[{"_1":2,"_124":-5,"_125":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100,112],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6290068,"mediaKeyId","2531675-9be7b5d046066339fed9a50a75f84224","parentId",2531675,"title","Committee hears $6 million grant proposal to help districts address chronic absenteeism","audioSeconds",628,"startMs",886000,"endMs",1514000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2531675-9be7b5d046066339fed9a50a75f84224&start=886&end=1514","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2531675-9be7b5d046066339fed9a50a75f84224/thumbnail_886000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6290068/Oregon/Committee-hears-6-million-grant-proposal-to-help-districts-address-chronic-absenteeism","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6290068-41e288be77a3d56fddfe1ca76f8e3a43/orig.mp4?Expires=1773714560&Signature=RXKJmpH-NQgSChBtlki3k0a2lqZH4NbL7Y65i9~1zKzDb2NL~x1MKHM906oVygAzQy2N~gDuWWQFZefJrGY-fEeE5gy7WMa5TKkm9etpkaWaCw1eGRaVpmUEFPVAnj~-9324c-5Ajx1N25~aKzxAXpvwR1TOpYWTt2YGJ8hjyaQNMYezX7qZ68ZxGjz2sJx9W4CaPDBE-5WxuCs5iL3TXKJ3IH2E7RS4811tXGV7sXAdFxd4nFawXwIddo--n~QmsDTGI4cKH9PYoMLmeHqiFF5pj6DRaF479cvo~d5hWW3Y~PXRBCHsPCi6vmBeIVR0MeDPLpi~Ne2X4gsjZnX9PQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Oregon State Legislature","date","2025-03-10T00:00:00Z","article","Senate Bill 456, heard March 10 before the Senate Education Committee, would appropriate $6 million from the general fund to the Oregon Department of Education to provide grants to community-based organizations (CBOs) and education service districts (ESDs) to address chronic absenteeism. The measure declares an emergency and would take effect July 1, 2025.

Senator Suzanne Weber said the grants “allow districts to come up with solutions that fit their local needs” and emphasized that the proposal “does not impose a state mandated solution.” Weber described examples of simple, local interventions used by teachers and schools and said the goal is to ensure students are in the classroom to learn.

Stacy Michaelson of the Oregon School Boards Association said the bill applies to CBOs and ESDs and that both types of partners are critical because in some parts of the state ESDs are the primary support partner. “We think that this increased investment is very much needed, will be very well utilized,” Michaelson said, and she urged that the program be additive to existing attendance efforts and streamlined to reduce application and reporting burdens.

Senator Brown questioned whether the appropriation should fund direct interventions (for example, transportation or alarm clocks) rather than larger organizations that might create “a lot of bureaucracy.” Senator Weber and Michaelson said grants must be authenticated as realistically supportive of getting kids in the classroom and that award criteria would prioritize interventions that directly increase attendance.

The committee received no vote during the hearing. Witnesses recommended coordinating SB 456 with other attendance and accountability efforts to avoid duplicative reporting. The bill’s text as explained in committee sets eligibility for CBOs and ESDs and appropriates $6,000,000; precise grant formulas, award sizes and application requirements would be set in rule or by ODE if the Legislature approves the appropriation.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Senate Committee On Education 03/10/2025 8:00 AM","oneSentenceSummary","Senate Bill 456 would appropriate $6,000,000 to the Oregon Department of Education for grants to community-based organizations and education service districts to address chronic absenteeism; supporters described the grants as flexible, local tools while lawmakers pressed for guardrails to ensure funds go to direct interventions.","taxTitle","Education, Senate, Committees, Legislative, Oregon","taxId",17625,"location","Oregon","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6290073,"Senate committee hears bill to standardize how districts record students after 10 consecutive absences",1003,53000,1056000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2531675-9be7b5d046066339fed9a50a75f84224&start=53&end=1056","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2531675-9be7b5d046066339fed9a50a75f84224/thumbnail_53000.jpg","/articles/6290073/Oregon/Senate-committee-hears-bill-to-standardize-how-districts-record-students-after-10-consecutive-absences","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6290073-ab59597cb20d6fde98dc91e84414510b/orig.mp4?Expires=1773714560&Signature=co4TCSFM~on9VxANeZcAlzinVs8XwqbBvM~je8mWuBhfBQ6DpxkjOsmM2osk4P8F4H2kta-R6msAFCH4YVS0eqpNMeyqidKAm814Vxcg~j1jVnaETjS~FIU5orJmddyPyh8GuarUno9i7NIllNZfXIqQVuJy6kPZ6xI9acveZR9aC8jLp6EMhdf~y6qlIqH-HmhzViVGLQztIpBwuYfCHE~fSgHVNoUB4xiwHZgsxqTPSJq31mL~LRogcMiZ9isLaS~cIHrdIIovzcmxxYlHOwIT9ePDoRX3acl0ekzxkLl0yzVORGRcjQykqdfKhx~BAfpCOIr1seJkmFJdJwNFlA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Senate Education Committee on March 10 heard testimony on Senate Bill 315, a measure that would require the Oregon Department of Education (ODE) to review state requirements for determining when a student is considered actively enrolled after 10 or more consecutive absences, recommend statutory or rule changes, and develop a common coding system for absences that school districts must implement.

