What Happened for K-12 Education in Oregon's 2025 Legislative Session

As student outcomes lag, educational disparities persist, strikes make headlines, economic forecasts shift, and federal actions spark fear, it was a pivotal year for state lawmakers to take action.

The dome of the Oregon State Capitol.
The dome of the Oregon State Capitol.

After nearly six months, Oregon’s 2025 legislative session officially closed on Friday, June 27. As with every long session, state legislators were charged with drafting a new state budget for the next two years. But with student outcomes lagging, educational disparities persisting, teacher strikes making headlines, economic forecasts shifting, and federal actions sparking fear, Gov. Tina Kotek and the Oregon Legislature faced a pivotal moment to take action for children and public education.

Foundations for a Better Oregon (FBO) was honored to collaborate with state lawmakers and partners across sectors to develop and champion policies and investments that promise to make a difference for children. We were also proud to join with the Oregon Partners for Education Justice to once again support the network’s 2025 Legislative Agenda.

Historic Progress on K-12 Improvement and Accountability 

This year, Oregon took a bold step to improve how our state’s public education delivers for all students. With bipartisan support in both chambers, the Oregon Legislature passed Senate Bill 141, a K-12 accountability bill championed by Gov. Kotek, Senate President Rob Wagner, House Speaker Julie Fahey, Sen. Janeen Sollman, and Rep. Ricki Ruiz.

For decades, K-12 accountability in Oregon has been defined by blunt, punitive, and harmful federal efforts aimed primarily at improving standardized test scores. When this top-down approach crumbled, the state was left with a patchwork of reporting requirements, but no focused or coherent strategy to actually improve student learning and achievement. Now, the Oregon Legislature has given a clear charge to build a statewide K-12 accountability system that helps all 197 school districts continuously improve to better serve every student. 

Senate Bill 141 builds on Oregon’s 2019 Student Success Act, which former state legislators Barbara Smith Warner and Arnie Roblan highlighted in The Oregonian as a model for “how the state can target taxpayer dollars for public education in a way that prioritizes collaboration, school improvement, and accountability.” The new bill expands on the Student Success Act’s K-12 strategies with much stronger state supports, more proactive interventions, and a broader system-wide reach to accelerate progress in every school district.

Under Senate Bill 141, Oregon will:

  • Reduce administrative burden so schools and educators focus on teaching and learning.

  • Expand statewide metrics to track student outcomes and progress, including attendance, reading and math proficiency, graduation rates, and closing achievement gaps.

  • Improve how student performance is measured throughout the year to give educators valuable data to guide classroom instruction. 

  • Require all school districts to set clear goals to improve student outcomes and close disparities.

  • Establish clear milestones for state coaching and intervention in school districts that aren’t meeting improvement goals.

  • Strengthen the Oregon Department of Education’s authority, tools, and skill to help school districts invest in what works.

“As a former school board member, I can tell you that as soon as this bill goes into place, you’re going to see behavior start to change,” said Senate President Wagner. “School districts aren’t going to wait until the state steps in, they will start aligning with best practices. By linking accountability with best practices and targeted investments, we can ensure that every student has the opportunity to succeed.”

Building a stronger statewide system for K-12 improvement is especially important at a time when the federal government is pulling back on education data and protections for students. Perhaps now more than ever, Oregon must leverage Senate Bill 141 to close the unacceptable yet persistent opportunity and achievement gaps impacting historically underserved students and communities.

But as Sen. Suzanne Weber noted in a committee hearing about the bill, the Legislature has a long history of launching new reforms, only to abandon them shortly thereafter in favor of another “shiny” solution. “If we start this program,” she explained, “we have to commit to it.”

FBO looks forward to working with the state and partners to support Senate Bill 141’s implementation. That work begins by helping Oregonians across sectors and communities understand the bill’s vision, goals, and pathway to success. It will take all of us—inside and outside of the public education system—to fulfill its promise.

Two students complete worksheets facing a classroom whiteboard.
Two students complete worksheets facing a classroom whiteboard.

How the Legislature Invested in Public Education

Over the next two years, Oregon will invest a record-high $11.36 billion in the State School Fund, the state’s primary funding stream for K-12 public schools—an 11% increase over the last biennium. This level of investment comes after Senate Bill 316 updated how the state estimates the total amount of funding needed to maintain existing programs and services in Oregon school districts. 

