We have news from the state capitol, but let’s start with some free classes, and even some free lunches.
First off, Santiam CPR is offering free single session trainings for parents and teens. Attendees who pass the class can get themselves a certification for children and infant CPR, AED use, and choking emergencies. The certificate is good for two years. There’s a class this Saturday, and in August and September as well. For full info and the schedule, click here. But, to register, you’ll need to click here.
Also, there’s two freebies from the Parent Success Network.
The Incredible Years: For families with children ages 2 to 10. Practical strategies to build a pleasant and enjoyable home life with clear family rules – and tips for helping the kiddos with social skills. Via Zoom on Wednesdays, from 6 to 7:30 pm, June 28 through Aug 30. Click here to register.
Making Parenting a Pleasure: This class focuses on self-care and strategies for personal stress reduction. Great for parents of kiddos ages newborn to 10 years. Class meets on Zoom, Tuesdays, 6 to 7:30 pm, June 20 though Aug 22. Click here to register.
Free Summer Meal Program: Starting Wednesday, June 21 at various school sites throughout the Corvallis Public Schools District, kiddos age 18 and younger can grab free daily breakfasts and lunches. Funded by the USDA, kiddos don’t have to be district students, and no documentation is required. This summer program is offered five days a week, Monday through Friday. Click here for meal sites and schedules.
And Now, Let Us All Scream in Unison: Sometimes the things that impact our education system, just shouldn’t. For instance, the current partisan bickering in our state’s capitol is about to quash a whole bunch of bills that impact kiddos.
Yes, even the bills with bipartisan support.
As some of you will know, Oregon’s Republican State Senators have boycotted much of this year’s legislative session, which has meant the State Senate hasn’t had the 20 member minimum required to transact business. Some will believe the Republicans have had no choice, others will believe the Democrats forced them into a corner.
However, what bothers us is that some good legislation is about to get the axe. For a synopsis, we turned to Richard Donovan, a legislative analyst with the Oregon School Boards Association – take it away Good Sir…
Sooo: Just last week, in an interview with KGW8, Senate President Rob Wagner, D-Lake Oswego, reaffirmed his commitment and the commitment of the Senate Democratic Caucus to hold a vote on House Bill 2002. The bill offering protections for abortion and gender-affirming health care has been a major sticking point between the parties.
Senate Republican Leader Tim Knopp, R-Bend, reaffirmed his commitment to the walkout, in a news release.
The June 25 constitutional deadline for the end of session is just weeks away, and there is no reason to think this impasse will be resolved to save this session. If the session ends without a state budget, the Legislature will have to come back to pass budget bills. Policy bills that haven’t passed the Senate get no guarantees.
The Legislature has nearly ground to a halt, offering an opportunity to look at some education bills in danger of being lost (in no particular order).
Early literacy investments, HB 3198
Current location: Joint Ways and Means Committee
This bill is the vehicle for the first of two education policy priorities for Gov. Tina Kotek this session. It represents a major investment in early literacy, specifically for students from birth to grade three. The final investment level is still under discussion, but Kotek has targeted $140 million.
Education governance, SB 1045
Current location: Senate Rules Committee
The second of Kotek’s education priorities this session would change the tools the Oregon Department of Education has to address illegal discrimination. The bill would also update textbook adoption procedures and create a work group to address K-12 challenges highlighted by last year’s K-12 Systemic Risk Report.
Abbreviated school days, SB 819
Current location: House Rules Committee
This bill broadly clarifies existing requirements and creates new ones about placing students with disabilities, or those who may have disabilities, onto abbreviated school day schedules. The biggest policy change in the bill would give students with a disability the right to require access to a full day of school, most likely in their local neighborhood school. In a hearing May 18, the bill’s chief sponsor, Sen. Sara Gelser Blouin, D-Corvallis, told House Education committee members of the great need for the bill, saying that the bill represents student rights that are “guaranteed under the 14th Amendment” to the United States Constitution. The bill was successfully voted to the House floor. On Thursday, June 1, when the bill was due for a floor vote, Rep. Julie Fahey, D-Eugene, motioned the bill to the House Rules Committee “for further work.” Procedurally, that committee may move the bill back to the floor at any time before the end of session.
Cybersecurity investments, HB 2049
Current location: Joint Ways and Means Committee
This bill addresses local government cybersecurity vulnerabilities. It would establish the Oregon Cybersecurity Center of Excellence within Portland State University and direct the center to deliver cybersecurity-related goods and services to local governments. It also would establish several funds and appropriate money for the center to carry out cybersecurity protection work. The bill is supported by a broad coalition of stakeholders and has no known opposition.
School board member stipends, HB 2753
Current location: Senate floor, awaiting a third reading and final vote
School board service is entirely voluntary with reimbursements for actual costs permitted to school board members. This bill would allow school board members to enact a policy to allow for monthly stipends of up to $500.
Health care interpreters technical fix, HB 2240
Current location: Senate floor, awaiting a third reading and final vote.
This bill would make a technical update to clarify that licensed health care professionals working in schools are not required to adhere to translation requirements for medical settings. This bill was supported by a broad group of stakeholders, including former state representative and current U.S. Rep. Andrea Salinas, and had no known opposition.
Candidate home address information protections, HB 3073
Current location: Senate floor, awaiting referral to the Rules committee.
In Oregon and nationally, school board elections have become increasingly partisan and higher profile in recent years. With this increase in pressure and attention, there has been a concern about harassment, doxing and property crimes against candidates’ homes. HB 3073, championed by Rep. Jami Cate, R-Lebanon, would allow candidates in local elections to check a box to keep their home address information private in elections filings.
Physical education minutes fix, HB 3199
Current location: Senate floor, awaiting a third reading and final vote.
Under existing Oregon law, elementary schools are required to provide 150 minutes and middle schools 225 minutes of physical education each week. This bill would reduce the physical education requirement for middle school students to 150 minutes and would allow for minutes to be calculated on a weekly basis or an average weekly basis, rather than a per-day basis. This second change would allow middle schools that run on block schedules to more easily comply.
Financial literacy curriculum, SB 3
Current location: passed by the Joint Ways and Means Committee, awaiting a Senate third reading and vote.
SB 3 would require Oregon students to complete one half-credit of higher education and career path skills and one half-credit of personal financial education to obtain their high school diplomas. It would also require the State Board of Education to adopt academic content standards for these new credit requirements.
These are just a few of the hundreds of bills imperiled by the ongoing Senate Republican walkout. Some of the bills represent potentially grand policy changes and investments. Some are modest policy tweaks. Some are technical fixes. OSBA has advocated for some of these bills, against some of these bills and, in the case of SB 1045 and relevant amendments, first against and then in support of the bill. Our association position on each individual bill is important, but the scope of the lost work if the session cannot move forward is staggering to consider.
Like We Said: Probably a nice ‘cleansing’ scream would be in order about now. Also, a special note, not everyone at The Advocate thinks the Physical Education bill is a good idea. But, in general, a number of these bills have had some bipartisan support, so let’s all scream that scream in unison.
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