The bill authorizes ODE to submit a report to the Legislative Assembly and the State Board of Education summarizing the review and any recommendations. Chris, speaking for the bill, said the measure “requires ODE to develop a common coding system for student absences” and to “require school districts to implement the system by the 2026–27 school year.”

Senator Suzanne Weber (R–District 16), a long-time educator and sponsor of related efforts, told the committee that chronic absenteeism is widespread: “the most recent data shows that over 1/3 of Oregon students are categorized as chronically absent,” and that missing the equivalent of roughly 16½ days — about 10% of a 165-day school year — can have an “avalanche effect” on a student’s progress.

Stacy Michaelson, testifying for the Oregon School Boards Association, said the bill’s value is in capturing the variety of reasons students miss school — from chronic illness to family travel — and tailoring supports accordingly. “If we are really going to target our supports to improve student attendance, then we need to be mindful of what is actually driving the reasons why students are not in school,” Michaelson said.

Lawmakers pressed for clarity about the data ODE already holds and the project timeline. Senator Ramos urged a faster timeline, saying that if a report is due far in the future, children continue to be affected in the meantime. Michaelson and other witnesses noted the technical and fiscal complications of changing enrollment rules because districts’ average daily membership (ADM) figures affect school funding. Michaelson said the department has treated the “10 day drop” carefully because changes can affect the state school fund formula and allocations.

Committee members and witnesses discussed the potential for misalignment with related measures in the House and the need for consistent coding across bills. Several lawmakers said preliminary collection of fractured local data would be helpful to accelerate solutions; Senator Weber and others called for data gathering that can be used to identify where targeted, low-cost interventions (for example, family supports) would help.

The committee took no final action on SB 315 during the hearing. Proponents asked that the bill’s review and recommended coding be aligned with related bills in the Legislature so districts and ODE are not working to incompatible standards.

The hearing record shows stakeholders urging attention to both speed and caution: speed so students benefit sooner, and caution because coding and enrollment rules interact with school funding.","The Senate Education Committee on March 10 heard testimony on Senate Bill 315, a measure that would require the Oregon Department of Education to review how students are classified after 10 consecutive absences and to develop a statewide coding system districts must use by the 2026–27 school year.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6290060,"Proposal would fund scholarships for agriculture educators who commit to rural service",841,2285000,3126000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2531675-9be7b5d046066339fed9a50a75f84224&start=2285&end=3126","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2531675-9be7b5d046066339fed9a50a75f84224/thumbnail_2285000.jpg","/articles/6290060/Oregon/Proposal-would-fund-scholarships-for-agriculture-educators-who-commit-to-rural-service","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6290060-1ab03a6cc49303226a83cfb10f450afa/orig.mp4?Expires=1773714560&Signature=XyjO67hhQkWyybPp3-uSoRopJwVUEPFH61fwkKFJ34dWRMU1NkE5urdi5p1BHwCOeD60ipJmdUJdAftf8lFaIRHWTI3JOO5YUtpXPBv3rjZ5auMn-5EOTeyV7jNVjL5sOT6seIzg4CGTIwhBWeIFBUx7WrYGu9xKsb8slusQg9l7Zr5qvzFeHnTCXlJCBKxuI8lRUuesC1o5UiGFAmHrt~hL3n34vtogXrpp7PYHUQ1ThS2XgqTLqUo~8YdwJ6O-BM2tPsQQ8wAMXNgoZSZnfuR3ad6PpRt82c7Cw5CsEg-Lknm0Yi9gVb~flEN7eYaxIBTbMDQgOC8JcmE9UW8Jkg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Senate Bill 785, discussed at a March 10 public hearing, would establish an Agriculture Education Scholarship Program administered by the Higher Education Coordinating Commission (HECC). The program would cover tuition and fees for prospective agricultural educators who agree to teach in a rural community for at least the number of years they received scholarship support. If a scholarship recipient fails to complete their degree or to fulfill the service agreement, the award converts to a repayment obligation with limited exceptions.

