Oregon 2023 Regular Session

Oregon Senate Bill SB297

Introduced
1/9/23  
Refer
1/11/23  

Caption

Relating to the Oregon Empowerment Scholarship Program; declaring an emergency.

Impact

The implementation of SB 297 is likely to reshape the landscape of educational funding in Oregon by allowing parents greater flexibility in choosing educational pathways for their children, particularly for those with special needs or financial constraints. The program delineates specific 'qualified expenses' that parents can utilize the scholarship funds for, including tuition fees at participating schools, costs for private tutors, and educational materials. However, the bill limits the number of students who can enroll from each district for a specified initial period, potentially reducing the immediate impact on public schools while gradually increasing flexibility for parents seeking alternatives to traditional public education.

Summary

Senate Bill 297 establishes the Oregon Empowerment Scholarship Program, aiming to provide educational options for students in Oregon. This program intends to facilitate the enrollment of students into private educational institutions, while simultaneously imposing restrictions on the number of students from each school district allowed to participate for the first decade of its operation. The bill also sets up designated accounts for the management of funds intended for students participating in this program, thereby effectively managing and appropriating resources for the expected administrative and operational costs. The legislation is positioned as an emergency measure, set to commence immediately upon passage.

Sentiment

The sentiment surrounding SB 297 is mixed, reflecting a divide between proponents of school choice and those advocating for traditional public education funding. Supporters of the bill argue that it enhances educational equity and empowers parents to make choices that best fit their children’s needs, particularly for those with disabilities or other barriers to success in traditional settings. Conversely, opponents express concerns regarding the potential diversion of funds away from public schools, arguing that this could exacerbate existing inequalities and diminish the quality of education in public schools. The discussions also touch upon the notion of accountability and oversight regarding the use of scholarship funds, especially in preventing misuse.

Contention

Key points of contention in the debates surrounding SB 297 include concerns regarding the program's potential to divert funding from public schools and the associated risks of exacerbating educational inequity. Critics highlight that while the scholarship program aims to offer more educational choices, it may unintentionally lead to reduced resources for public schools that serve the majority of students. Furthermore, there are apprehensions about the adequacy of oversight and the mechanisms for preventing fraudulent activities within the scholarship program. The bill includes provisions for accountability, but critics worry whether these measures will be sufficient to protect taxpayer funds.

Companion Bills

No companion bills found.

Previously Filed As

OR SB891

Relating to the Oregon Empowerment Scholarship Program.

OR HB514

Providing for individual empowerment scholarship accounts; and establishing the Pennsylvania Empowerment Scholarship Accounts Program, the Department of Education Empowerment Scholarship Fund and the State Treasurer Empowerment Scholarship Fund.

OR HB2853

Arizona empowerment scholarship accounts; appropriation

OR HB2803

Empowerment scholarship accounts; universal eligibility

OR HB2114

Relating to the establishment of an empowerment scholarship account program.

OR HB984

Relating to the establishment of an empowerment scholarship account program.

OR SB675

Modifies provisions relating to the Missouri Empowerment Scholarship Accounts Program

OR H0003

Family Empowerment Scholarship Program

OR LD1798

An Act to Support School Choice by Establishing Empowerment Scholarship Accounts

OR HB3217

Relating to education; declaring an emergency.

Similar Bills

OR SB891

Relating to the Oregon Empowerment Scholarship Program.

MS HB1452

School choice; establish opportunity scholarships and open enrollment for public school students.

PA HB27

In preliminary provisions, further providing for Basic Education Funding Commission and for special provisions applicable to limited school years, establishing the Child Reunification Program in the Department of Education and providing for minimum number of days or hours, for public job posting database, for instructional vacancy data and for data transparency; in duties and powers of boards of school directors, further providing for additional schools and departments; in school finances, providing for school district budget timeline for 2024 and for procedure for securing approval of electors; in grounds and buildings, further providing for limitation on new applications for Department of Education approval of public school building projects; in school directors' associations and county boards of school directors, further providing for powers and duties; in intermediate units, further providing for visual services and for school safety and security enhancements; in professional employees, repealing provisions relating to religious garb, insignia, etc., prohibited and penalty; in certification of teachers, further providing for substitute teaching permit for prospective teachers, for locally issued temporary certification for substitute teachers and for permit for classroom monitors; providing for Educator Pipeline Support Grant Program; in pupils and attendance, further providing for compulsory education of physical defectives, for dependent children, for cost of tuition and maintenance of certain exceptional children in approved institutions, for payment of cost of tuition and maintenance of certain exceptional children, for transfer of funds for transferal programs and for children under six with defective hearing and parent or guardian advised of schools, etc.; in safe schools, further providing for definitions and for Office for Safe Schools, repealing provisions relating to regulations and to reporting, further providing for policy relating to bullying and for maintenance of records, repealing provisions relating to safe schools advocate in school districts of the first class, to standing, to enforcement and to construction of article and other laws; in school safety and security, further providing for definitions and for School Safety and Security Committee, providing for duties of committee, further providing for School Safety and Security Grant Program, providing for Targeted School Safety Grants for Nonpublic Schools and School Entities Program, for standardized protocols, for county safe schools' collaborative and for school mental health grants for 2023-2024 school year, further providing for school safety and security coordinator training and providing for reporting and memorandum of understanding, for safe schools advocate in school districts of the first class and for enforcement; in school security, further providing for definitions, for school police officers, for annual report and for school security guards; in school health services, further providing for dental examinations and dental hygiene services and providing for eating disorder awareness and education; in drug and alcohol recovery high school program, providing for enrollment of students; in terms and courses of study, providing for calculation of average daily membership for a dual credit course and further providing for Economic Education and Personal Financial Literacy Programs; in early learning programs, providing for quarterly meetings; in character education program, further providing for character education program; providing for the Dual Credit Innovation and Equity Grant Program; in high schools, further providing for attendance in other districts; in community colleges, further providing for financial program and reimbursement of payments; in educational tax credits, further providing for qualification and application by organizations, for limitations and for low-achieving schools; in school districts of the first class, further providing for qualifications of principals and teachers; in funding for public libraries, providing for State aid for fiscal year 2023-2024; in credit card marketing, further providing for regulation of on-campus credit card marketing; in reimbursements by Commonwealth and between school districts, further providing for definitions and for payments on account of pupils enrolled in career and technical curriculums, providing for Level-Up Supplement for 2022-2023 school year, further providing for payments on account of courses for exceptional children, for payments to intermediate units, for assistance to school districts declared to be in financial recovery status or identified for financial watch status, for payments, for payments on account of pupil transportation, for Ready-to-Learn Block Grant and for payment of required contribution for public school employees' Social Security; in construction and renovation of buildings by school entities, further providing for applicability; providing for School Environmental Repairs Program; abrogating a regulation; and making an editorial change.

MN HF2292

Early learning scholarships, Head Start, and early education programs modified; early childhood educator programs provided; reports required; and money appropriated.

MS SB2601

Education Scholarship Account Program; make certain changes to.

IN SB0224

School funding.

MS HB1000

Foster and adopted children; allow foster or adoptive parent to choose school or school district of enrollment.

SC S0062

Education Scholarship Trust Fund