Legislative Briefs
Student Success Act
What it does: House Bill 3427 replaces House Bill 2019 as the vehicle for the Student Success Act. The bill would raise approximately $2 billion a biennium and dedicate the money to early learning and preK-12 public school programs.
What’s new: An informational meeting April 25 resulted in several new amendments.
What’s next: The committee will meet Monday, April 29, and will likely vote to amend the bill and move it to the House floor. The committee co-chairs have set an informal deadline of the end of April to finish work on the Student Success Act and are working hard to meet that goal.
Accelerated college credit
What it does: Legislation for the development of statewide standards for dual credit and a corresponding grant related to accelerated college credit programs and examinations for college credit were established in 2011. In 2015, funds were added to support the implementation and enhancement of accelerated college credit programs and to support the education and training of teachers providing those programs. House Bill 2263A would require the Oregon Department of Education, in coordination with the Higher Education Coordinating Commission, to establish the Accelerated College Credit Planning Partnership Grant Program. The measure would rename the current Accelerated College Credit Program and modify it to encourage partnerships between districts and post-secondary institutions in offering accelerated college credit programs.
What’s new: At a public hearing Monday, Feb. 25, Chief Education Officer Lindsey Capps presented research conducted by Education Northwest: Students in the graduating class of 2015 enrolled in accelerated learning classes were 30% more likely to graduate high school, 25% more likely to enroll in college, and 22% more likely to persist in college.
What’s next: The bill is scheduled for a public hearing Monday, April 29, in the Senate Education Committee.
Interscholastic activities
What it does: Currently a school board may authorize a school district to be a member of any voluntary organization that administers or facilitates interscholastic activities, such as the Oregon School Activities Association. HB 3409 would limit the authority of a school district to become a member of a voluntary organization that doesn’t have a complaint process that meets certain specifications and addresses the use of derogatory or inappropriate names, insults, verbal assaults, profanity or ridicule at interscholastic activities.
What’s new: During the public hearing Wednesday, April 3, Rep. Janelle Bynum, D-Clackamas, one of the chief sponsors of this bill, indicated that one of the goals is to give uniformity to the process.
What’s next: The bill is scheduled for a public hearing Wednesday, May 1, in the Senate Education Committee. OSBA continues to work with sponsors of the measure to address concerns involving operations around school district and OSAA overlap.
Opioid overdose response
What it does: This bill would direct the State Board of Education to adopt rules for the administration of naloxone or any similar medication designed to rapidly reverse an opioid overdose. It would cover administration by trained school personnel to students or other individuals on school premises.
What’s new: The bill received broad support during the public hearing Wednesday, March 27.
What’s next: The bill is scheduled for a public hearing Monday, April 29, in the House Education Committee. OSBA is the chief proponent of this measure and will lobby for its enactment.
Student restraints
What it does: In 2011, legislation limited the use of physical restraint and seclusion for students. Physical restraint is currently defined as the restriction of a student's movement by one or more persons holding the student or applying physical pressure upon the student and is permitted when a student's behavior imposes a threat of serious bodily injury to the student or others and less restrictive interventions would not be effective. This bill would modify permissible restraints for students in public education programs and add supine restraints, among other actions, to the list of prohibited restraints. It would also prohibit the use of physical restraint as a form of retaliation. This bill is meant to correct the untended consequences of the 2011 legislation that led to an increase in “classroom clears.”
What’s new: The bill was heard Wednesday, April 10, in the House Education Committee, where it was largely supported.
What’s next: The bill is scheduled for a work session Wednesday, May 1. OSBA has not taken a position but is supportive of the process by which the stakeholder groups, including the Oregon Education Association and Disability Rights Oregon, have worked to find a consensus.