The Legislature also funded the Student Investment Account (SIA), another major K-12 funding source, at $1.1 billion. These investments are especially notable given the state’s lackluster revenue forecast in an volatile economic environment. But Gov. Kotek was clear from the beginning that increased funding for schools was a top priority, as long as it was paired with robust accountability to make sure every dollar is well spent. 

Despite strong investment in K-12 schools, the rest of Oregon’s public education budget faced difficult news. The Legislature will invest just $1.4 billion in early childhood programs over the next biennium, a $45 million cut and 3% decrease compared to the last state budget. These cuts will reduce access to preschool, culturally specific early learning programs, and other services for Oregon’s youngest children. Meanwhile, the state’s $3.9 billion investment in higher education should technically sustain all current programs, but advocates say it falls short of reality and will inevitably lead to cuts.

These early learning and higher education funding shortfalls are compounded by cuts across the state budget that impact children and families, including public health, housing, and more. FBO continues to believe in the need to invest strategically and responsibly in children’s learning and care from birth through post-secondary, and across all public systems that touch the lives of children every day.

Gov. Tina Kotek ceremonially signs House Bills 2007 and 5047 at Oregon State Library.
Gov. Tina Kotek ceremonially signs House Bills 2007 and 5047 at Oregon State Library.

A Long-Awaited, Longer-Term Commitment to Summer Learning

After winning overwhelming bipartisan support in the Legislature, Gov. Tina Kotek signed House Bills 2007 and 5047 into law in April, funding summer learning programs for thousands of students across Oregon through 2027.

These bills mark a milestone moment: Oregon is now finally committing to summer learning as a core piece of our state’s public education system and strategy. After years of haphazard investment and last-minute planning, these bills will invest $35 million in summer learning in both 2025 and 2026, and earmark a $12 million head start for the summer of 2027. This year, the Oregon Department of Education estimates these funds will reach over 35,000 students in over 130 school districts, education service districts, charter schools, and tribes.

Sustainable and predictable funding is critical to delivering successful summer programs for Oregon youth, but some of the bills’ policy provisions risk limiting the benefits of these investments.

For example, the bill requires summer learning and enrichment programs to narrowly concentrate on improving student literacy rates over a short period of time. Research, however, shows children benefit most from summer programs that offer diverse learning opportunities and experiences—including social-emotional learning and mental health supports—to deliver long-term gains across academic disciplines. 

And while the bill does well to reach beyond school districts by dedicating critically important funding to sovereign tribal nations, community-based and culturally specific organizations unfortunately cannot independently apply for funding to provide high-quality programs, as they have in the past.

Even as we celebrate important progress, FBO will continue advocating to expand and maximize the return on these investments. “To reach our state’s education goals, we need high-quality school- and community-based programs that offer a wide range of academic and enrichment opportunities so that every child can feel like they belong, grow their confidence and joy as learners, and find their unique path to success,” said Janet Soto Rodriguez, FBO’s Deputy Director, in remarks at the bills’ ceremonial signing.

A view into the atrium under the rotunda at the Oregon State Capitol.
A view into the atrium under the rotunda at the Oregon State Capitol.

Closed-Door Decisions Undercut Community Voice and Partnership

As an intermediary organization, FBO is deeply committed to inclusive policymaking that meaningfully engages the voices, perspectives, and ideas of communities directly impacted by public systems. We also champion a shared vision for public education where schools work in closer partnership with families and community partners to provide a year-round ecosystem of learning inside and outside the classroom.

Unfortunately, closed-door decisions often left community voices shut out of the legislative process this session. A number of these decisions ultimately diminished the power of community leadership and partnership in public education. 

Community advocates were surprised when the Governor’s original summer learning policy concept was suddenly replaced by House Bill 2007, a brand new proposal developed by legislators behind closed doors. Unlike the Governor’s plan, House Bill 2007 contradicted many of the best practices for high-quality summer learning recommended by an inclusive cross-sector work group that the Legislature itself commissioned last year.

The final days of session also saw legislative budget committees unilaterally make stark cuts and structural changes to Oregon’s Student Success Plans. These statewide plans and grant programs, developed by community-led advisory groups to address opportunity gaps and improve educational outcomes for historically underserved students, lost $23 million in funding, a 55% reduction over the last biennium. The Legislature also consolidated the plans into a single budget line item, but deferred responsibility to the Oregon Department of Education to reorganize funding and governance across unique plans serving Black students, ​​American Indian and Alaska Native students, Latino/a/x and Indigenous students, LGBTQ2SIA+ students, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander students, and immigrant and refugee students.

