversation from last year about installing panic devices in schools to quickly respond to potentially violent attacks.
House Bills 3149 and 3165 would allow the state to give more money to local school districts affected by wildfires.
Students store their cellphones while attending class at Grant High School in Portland, Ore., Oct. 3, 2023. The school opened in September, 1924, and is in the Portland Public Schools district.
Kristyna Wentz-Graff / OPB
Lastly, several bills would affect the daily experience of students in their school communities.
House Bill 2251 will be of particular interest to educators, students and families alike. If passed, it would direct school districts to adopt policies prohibiting the use of students' personal electronic devices. Cellphone bans are a big topic right now, both nationally and in some of Oregon’s largest school districts.
Meanwhile, House Bill 2392 would require individualized suicide prevention protection plans for every student who “demonstrates suicidal behavior.” And, if passed, Senate Bill 544 would require the installation of vaporizing detection devices at high schools with 1,000 or more students.
Senate Bill 618 is one of at least three versions from the Senate and House requiring school districts to designate athletic competitions and extracurricular sports according to biological sex. The bill enters a national debate around trans rights and gender identity, including a recent executive order from President Donald Trump.
And something for parents of teenagers to watch for: House Bill 2359 would ensure high schools don’t start classes before 8:30 a.m.
Read through more bills and view public legislative meetings online at oregonlegislature.gov.