EDUCATION

Problem

Public education is supposed to be the great equalizer — but today it reinforces inequality.

Funding inequity

• 90% of U.S. children attend public schools

• Local property taxes drive funding → wealthier areas get more; low-income areas get less.

• Districts serving mostly students of color receive $2,200 less per student than white districts.

Oregon context

• Oregon sits in the bottom third in per-pupil spending.

• Class sizes among the largest in the nation, especially in:

  • East Portland

  • Gresham

  • Woodburn

  • Hood River and rural areas

• State graduation rate ~81%, below national average

Teacher shortages & burnout

• 300,000 educators left during COVID

• Nearly 60% report burnout

• Rural districts and high-needs schools struggle most to recruit and retain staff.

Student mental health

• 1 in 3 teens report persistent sadness or hopelessness

• Suicide = number 2 cause of death for ages 10–24

• Schools average 1 counselor per 444 students vs. the recommended 1:250

Outcome disparities

Black, Latino, Native American, Pacific Islander, and immigrant students face:

• Higher discipline rates

• Less access to advanced courses

• Fewer counselors and enrichment opportunities

College affordability

• 43 million Americans hold student debt

• $1.6 trillion total debt

• College increasingly unaffordable; families question its value.

Result: Public education is fractured, underfunded, and shaped by zip codes rather than student needs.

Solutions

1. Fully fund schools + equalize resources

• Establish a federal per-pupil baseline floor for every district.

• Weight funding to support:

  • Low-income students

  • Students with disabilities

  • English learners

  • Tribal communities

• Invest in modernized facilities: HVAC, air filters, solar, heat pumps, and safe buildings.

Outcome: Smaller class sizes, updated facilities, and equitable funding statewide.

2. Pay and support educators

• National teacher pay floor tied to regional cost of living.

• Tuition-free or loan-forgiveness pathways for new teachers

• Housing stipends in high-cost areas

• Raise pay for paraeducators, bus drivers, custodians, and cafeteria workers.

Outcome: Lower turnover, more stable staffing, stronger instruction.

3. Free Pre-K through college

• Universal free preschool

• Free community college and trade programs

• Debt-free pathways at public universities

• Restore Pell Grants to cover tuition + books.

• Strengthen apprenticeships in trades, healthcare, green jobs, and teaching.

Outcome: Expanded opportunity, skilled workforce, lower debt burden.

4. Mental health and student well-being

• Fund school counselors, social workers, psychologists

• Trauma-informed training in every school

• Support school-based health clinics

• Build community schools with wraparound services (food, housing support, after-school care)

Outcome: Kids learn better when their basic needs are met.

5. Protect curriculum + teach real history

• Protect accurate instruction on:

  • Slavery

  • Native genocide + treaty rights

  • Civil rights movements

  • Labor and immigration history

• Ban book bans and harassment of educators

• Expand multicultural and bilingual learning.

Outcome: Critical thinking, representation, and belonging in the classroom.

6. Lift rural & tribal schools

• Invest in:

  • Broadband and technology access

  • School buses and long-distance transit

  • Outdoor education, fire ecology, and agricultural pathways

• Support Tribal-led schools and language revitalization programs

Outcome: Every community — not just cities — benefits from a rich education.

Bottom Line

Public education isn’t failing because students or teachers aren’t trying — it’s failing because policy choices starve schools of the investment they require.

Fully funding schools, paying educators fairly, expanding access to early and higher education, centering mental health, defending an honest curriculum, and investing in rural and Tribal communities unlock the potential of every child — not just those born in wealthy ZIP codes.

A strong public education system strengthens democracy, opportunity, and Oregon's future.