Representative Bobby Levy, a sponsor of the companion bills on rural education pathways, said the program mirrors other incentive models used to recruit essential professionals to rural areas and described the scholarship as a targeted investment to address a shortage of agriculture educators in rural districts. Levy noted that agriculture and natural resource career and technical education contributes measurable economic benefits to students and communities.

Jake Beller, speaking for Senator Nash, said the bill aims to build a pipeline of agriculture educators who will return to rural communities after college. Amanda Sullivan Astor of Associated Oregon Loggers and Jonathan Velez, head of agricultural education at Oregon State University, supported the bill, citing evidence that ag education increases long-term earnings for students who enter the workforce and noting strong participation in workplace-learning programs.

Committee members asked how the program would be administered and how students would be informed of repayment liability. HECC staff (Kyle Thomas) said the bill requires placement in Oregon during the service term and that enforcement options are limited if recipients leave the state before a repayment period ends. Thomas said marketing materials would make the convertible-grant terms clear and that recipients would sign a promissory-note-like agreement prior to beginning their program.

The bill appropriates an unspecified amount from the general fund and would become operative in the 2026–27 academic year if enacted. No committee vote was recorded at the conclusion of the hearing.","Senate Bill 785 would create a scholarship program to pay tuition and fees for prospective agriculture educators who agree to teach in rural Oregon communities for a period equal to their scholarship years; the award converts to a repayment obligation if recipients fail to complete their service commitment.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6290064,"Bill would put statewide standards in place for dual-credit agriculture and natural resources programs",734,1473000,2207000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2531675-9be7b5d046066339fed9a50a75f84224&start=1473&end=2207","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2531675-9be7b5d046066339fed9a50a75f84224/thumbnail_1473000.jpg","/articles/6290064/Oregon/Bill-would-put-statewide-standards-in-place-for-dual-credit-agriculture-and-natural-resources-programs","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6290064-b78345ae1d529f14c0d877416877085b/orig.mp4?Expires=1773714560&Signature=Kv8t9FlH-fGzMfOKGETw8AmJ~F62PKokOqT4yPMXDZrZDAuhlF9sVzcwwUn4tqC-9hh3ScwFdv4dG4ji9-ikQIyrH2uYW-tmAT-WO6HVucYWJqpI~axhhuNg9QNkJG1lFQRZCmjZYa7WMAENIeR5jEd2HyMwN7mVUA~QhZt36UtroSacRva01mePxnz1f5fPXqR0bvJ8Cs1MxoTpoFEaY1zdPEottOiAhl6hKY-KDG-Wt1tCKCzy36rya18kIW~t99Pp5PvsudOV2vJt0rOqIw1fkMF2uxgaYxCm3gIhCUY9PkegxO5lLEYnckjeZlVsOCFvN2GdSF9jI-dQQNIJsA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Senate Bill 784 was the subject of a public hearing March 10 before the Senate Education Committee. The measure directs the Higher Education Coordinating Commission (HECC) to develop statewide standards for dual-credit programs in agriculture, forestry and other natural resource programs.

Representative Bobby Levy said the bill would “ensure that high school students across Oregon, especially in rural communities, have greater access to quality education and career pathways” in agriculture and natural resources. He noted student demand at public universities and argued consistent standards would expand equitable access across regions.

Kyle Thomas, Director of Legislative and Policy Affairs for HECC, told the committee that HECC already maintains an advisory body that has developed a set of dual-credit standards intended as a template for any subject area. “The standards guide how curriculum is developed, what faculty qualifications are, how students are assessed in programs that are dual credit programs, but that is a template that is intended to be used across any subject matter,” Thomas said. He told the committee that HECC’s primary observation about barriers to greater access is funding and the availability of qualified instructors in rural areas rather than lack of standards.

