The Legislature adjourned late Friday, June 27, but the work isn’t done. Now comes the task of implementation where some of those pesky details need to be worked out.
The 2025 Legislature passed hundreds of bills that could affect schools or education, and the State Board of Education will write rules for many of them. OSBA and other education advocates will closely participate in the rule-making process.
Two of the more important bills that drew advocates’ attention still have some important details to work out.
Senate Bill 141 — The “accountability” bill includes a significant number of rules the state board must or can adopt to:
- Determine “eighth grade mathematics proficiency rate” and define proficiency in math.
- Define “economically disadvantaged” students.
- Define which racial or ethnic groups have historically experienced academic disparities.
- Determine “third grade reading proficiency rate” and define proficiency in English language arts.
- Adopt statewide target rates for on-time graduation, five-year completion, ninth grade on-track, eighth grade mathematics proficiency, third grade reading proficiency, regular early-grade attendance and local metrics.
- Develop a list of no more than five local metrics, from which each school district will select one.
- Establish a procedure for the Oregon Education Department to conduct performance audits.
- Increase funding for a district that, after three years, is not meeting performance growth targets.
- Adopt and approve no more than four interim assessments districts can use to measure student performance growth by Jan. 31, 2026.
House Bill 3040 — The early literacy bill gives the state board the option of identifying other staff who can receive professional development and coaching, besides teachers and administrators in early elementary grades. It also gives ODE the ability to require a school district that is not meeting early literacy success plan goals to adopt instructional materials from a list of textbooks and other instructional materials adopted by the state board.
We also believe that the state board will adopt new rules for 2026 summer learning related to HB 5047 so that rollout is earlier and smoother than this year.
Of course, more bills will feel the state board’s touch. The state board has some discretion to adopt rules to aid with implementation when not clearly directed by statute, so we will continue to be engaged throughout the entirety of the rule-making process.
As we work through these issues, we will continue to count on our members to tell us what truly makes sense in our schools. And what we might need to revisit in a future session.
– Adrienne Anderson,
OSBA Government Relations Counsel
