Education

Every student deserves healthy food to fuel learning and growing. Yet too many of Oregon’s kids face stigma and even “school meal debt” when trying to access school meals. Evidence shows making school meals for everyone leads to better health outcomes, reduces stigma, supports working parents, and even leads to higher earnings later in life.

SUPPORTED BY: 

Oregon Center for Public Policy, Oregon Association of Relief Nurseries, Washington County Kids, Families First Parent Resource Center, Friends of Outdoor School, Oregon Environmental Council, FACT Oregon, Oregon Resource Family Alliance, American Heart Association, Oregon PTA, Pro-Choice Oregon, Oregon Kids Read, Oregon Alliance of YMCAs, Immigrant & Refugee Community Organization (IRCO), The Oregon Primary Care Association, Oregon Food Bank, Clackamas Women’s Services, SEIU 503, Community Action Team, Reach Out and Read Northwest, Prevent Child Abuse Oregon, Partners for a Hunger-Free Oregon, Oregon Student Voice, Oregon Attorney General’s Sexual Assault Task Force, Oregon Coalition of Local Health Officials, Catholic Community Services of the Mid-Willamette Valley, Oregon Education Association, Oregon School-Based Health Alliance, Decoding Dyslexia Oregon, Oregon CASA Network

Students with disabilities face vast systemic inequities, leading to among the worst outcomes of any student group in Oregon. We need a specific plan to address historic and current inequities experienced by students with disabilities across the state.

SUPPORTED BY: 

Oregon Association of Relief Nurseries, Washington County Kids, Families First Parent Resource Center, Friends of Outdoor School, FACT Oregon, Oregon Resource Family Alliance, Oregon PTA, Pro-Choice Oregon, Oregon Kids Read, Immigrant & Refugee Community Organization (IRCO), The Oregon Primary Care Association, Oregon Food Bank, Clackamas Women’s Services, SEIU 503, Community Action Team, Prevent Child Abuse Oregon, Oregon Student Voice, Oregon Attorney General’s Sexual Assault Task Force, Oregon Coalition of Local Health Officials, Children’s Institute, NAMI Oregon, Catholic Community Services of the Mid-Willamette Valley, Oregon Education Association, Oregon School-Based Health Alliance, Decoding Dyslexia Oregon, Oregon CASA Network

Oregon faces a literacy crisis. Less than 40% of Oregon 3rd graders are proficient at reading, with increased disparities for students in under-resourced schools, students of color, students with disabilities, and bilingual students.

SUPPORTED BY: 

Fight Crime: Invest in Kids, Oregon Association of Relief Nurseries, Washington County Kids, Families First Parent Resource Center, Friends of Outdoor School, FACT Oregon, Oregon Resource Family Alliance, Pro-Choice Oregon, Oregon Kids Read, Immigrant & Refugee Community Organization (IRCO), The Oregon Primary Care Association, Clackamas Women’s Services, Community Action Team, Reach Out & Read Northwest, Prevent Child Abuse Oregon, Oregon Student Voice, Children’s Institute, Catholic Community Services of the Mid-Willamette Valley, Oregon School-Based Health Alliance, Decoding Dyslexia Oregon, Oregon CASA Network

Youth, teens, and families in Oregon do not have equitable access to engaging and necessary afterschool and summer programs that support the whole child. To build upon previous investments, we must support the infrastructure of expanded learning programs by investing in Expanding Afterschool & Summer Experiences.

