Op-Ed: Student Success Act Offers a Model for Effective, Accountable Education Funding

Five years ago, Oregon took a historic step for all children by passing the Student Success Act of 2019. The landmark legislation has added a much-needed $2 billion to our state budget each biennium for early learning and K-12 education. But unlike most of Oregon’s K-12 funding, the law also requires school districts to problem-solve with their communities, set clear goals to boost student outcomes, and invest in strategies that promise to make the biggest difference.

As Oregon legislators prepare to once again take up the question of K-12 funding, they should look to the Student Success Act as a model. In a new joint op-ed for The Oregonian, former Oregon House Majority Leader Barbara Smith Warner, an FBO board member, and former Sen. Arnie Roblan explain how the state can target taxpayer dollars for public education in a way that prioritizes collaboration, school improvement and accountability.