“Oregon’s low ranking in school performance is remarkably similar to its relatively low spending on public schools.”
That is one of the core findings in the first of a three-part series that debuted Wednesday from The Oregonian/OregonLive. The analysis is designed to rank states’ public schools by their academic performance.
According to the analysis, Oregon schools ranked 38th in performance and 39th in per-pupil spending, adjusted for cost of living.
Betsy Miller-Jones, executive director of the Oregon School Boards Association (OSBA), said the article’s findings demonstrate the need to increase funding for public education in Oregon in this biennium and beyond. Through “The Promise of Oregon” campaign, OSBA is advocating for funding levels that allow Oregon students to reach their full potential.
“Once again we see evidence that a decade of cutting education funding has left Oregon schools struggling to keep up with the rest of the country,” Miller-Jones said. “A generation of young people is counting on us to recognize – today – that our future as a state depends on investing in their education.”
Miller-Jones also said OSBA continues to train school board members to produce strong results for students through such programs as Leadership Institute.
The full article can be seen here.
