T N A T O R DAVID..NELSON L E G I S L A T I V E
E d u c a t io n
REPORT
2 0 0 3
K
& T echnology
K-12: ACCOUNTABILITY & FUNDING
The 2001 legislatively adopted
budget for the State School
Fund and other K-12 grants
totaled $5.2 billion. However,
declining revenue due to
Oregon’s severe economic
downturn resulted in efforts to
reprioritize spending by shifting
other funds to Oregon’s K-12
Educational system during the
five special sessions. In
preparing a budget for 2003-05,
the legislature had the tough task of developing a K-12 budget for a full
school year, one that would keep class sizes reasonable and that would
recognize state and federal mandates on school districts with limited funds
available.
By using the Quality Education Model, accounting for efficiencies realized
from PERS reform and a 15% rise in retirement, the Ways and Means
Subcommittee on Education worked to craft an adequate budget, one that
would meet the educational needs of students across Oregon and that is
prudent and accountable to Oregon’s taxpayers in this economic climate.
After negogiations, the K-12 budget adopted was $5.2 billion with an
additional $ 100 million if the state’s economy improves.
The Senate Education Committee made some policy changes in Oregon’s
educational system. The committee noted education is the key to ending a
cycle of poverty and building true family self-sufficiency. Under Oregon’s
current welfare system, low-income parents have limited educational
opportunities and are sometimes unable to pursue a post-secondary degree or
certificate.
Therefore, legislation this session creates a new option for families
enrolled in the state’s Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF). The
program, allows them to pursue an education as an acceptable work related
activity. Under the new law, parents are required to be accepted as a full-time
students by an accredited two or four year degree program; seek their own
grants and financial aid to cover tuition; maintain satisfactory academic
progress; and meet the TANF eligibility requirements.
The Advanced Technology Education &. Training Fund: This fund
allows the Department of Community Colleges and Workforce Development
to make grants or loans to public-private partnerships for advanced
technology education and training. The grants will provide training
opportunities that will address current and future workforce development as
dictated by Oregon’s rapidly changing economy.
S enator N elson is
W orking for Y ou . . .
As your state Senator, I have
provided the leadership, experience and
expertise necessary to make sound
policy and to address our state’s fiscal
crisis, an economic downturn which
created eight straight quarters of state
revenue decline - without comparison
since the 1930s. I have worked to
ensure basic government services and
responsibilities continue and Oregon is
poised for economic recovery in our
state and the nation. 1 have never
forgotten who elected me in the first
place and ensuring that Northeastern
Oregon’s voice is heard is my primary
C O N T A C T SENATO R NELSON commitment. My door is always open
During the legislative interim in the and I stay in contact with citizens from
my district.
following ways:
1 am always interested in your
concerns and ideas and stand ready to
Phone: 541-278-2332;
assist you whenever possible. I
FAX: 541-278-1273;
encourage you to contact me using the
1407 N.W. Horn Ave., Pendleton, information listed to the left.
Oregon 97801
It has been an honor representing
you in the legislature, and 1 look
E-mail: sen.davidnelson@state.or.us forward to continuing my work for you.
As always, 1 am open to your comments
Web page:
and suggestions.
www.leg.state.or.us/nelson_david
Thank you for your time and interest
in the legislative process.
An unprecedented
legislative act sets up a
process by which
Community Colleges
and Universities can
expand the capacity of
educational
opportunities for
registered nurses in order
to meet the demands
brought by critical
Ribbon tying @ new EOU Science Building
shortages of nurses in
Oregon and nationwide. The process brings healthcare and education, as well
as professional organizations together to identify and prioritize needs, write
grants, search out and utilize all opportunities to fund nursing classes and
programs, employ distance educational opportunities and to foster efficiencies
across public-private lines and rural-urban borders. It encourages educational
institutions to share instructors, simulation laboratories and technical
expertise to increase access and
education of nurses.
Yet another legislative collaboration
produced a two year extension of the
Oregon Telecommunications
Coordinating Council. Thanks to past
legislative actions and investment by
the private sector, Oregon has a
telecommunications infrastructure that
is second to none in the country. In
particular, Oregon's rural communities
are much better served than those in
Britain received Community Health
other states. Now our challenge is to
Partnership's Genius Award for work with
use our telecommunications advantage
community mental health & rural
to improve Oregon’s economic and
telecommunications.
educational opportunities.
Council tasks for the next biennium include working with the Oregon
Economic and Community Development Department, telecom providers, and
local communities to obtain the economic and social benefits of our advanced
telecom infrastructure, thereby:
• Aggregating demand and stimulating increased use of beneficial
applications
• Stimulating collaboration among education and health care networks
throughout the state to use existing networks more efficiently and
effectively
• For distance learning applications, forming partnerships with private
sector telecommunications providers (public-private partnerships) to
obtain federal grants or other funds to meet the remaining telecom
infrastructure needs of the few Oregon communities that lack dequate
reliable access to broadband services
NATURAL RESOURCES & WATER
N atural R esources and
water bills did not enjoy the
desired results during this
legislative session. There were
several reasons for failure to
move bills through the process,
most difficult of which was the
15-15 split in the Senate and
Martha Pagel, Bob Levy & Senator Nelson Discuss thc resllltjng composition of
SB 820 (Columbia River Water Bill)
.
r t
t
committees. Though many
hours were spent in working groups, some important issues remain
unresolved.
T W O VALUABLE pieces o f legislation that were successful in moving
through the process are industrial rezoning for old wood mill sites and a
measure directing the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife to adopt
long-term, healthy forest programs.
A SENATE measure that would have established a reservation for
unappropriated water from the Columbia River for multipurpose storage for
future economic development stalled after hours of working group
negotiations and passage out of the Senate. The legislation was of special
interest to the Hermiston irrigators, Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla
Indian Reservation and the Hermiston Development Corporation,
therefore with assistance of the Governor’s office, Water Resources
Department and Oregon Fish and Wildlife Department work will continue
on this issue during the Legislative Interim.
F ighting TO keep the O SU Agricultural Research and Extension
Programs intact was of major concern and a daunting task this session. At
close of session, however, most of the programs and staff were preserved.
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