SUPPORTED BY: 

Fight Crime: Invest in Kids, Everytown for Gun Safety, Oregon Association of Relief Nurseries, Washington County Kids, Families First Parent Resource Center, FACT Oregon, ReadyNation, Oregon Resource Family Alliance, Oregon PTA, Pro-Choice Oregon, Oregon Kids Read, Oregon Alliance of YMCAs, Immigrant & Refugee Community Organization (IRCO), The Oregon Primary Care Association, Oregon Food Bank, Clackamas Women’s Services, Prevent Child Abuse Oregon, Partners for a Hunger-Free Oregon, Oregon Attorney General’s Sexual Assault Task Force, Oregon Coalition of Local Health Officials, Children’s Institute, Catholic Community Services of the Mid-Willamette Valley, Oregon School-Based Health Alliance, Oregon CASA Network

OR YMCAs, IRCO, OR Primary Care, Association, Clackamas Women’s Services, Community Action Team, Prevent Child Abuse OR

Currently, Oregon does not maintain a student or youth majority-led advisory body advising policy-making related directly to their experiences, leaving out the important voices and experiences of youth in making decisions. We can create a state-level youth collaborative that ensures youth are meaningfully involved in the creation and implementation of policies that impact their lives.

SUPPORTED BY: 

Fight Crime: Invest in Kids, Everytown, Relief Nurseries, Washington County Kids, Families First, PRC, Friends of Outdoor School, FACT OR, ReadyNation, Oregon Resource Family Alliance, OR PTA, Pro Choice OR, OR Kids Read, OR YMCAs, IRCO, OR Primary Care Association, OR Food Bank, Clackamas Women’s Services, Prevent Child, Abuse OR, Hunger Free OR

Currently, we measure school quality and student success predominantly through test scores and attendance. But is this the true measure of the magic and wonder of the learning that occurs inside classroom environments? We can make participating in the SEED survey and the Student Health Survey mandatory for districts and include an overall participation benchmark for schools.

SUPPORTED BY: 

Oregon Association of Relief Nurseries, Washington County Kids, Friends of Outdoor School, FACT Oregon, Oregon Resource Family Alliance, Oregon PTA, Pro-Choice Oregon, Oregon Kids Read, Immigrant & Refugee Community Organization (IRCO), The Oregon Primary Care Association, Clackamas Women’s Services, Prevent Child Abuse Oregon, Oregon Student Voice, Oregon Coalition of Local Health Officials, Catholic Community Services of the Mid-Willamette Valley, Oregon Education Alliance, Oregon School-Based Health Alliance, Decoding Dyslexia Oregon, Oregon CASA Network

Outdoor preschools offer unique physical, cognitive, and social development benefits unique from a traditional indoor environment. Yet many families lack access to outdoor and nature-based experiences, and these inequities often fall across socioeconomic and racial lines. Licensing outdoor preschools is a simple way for the state to increase capacity and create more equitable and accessible childcare options for all families.

SUPPORTED BY: 

Fight Crime: Invest in Kids, Oregon Relief Nurseries, Friends of Outdoor School,Oregon Environmental Council, FACT Oregon, ReadyNation, Oregon Resource Family Alliance, Pro-Choice Oregon, Oregon Kids Read, Immigrant & Refugee Community Organization (IRCO), The Oregon Primary Care Association, Clackamas Women’s Services, Community Action Team, Reach Out and Read Northwest, Prevent Child Abuse Oregon, Oregon Attorney General’s Sexual Assault Task Force, Children’s Institute, Catholic Community Services of the Mid-Willamette Valley, Oregon School-Based Health Alliance,Oregon CASA Network

In November 2016, Oregonians voted to fund every 5th or 6th grader in Oregon to attend Outdoor School (Measure 99). But currently, we do not know accurate information on which students have or have not attended. This bill will allow the ODE to collect data to better understand and ensure that every student gets the important educational experience of Outdoor School.

SUPPORTED BY: 

Fight Crime: Invest in Kids, Oregon Association of Relief Nurseries, Washington County Kids, Friends of Outdoor School, Oregon Environmental Council, FACT Oregon, Oregon Resource Family Alliance, Pro-Choice Oregon, Oregon Kids Read, Immigrant & Refugee Community Organization (IRCO), The Oregon Primary Care Association, Oregon Food Bank, Clackamas Women’s Services, Reach Out and Read Northwest, Prevent Child Abuse Oregon, Oregon Student Voice, Oregon School-Based Health Alliance, Oregon CASA Network