Unlocking Oregon’s Future: Key Education Bills on Funding, Special Education, Cellphone Policies, and Student Safety in 2025

Last week, Oregon lawmakers began the 2025 legislative session, addressing crucial education issues that will shape public schools. They will tackle everything from school funding to student health and safety.

The main source of funding for schools in the state is the State School Fund. This multi-billion dollar pot supports school districts and operates on a two-year cycle, making it a major focus for lawmakers this year. However, fewer students are enrolling in public schools, meaning less money is available for the districts, even as costs rise.

To address this, Governor Tina Kotek has introduced a plan to update the school funding formula to secure more funds for districts. Unfortunately, anticipated increases in retirement costs might offset these gains.

Governor Kotek’s proposed budget for 2025-27 includes $11.3 billion for Oregon’s 197 school districts. This budget also focuses on early literacy and summer learning programs.

With additional funding, lawmakers are also considering new accountability measures. Bills like Senate Bill 302 and House Bill 2453 aim to assess the effectiveness of Oregon’s K-12 education system. Another proposal, Senate Bill 311, would require the state’s education department to evaluate school funding adequacy.

Oregon already has the Quality Education Commission, which recommends necessary funding levels. However, its recommended amounts often exceed what lawmakers allocate, even with record investments.

This year, lawmakers will also consider increasing the cap on special education funding. Currently, districts receive limited funds based on the number of students with disabilities they serve, capped at 11% of a district’s total enrollment. Given that around 15% of students receive special education services, many districts struggle to balance these needs with funding other programs. Some proposed bills aim to either raise or eliminate this cap.

In response to various student health and safety concerns, lawmakers are introducing several bills. For instance, Senate Bill 631 would require school boards to adopt programs addressing child sexual abuse and trafficking. House Bill 2180 proposes studying the hiring of retired police officers for school security, while House Bill 3083 revisits the idea of panic devices in schools for emergencies.

Other bills aim to enhance the daily experiences of students. For example, House Bill 2251 would prohibit the use of personal electronic devices in schools. This issue is widely debated across many districts. Additionally, House Bill 2392 would create individualized suicide prevention plans for at-risk students, and Senate Bill 544 would mandate detectable vaporizing devices in larger high schools.

Lastly, Senate Bill 618 concerns how athletic competitions are structured by requiring designation based on biological sex, stirring national conversations about trans rights and gender identity. Another important bill, House Bill 2359, would push back high school start times, ensuring classes don’t begin before 8:30 a.m.

You can read more about these bills and find details on public legislative meetings at oregonlegislature.gov.

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