Oregon education commission recommends $2.5B to $5B increase in school spending

Oregon’s Quality Education Commission has recommended significant increases in K-12 school funding for the 2027-29 school years. The 11-member volunteer committee estimates that an additional $2.5 billion is required to maintain current service levels, representing a 22% increase over the $11.3 billion most recently allocated. To meet new accountability and attendance targets, the commission suggests an increase of nearly $5 billion, or approximately 41%.

These recommendations face significant hurdles in the Oregon Legislature, which must balance declining revenues and rising public health care costs in the coming year. Some lawmakers have questioned the efficacy of the commission and the 27-year-old model used to calculate funding needs. Additionally, the formula used by the Oregon Department of Education to allocate funds based on student demographics has faced criticism for failing to adequately incorporate factors such as poverty and special education requirements.

While Governor Tina Kotek has previously advocated for larger allocations to meet commission recommendations, the state currently spends approximately $19,700 per K-12 student, which is roughly $1,000 above the national average.