Major Education Reform Bills Pass the Oregon House & Senate
Both the Oregon House and Senate this week passed 3 groundbreaking education bills that are now on their way to the Governor’s desk to be signed into law. The bills bring more choice to Oregon’s public education system and allow students to learn in schools where they best grow, learn and succeed.
From the standpoint of the state Republican party, who sponsored and supported these bills, they accomplish 3 goals:
- allow students to enroll in the school district of their choice
- raise the enrollment cap on virtual charter schools
- empower community colleges and public universities to create charter schools.
“The Legislature is on track to have its most successful session on education reform in decades,” said House Education Committee Co-Chair Matt Wingard (R-Wilsonville). “Together, these reforms help promote choice, accountability and innovation in our educational system. I’m particularly pleased with the progress we’ve made in expanding choice for parents and their children.”
HB 3681 allows students to enroll in the school district of their choice so long as the receiving district grants permission. School districts will no longer be able to block a student who wishes to leave and find a learning environment that more adequately meets their needs in another district.
HB 2301 raises the enrollment caps on virtual schools to no more than 3% of the students from any particular district. Under this bill another 20,000 students across the state could enroll in virtual charter schools. There are more than 5,000 students on waiting lists for virtual charger schools in Oregon.
HB 3645 expands the potential sponsors of a charter school. If a school district turns down a charter school application, HB 3645 would allow a sponsorship from the Board of Education, a local community college, or public university (including OHSU). This bill could lead to as many as 25 new charter schools, including high school/community college hybrids. Students could earn a diploma and Associate of Arts degree in five years.
“These bills represent a big step towards a school system that is more responsive to the needs of students,” said Senator Larry George (R-Sherwood). “I believe reforms like these will produce better outcomes for Oregon families, and produce students ready to compete in the world economy.”
Not sure the point you are trying to make Sophy other than it was a lot of money spent on education for military personels kids, Thanks a lot to “High Speed University” i got degree
It’s a parents choice to do what they feel is best for their child, correct? School districts have become more about the money per child, than the children themselves! If a school district provides a healthy environment with a quality education they shouldn’t have to worry about enrollment. Why as a parent, can I choose to home school or enroll at a charter school without approval from the district i live in, but if I want to send my child to an out of district public school I’m held hostage. With HB 3681 you still need to have approval from the accepting district and with overcrowding, the possibility of acceptance is slim. This bill will have a minimal effect on school budgets and will force accountability while putting the choice of the child’s education in the parents hands where it should be! Anyone choosing to take that right out of the parents hands should not be elected to another term.
Once this is in effect, I would like to know how many applications each district receives, from which districts they are being sent from and the reasons for the applications (broken into categories).
If this can help identify better performing districts, then maybe this can help direct funds to them. In other words, draw from the Race to the Top playbook and reward success and leadership.
It’s hard to imagine how anyone could oppose 3681, and yet the vast majority of Democrats did. This is a victory for children, and a stinging defeat for educationists who think that the students exist for the benefit of the local schools, rather than the other way around.