Cuts to Oregon’s Early Literacy Community Grants and Early Childhood Equity Fund are another setback for community-driven education strategies and investments. Community-based and culturally specific organizations hold deep and trusted relationships with historically underserved students, but our state continues to underinvest in them as key partners in Oregon’s public education ecosystem.

Legislating is no easy business, with economic realities and looming deadlines constantly pressuring state leaders. In these difficult moments, community input is essential to make the best of a difficult situation and find a way forward. We strongly believe the Legislature can and must work more transparently and collaboratively with impacted communities partners before making decisions for impacted communities.

Two students sit side by side in a classroom, completing a worksheet together.
Two students sit side by side in a classroom, completing a worksheet together.

Which Notable Education Bills Passed, and Which Ones Didn’t

This session saw legislators introduce over 2,200 bills, a record high at the State Capitol. While a bipartisan bill proposing to limit the total number of bills ultimately failed, a slew of education bills—some hotly contested, others under-the-radar—made their way through the legislative process.

Senate Bill 1098, championed by Sen. Lew Frederick, would prevent book bans and censorship in Oregon public schools if it constitutes discrimination based on race, national origin, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, disability, or any other protected class. As Rep. Cyrus Javadi wrote in a powerful personal essay:

“Public schools serve the whole public, which includes kids with gay parents, kids who wear hijabs, kids who are figuring out where they fit. Protecting their right to see themselves in a story isn’t an attack on anyone else’s values. It’s a reminder that the world is bigger than any one household.”

House Bill 3040 added $13 million to Gov. Kotek’s landmark Early Literacy Success Initiative. School districts across the state are celebrating the Initiative’s positive impact so far, thanks to a laser focus on the science of reading. This additional funding will further expand high dosage tutoring for PreK-5 students and curriculum coaching for educators.

House Bill 2508, sponsored by former House Education Committee Chair and newly appointed State Senator Courtney Neron Misslin, directs the Oregon Department of Education to standardize and streamline how school districts, education service districts, and the state collect and access student data in order to gain clearer insights into student progress and illuminate which strategies make the greatest impact.

House Bill 3037, introduced at the Governor’s request, will establish minimum grant awards for small school districts across a variety of Oregon Department of Education programs, a step to reduce the administrative burden of grant application and reporting requirements for school leaders who often juggle multiple roles in responsibilities in rural schools.

The legislative session also saw many hotly contested bills go down to the wire. Despite strong opposition from school districts and a tight state budget, legislators ultimately passed a bill that makes striking public employees—including public school educators—eligible for unemployment benefits. Meanwhile, bills to raise the cap on special education funding, ban cell phones in all Oregon classrooms, provide free school meals to all students, mandate class size in collective bargaining, and effectively unravel Multnomah County’s Preschool for All program all failed to pass.

Two rows of school buses face each other, with garbage cans in the middle, in Salem-Keizer school district.
Two rows of school buses face each other, with garbage cans in the middle, in Salem-Keizer school district.

What Will State Leaders Take On Next?

When it comes to K-12 public education, the 2025 legislative session will be remembered for its major funding and accountability bills. But just as soon as it ended, legislators and advocates have already started thinking ahead to future sessions.

As Senate Bill 141 seeks to accelerate progress on academic outcomes, the state’s next logical step is ensuring that earning Oregon’s high school diploma is a reliable indicator that students are ready for college and career. An extended pause on measuring students’ essential skills in reading, writing, and math—coupled with the pandemic-related gaps in education data—has raised questions and concerns about the state’s graduation rate and requirements. Rebuilding trust in the value of the Oregon diploma is critical to building a truly equitable and effective K-12 system.

Another major unresolved question is how to modernize the funding distribution formula for Oregon’s State School Fund. The formula hasn’t been significantly updated since the 1990s, and remains under scrutiny with ongoing debates over the cap on special education funding and how the state calculates the number of students living in poverty. As Rep. Ricki Ruiz noted in the final days of session, “we’re going to have to have a very critical conversation about how these dollars are distributed to school districts across the state of Oregon.”

There is also far more to do beyond the K-12 system and classroom. Going forward, Oregon must lead with a shared vision for the full continuum of public education, from early childhood through higher education. We must also renew a shared commitment to resourcing not only traditional education systems but also the tribal nations, community-based organizations, child care providers, and many more groups and individuals who stand ready to support Oregon children. And we must uphold our shared values to make sure every child in Oregon can learn, grow, and thrive, no matter their identity, zip code, or life circumstances.