Legislative Briefs
Computer science for all
What it does: This bill would direct the Oregon Department of Education to develop a statewide, long-term strategic plan to provide computer science education, in coordination with the statewide digital learning plan, to every public-school student by the 2025-26 school year. The -1 amendments would require ODE to consult with the STEM Investment Council in the development of the plan, identify strategies for aligning computer literacy standards and curricula with computer science courses at colleges and universities, and include computer science and digital literacy courses in the curricula.
What’s next: The bill moved to the Joint Ways and Means Committee with the amendments, where it awaits a hearing.
What it does: This bill would include physical characteristics, such as hair type and hair style, within the definition of race for purposes of school discrimination, school district participation in interscholastic organization activities and unlawful employment practices. It would require any interscholastic organization that contracts with a school district to implement policies prohibiting discrimination based on race, color or national origin. In addition, HB 4107 would prohibit school or employer dress codes from disproportionately impacting members of a protected class. This bill would also make the refusal to accept cash an unlawful practice, with several caveats.
What’s next: An amended bill has moved to the House floor for a scheduled vote on Wednesday, Feb. 19.
What it does: HB 4130 (2018) established a matching grant fund for school districts to offset transportation costs not already covered by the State School Fund (e.g., activity vehicles). It allocated $250,000 to fund the matching provision, allowing a dollar-for-dollar match. HB 4136 would allocate $1.25 million from the General Fund to the program.
What’s next: This bill was amended and moved to the Joint Ways and Means Committee, where it awaits a hearing.
Essential skills and graduation requirements
What it does: State law currently establishes only the math and English portions of the high school diploma requirements. The remaining credit requirements, along with additional requirements such as essential skills, education plans and education profiles, are established in Oregon Administrative Rule. SB 1572 would establish a Task Force on High School Diploma Requirements that will review current requirements for a high school diploma, compare those with other states’, and examine alternative pathways to a diploma. The task force will submit a report to the Legislative Assembly no later than Jan. 15, 2021.
What’s next: This bill was amended and moved to the Joint Ways and Means Committee, where it awaits a hearing.
Mixed methods for post-secondary placement
What it does: The bill (Feb. 3 Legislative Briefs) would require each public post-secondary education institution to develop, use and file with the Higher Education Coordinating Commission an assessment system that will determine student eligibility to enroll in lower-division collegiate coursework in English or math. The bill would further establish parameters for such assessments. The -6 amendments prevent a public post-secondary institution from requiring a student to enroll in lower-division collegiate coursework in writing or math, unless the student was evaluated using multiple assessments; would require faculty and administration to collaborate and develop the assessment system to place students appropriately; and would define a public institution of higher education.
What’s next: HB 4128 moved to the Joint Ways and Means Committee with the -6 amendments, where it awaits a hearing.
Technical fixes
What it does: The bill (Feb.3 Legislative Briefs) contains technical fixes for SB 155 (2019). The modifications are generally agreed upon by education stakeholders and include:
- Modifications to the definition of “sexual conduct” for curricular and other activities required by the position classification or curriculum requirements.
- Modifications to the confidentiality requirements related to documents, materials and reports produced by the Teacher Standards and Practices Commission when investigating a licensed school employee, contractor, agent or volunteer. These modifications would permit necessary filesharing between the TSPC and school districts during investigations.
- Would require members of an education service district board to be mandatory child abuse reporters.
- Would permit public school students in grades six through eight to participate in physical education for a portion of the school year, for school years prior to 2021-22 school year only.
- Would allow public education providers to hold executive session in certain instances
involving allegations of sexual violence, sexual conduct or sexual harassment by public officer, employee, staff member or individual agent of public education provider. - Would permit certain charter school employees to draw Public Employees Retirement System and other benefits that they have appropriately accrued but are currently unable to draw as the result of a technicality from the 2003 PERS reforms.
- Would allow select schools to continue to qualify as a remote small elementary school or small high school and to receive additional distribution from the State School Fund for the 2020-21 school year only.
What’s next: The bill moved to the Senate floor, where it is scheduled to receive a vote Tuesday, Feb. 18.