Wednesday, May 8, 2019 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon
Oregon offers $2 billion for schools
By Sarah Zimmerman
Associated Press
SALEM (AP) 4 Oregon
legislative leaders laid out
their plan to raise billions in
dollars in revenue for schools,
as teachers are readying them-
selves for a walkout to protest
a chronic disinvestment in the
state education system.
Co-chairs of the Joint
Committee on Student Success
said Thursday, April 4, they9ll
be able to raise approximately
$2 billion in extra revenue
each biennium to fund school
initiatives focused on early
education, increased class
time and addressing mental
and behavioral health issues in
the classroom.
Educators praised the
plan, but didn9t say if it was
enough to put an end to a
planned teacher walkout in
May. The Oregon Education
Association, the state9s largest
teachers union, said they are
monitoring the outcome of the
legislature9s revenue proposal.
<Oregon schools are in cri-
sis,= said John Larson, presi-
dent of the Oregon Education
Association in a statement. <If
the legislature is able to fully
fund their Student Success
Act, we could make game-
changing investments in all
students, including students
of color, low-income stu-
dents, and students from other
historically disadvantaged
backgrounds.=
The money will come
from a new commercial activ-
ity tax, which takes a portion
of a business9 total revenue.
Legislators are still working
out the final details, but Rep.
Greg Smith, a Republican
from Heppner, said the tax
is meant to be <spread very
thinly across all businesses,=
with exemptions or smaller
fines for small businesses.
The $2 billion in expected
revenue will go to a newly
created <Student Success
Fund,= which will fund addi-
tional educational programs
and other school initiatives
including smaller class sizes
and more counseling services.
At least 20 percent of the
Student Success Fund money
will be invested into early
education, including special
education and the state9s pre-
school programs. Another 30
percent will be earmarked for
statewide initiatives, including
universal free meals and bul-
lying prevention measures.
The rest of the money
4 approximately $1 billion
every two years 4 will go
directly to schools to be used
to improve educational out-
comes in a state that suffers
from one of the lowest gradu-
ation rates in the country.
To access that money,
schools will have to submit
proposals on how they will
use the funds. The plans must
address mental and behav-
ioral health needs, and work
to reduce educational barriers
for students of color and other
underserved students.
Educators have said that
a lack of funding has forced
schools to cut programs,
expand class sizes and lay
off staff. Schools have also
reported not being able to
afford enough counselors or
other resources to address
their students9 complex mental
health needs, a problem that
has only gotten worse over the
past decade.
Teachers have reported an
increase in violent behavior
from students, and a survey of
2,000 Oregon teachers found
that 56 percent of educators
have evacuated their class-
rooms at least once in the past
year because a student was
considered a threat to others.
<Education is almost the
last thing that our schools
are doing because they have
kids who come in who are
food insecure, who are hous-
ing insecure, who are deal-
ing with untreated mental
and behavioral issues,= said
Rep. Barbara Smith Warner,
a Democrat from Portland
and one of the co-chairs of
the student success commit-
tee. <Schools have become the
de facto provider for all these
services, yet we aren9t funding
them.=
The state will monitor
how effectively schools are
using the money and whether
districts are meeting their
Moth er’s Day
Brunch
performance goals. Struggling
schools will be given more
resources and technical assis-
tance to boost student success.
<We9re very support-
ive of this plan,= said Jim
Green, executive director of
the Oregon School Board
Association. <We have under-
funded our education system
for 30 years and this is a great
attempt at trying to address
that.=
G o v. K a t e B r o w n
expressed disappointment that
the plan didn9t include extra
money for higher education,
including community colleges
and universities. She told
reporters that higher education
is essential for the state9s plan
to provide quality education
from <cradle to career.=
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The Belfry Live Music with Slaid Cleaves 8 p.m. For
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Hardtails Bar & Grill DJK9 Rawkstar Karaoke Night!
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Sunday,
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Hardtails Bar & Grill Open Mic & Jam Night 7 p.m.
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May 24 / Fri / 8 PM
Rainbow Girls
Ponderosa Forge My Own Two Hands Art Auction &
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Hardtails Bar & Grill DJK9 Rawkstar Karaoke Night!
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Fika Sisters Coffeehouse Pine Meadow Ranch Creative
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Sisters Saloon Trivia Night 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Sign-up is
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May 17 / Fri / 8 PM
Sisters Movie House The Emperor’s Club 6:45 to 9
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Sisters Saloon Poker Night 7 p.m. Every Wednesday! $20.
For information call 541-549-7427 or go to sisterssaloon.net.
Paulina Springs Books Community Game Night
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Sisters Fire Hall Author Presentation with Bill Sullivan
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p.m. “New Hikes in the Central OR Cascades.” For more info
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THUR Cork Cellars Tasty Thursday Hosted Wine Tasting
5 to 7 p.m. For additional information call 541-549-2675 or
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Sisters Saloon Karaoke Night 9 p.m. to midnight. Every
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