Oregon – A recent report to the Oregon legislature from Edunomics Lab at Georgetown University shows how student performance has continued to decline despite substantial increases in per pupil expenditures. Reading/ELA and math proficiency scores declined substantially between 2019 and 2022. Former Governor Kate Brown ordered public schools to close beginning March 16, 2020, that order was extended multiple times. In March of 2021 the Governor ordered all schools to resume in-person instruction with a directive to follow mandatory health and safety guidance. A study published in Nature’s npj journal found that school closures had a demonstrable negative impact on student achievement at a global scale, approximately equivalent to seven months of learning loss. The article notes that the losses were greater for students whose schools were closed longer, as well as boys, immigrants, and disadvantaged students.
The Edunomics report shows that overall student performance at the state level has continued to decline in the years following the conclusion of covid era policies. At the state level less than half of students all students are proficient in ELA/Reading or math. Per pupil spending has increased 80% since 2013, with an over 25% increase between 2021 – 2023. The report goes on to show that staffing levels have increased substantially as well, while enrollment has continued to decline. In 2015-2016 there were 63,002 employees for 576,704 students, for the 2023 – 2024 year there were 76,785 employees, an additional 13,783, for 547,424 students which is a decrease in enrollment of 29,280.
Governor Tina Kotek announced in a post on X on January 31st that she was calling for $11 billion dollars in funding for Oregon’s public schools.
This week, I joined educators, parent advocates, and school administrators to testify in support of my historic investment in school funding. We have to do better for our kids, and as a state, that includes providing more stable and predictable funding for our schools. pic.twitter.com/PlTjuNWI8F
— Tina Kotek (@TinaKotek) February 1, 2025
Alternatively the Oregon Senate Republicans released a statement expressing substantial frustration with the findings of the report. The statement reads:
An analysis presented to the Joint Ways and Means Subcommittee on Education revealed a troubling reality. Despite an 80% increase in school spending over the past decade, student performance in reading and math continues to decline. Meanwhile, Democrats have abandoned Oregon’s kids by removing graduation requirements and lowering expectations in the name of ‘equity’.
In 2021, Democrats passed Senate Bill 744, eliminating the “essential skills” requirement for high school graduation statewide. A Wall Street Journal editorial even called it “Dumbing Oregon Down”. Republicans fought hard against this disastrous policy, but Democrats, who control the Legislature, pushed it through without a single Republican in support. The result? An entire generation of students set up for failure. “Enough is enough,” said Senate Republican Leader Daniel Bonham (R-The Dalles).
“We keep throwing money at a broken system while our kids fall further behind. Families and students—not bureaucracy—need to be at the center of this conversation.” Senator Suzanne Weber (R-Tillamook), a former educator and vice-chair of the Senate Education Committee, agreed: “If spending more while demanding less from students worked, we wouldn’t be in this mess.
We need to focus on what actually helps kids learn— strong teachers, real accountability, high expectations, and giving families the freedom to choose the best education options for their children.” This session, Senate Republicans are pushing bold reforms that put students first and ensure every child receives a quality education, no matter their zip code.
The substantial recent increase in funding primarily came from federal covid relief funding but that funding is set to expire. Many schools in Oregon have already come face to face with serious financial troubles and have had to make substantial reductions in staff. A report from KOIN covered the Salem-Keizer district approving a budget with $71 million in cuts for the 2024-2025 school year. Portland Public Schools, the largest district in the state, were working to cut $30 million from the budget last March per a report from OPB.
A recently released report from Oregon Department of Education provides more detailed data on recent academic performance results.
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