Gov. Tina Kotek Signs Landmark K-12 Accountability Bill

FBO joined state and local leaders to celebrate Senate Bill 141, a bipartisan strategy to improve public schools and student outcomes.

Gov. Tina Kotek celebrates the ceremonial signing of Senate Bill 141 at Prairie Mountain School in Eugene.
Gov. Tina Kotek celebrates the ceremonial signing of Senate Bill 141 at Prairie Mountain School in Eugene.

Whitney Grubbs is Executive Director of Foundations for a Better Oregon.

Whitney Grubbs is Executive Director of Foundations for a Better Oregon.

Last week, I made my way to Prairie Mountain K-8 School in Eugene, where Gov. Tina Kotek held a ceremonial bill signing for this year’s major education legislation. As students filed into classrooms for summer learning, I joined legislators, advocates, and reporters in the school library for the celebration. 

I was especially honored to join Gov. Kotek at the podium to speak about Senate Bill 141, a bipartisan landmark step to improve Oregon public schools, strengthen system accountability, and clearly connect K-12 investments to student outcomes.

As a state, we have struggled for decades to make sure all children receive the education they need and deserve. Top-down reforms never recognized the complexity of the task at hand, nor did they recognize the humanity of the hard-working folks across our public education system.

The fact is that our challenges are systemic—born from years of inconsistent strategies and investments, a revolving door of reforms and one-off initiatives, and the lack of a statewide plan for improvement across all 197 school districts. We piled on more and more requirements and barriers, but never delivered the focus, coherence, and support that research tells us is critical to make lasting change.

We can’t—and won’t—repeat those mistakes with Senate Bill 141.

A  paper copy of Senate Bill 141.
FBO Executive Director speaks behind the podium in front of an audience at bill signing ceremony for Senate Bill 141.

To achieve positive outcomes for all students, we need adequate and stable funding and strong and supportive accountability. That’s how we get the most for every dollar invested in public schools, and how we fulfill our promise of a high-quality education for every child, no matter their identity, zip code, or life circumstances. 

Real accountability and system improvement requires strong relationships, shared agreement on our goals, a long-term commitment, and the courage to constantly reflect, learn, and improve. It will be hard work, but it’s the critical work we must do to keep our promises to Oregon’s kids.

Oregonians know a strong public education is key to building a strong economy, healthy communities, a durable democracy, and a secure future. Now, Senate Bill 141 is calling us to set high expectations, follow the data, invest smarter, learn from mistakes, and cheer progress in our schools. It will take all of us—in Salem and in district offices, in classrooms and neighborhoods, in labor and in business—to lean in together and make this bill succeed. We owe it to our children. 

To learn more about Senate Bill 141 and other key bills impacting Oregon schools and students, check out OPB’s news coverage of the signing ceremony, read FBO’s full recap of the 2025 legislative session, or listen to my remarks at the bill signing ceremony.