Kotek passes law allocating $30 million to funding summer learning
WOODBURN Ore. (KPTV) - Legislators are celebrating Governor Kotek signing House Bill 4082 into law to fund summer learning in the coming term and initiate a plan to make the programs permanent.
Wednesday, legislators and advocates joined Governor Kotek at Washington Elementary School as she signed House Bill 4082 into law.
The bill will ensure Oregon children and teachers will have the resources they need to continue to learn and grow through the summer months in 2024 and beyond.
“This bill is a great step towards creating the long-term, sustainable, and effective summer learning programs Oregon kids deserve,” said Senator Michael Dembrow (D - Portland), chair of the Senate Education Committee.
These programs help to ensure kids who need extra help can reach their full potential and do not get left behind.
The new law will provide $30 million for programs this summer and requires the Oregon Department of Education to study and identify how to establish summer learning as a permanent feature of Oregon’s larger K-12 system.
To help ensure programs reach students with the most need, the law requires districts to partner with tribes and community-based organizations.
“As a teacher of over 42 years and as a Legislator, I have been steadfast in my commitment to ensuring that students have the tools needed for success,” said Rep. Susan McLain (D-Forest Grove), the primary chief sponsor and co-chair of the Joint Ways and Means Subcommittee on Education.
Programs that desire funding from the new law must provide academic enrichment by aligning with academic content standards in math, science, language arts, life skills, school readiness, or credit recovery.
House Bill 4082 received overwhelming bipartisan support with a 26 to 4 vote in the Senate and in the House of Representatives voted to pass it 53 to 4.
Copyright 2024 KPTV-KPDX. All rights reserved.
