The Oregon Department of Education(ODE) release the 2023 Summary of Enacted Education Legislation listing 111 legislative bills that impact education.

The bills passed in the 2023 session with ODE’s urging that they believe will have a positive impact for the agency, school districts, educators and students.

Zoe Larmer, ODE Government Relations Director, wrote, “Our legislative mission is driven by the core belief that equitable and anti-racist policies benefit all students, and the understanding that a system that works only for some is not a system that works at all. ODE is proud to have produced equity-minded legislation and to have collaborated with many partners to continue Oregon’s journey on the path toward equity and justice.”

The report summary picks eight bills they consider representative of their victories with the support of the Governor’s Office:

• HB 2280, which ensures the definition of consent that students learn in school will be the same definition used in school policies, aligning expectations of behavior and outcomes. What that means is the bill modifies provisions relating to sexual harassment in schools by standardizing the definition of "without consent" to mean acts performed without person's knowledge and agreement or when a person is incapacitated by drugs or alcohol, unconscious, or pressured through force, coercion, or threats. Should a student be harassed, parents are only notified “if applicable.” Applies to acts on or after July 1, 2023.
  
  
• HB 2281, requires school districts to identify one or more Civil Rights Coordinators. It passed without a Republican vote and overwhelming testimony in opposition with concerns that it is a way to silence parents in opposition to CRT by sanctioning schools. The bill requires the civil rights coordinator to monitor, coordinate, and oversee district compliance with state and federal antidiscrimination laws, oversee investigations of complaints alleging discrimination, provide guidance and respond to questions on civil rights issues, and satisfy requirements prescribed by State Board of Education. Imposes sanctions, to be established by the State Board of Education, on public elementary or secondary schools found to be in noncompliance.
  
  
• HB 3144, develops the Pacific Islander/Native Hawaiian Student Success Plan. The bill requires all statewide education plans to include strategies that provide for alignment with other statewide education plans. While this plan is the latest of many to address specific needs based on a specific minorities, reports are mixed with recommendations of providing more support to make postsecondary education feasible.
  
  
• SB 1050 passed unanimously, which implements standard for Holocaust, genocide and ethnic studies, and supports educators with professional development for the new social science standards. Effective July 1, 2023.
  
  
• HB 2275 was controversial. It requires applicants for Student Investment Account grants to take into consideration recommendations of advisory groups formed by Department of Education in relation to statewide education plans. Requires grants distributed from Student Investment Account to each site of Youth Corrections Education Program and Juvenile Detention Education Program to be equal to at least minimum amount distributed as grants to school districts. Expands authority of Department of Education to determine how to distribute moneys under statewide education plan related to students who are American Indian or Alaska Native. Grants discretion to Department of Education to determine how to distribute to specified programs appropriations made for accelerated college credit programs.

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• HB 3198 establishes the Early Literacy Success Initiative, the Birth Through Five Literacy Plan, and the Early Literacy Success Community Grant Program. Debates over how to teach reading continued throughout the late 20th century, with the "balanced literacy" approach favored by Dr. Lucy Calkins at Columbia Teachers College influencing reading instruction throughout the United States. This approach arose as a compromise between phonics and whole language. Dr. Calkins recently changed her published reading curriculum to include structured phonics. To date, 30 states have adopted legislation relating to the science of reading.
  
  
• SB 215 allows the Department of Education to adjust amounts charged related to distribution of agricultural products received from United States Department of Agriculture for school food programs. Increases the number of licensed speech-language pathologists and certified speech-language pathology assistants employed in education service districts and school districts. Authorizes the Department of Education to issue subpoenas related to certain investigations, and modifies notification and privacy requires when investigation is related to sexual conduct.
  
  
• SB 1002 eliminates State School Fund distributions for facility grants. Carves out $3 million each biennium from State School Fund to be used by Department of Education in supporting school districts, education service districts and public charter schools before, during or after threat or hazard to help improve safety and security of students and staff. The opposition didn’t like using school funds when smaller districts don’t have funds to provide special needs services.
  
  

Senator Michael Dembrow (D - Portland), chair of the Senate Education Committee comments, “We made tremendous progress this year for Oregon students, teachers, faculties, and families. The legislation we delivered will make our schools safer, healthier, and more effective for every Oregonian. I’m excited for our communities to start seeing and feeling a positive difference.”


--Donna Bleiler

Post Date: 2023-08-30 10:32:20

Last Update: 2023-08-31 10:43:34