Amanda Sullivan Astor, forest policy manager for Associated Oregon Loggers, urged support and said the bill helps ensure that rural students “earn college credits in high school, making the leap to higher education less daunting and more affordable.” Witnesses noted a pending amendment to expand natural resource language to explicitly include forestry and similar pathways.

Committee members asked how the bill differs from existing HECC work; Thomas said the standards exist but uneven access stems from instructors and funding. No committee vote was recorded at the close of the hearing.","Senate Bill 784 would direct the Higher Education Coordinating Commission to develop statewide standards for dual credit programs in agriculture, forestry and natural resources; testimony highlighted instructor qualifications and funding as the main barriers to expanding dual-credit opportunities in rural areas.",{"_33":113,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":114,"_41":115,"_43":116,"_45":117,"_47":118,"_49":119,"_51":120,"_53":121,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":122,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":123,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6290055,"Bill would allow college credit for workplace and CTSO learning; universities raise accreditation concerns",679,2035000,2714000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2531675-9be7b5d046066339fed9a50a75f84224&start=2035&end=2714","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2531675-9be7b5d046066339fed9a50a75f84224/thumbnail_2035000.jpg","/articles/6290055/Oregon/Bill-would-allow-college-credit-for-workplace-and-CTSO-learning-universities-raise-accreditation-concerns","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6290055-feed1ec9e63dbd157ad57cefd784cca1/orig.mp4?Expires=1773714560&Signature=GS1IYPN~Wku~9c87CL6vfECfPtQaQTPfo2sFE6HcdAlX7RddCFaHxgabvCQVGlyLH9wu-6zeFAL0wvuQivh8ZbBBd7BVCvbDKKqUYaarsnOaWYgmMeA6omEUSDLc-DbgGbqyejwc3y95RLlzaLz27vWk9Ec8CF9pzeEjQrno7dbd1iRWpdMm7W62pnJJq3T9GkBoOEfGI7ZdtAX~J6LuD9vtl~wAqALHqQ6USxiHA3iqd6AP-44EgJITiQQOoGXmkqZz3a-Hn77u6ooTTklGt5h1eiEHD5dWB8723n6c3htGG3mGoHPEokc-KIXl5--LqhvRtFC8FUGWPPurPIN3sg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Senate Bill 786 drew divided testimony on March 10 as the Senate Education Committee heard arguments for awarding college credit for “exponential” or experiential learning earned through career and technical student organizations (CTSOs) and similar programs.

Representative Bobby Levy and staff for Senator Nash described the bill as recognizing the value of workplace learning and CTSO experiences — including FFA, Future Natural Resource Leaders, FBLA and speech and debate — and establishing a statewide framework for awarding college credit based on demonstrated competencies.

Supporters said the bill would expand access to credit for students in rural areas who have limited AP or IB offerings. Amanda Sullivan Astor of Associated Oregon Loggers said CTSO participation “teaches real world applied experiences” and that “these students deserve the same recognition and opportunity as their peers.” Nathan Soltz, a former speech-and-debate competitor who testified in support, described the life-skills value of debate and urged the committee to advance the bill.

Representing Oregon’s public universities, Casey Shillum (Southern Oregon University, provost) testified in opposition to SB 786 and voiced concerns about the bill’s methods. Shillum said public universities already have multiple pathways to grant credit and that SB 786 would require institutions to award credit without institutional assessment of course outcomes or compliance with accreditation standards. He warned the bill’s provisions to restrict universities from requiring introductory coursework could run counter to student-success and retention best practices.

Committee staff reported a minimal fiscal impact posted for the bill ($10.98). The committee paused later in the hearing to address a missing posted amendment to another bill (SB 1098) and ultimately carried that bill over to Wednesday, March 12, to allow staff time to post the amendment. No committee vote occurred on SB 786 during the March 10 hearing.

The hearing record shows competing priorities: advocates pressed for recognition of workplace-based competencies and broader access to college credit, while university leaders warned that standardized assessment and accreditation safeguards should not be bypassed.","Senate Bill 786 would create a framework for awarding college credit based on competency from out-of-school learning (CTSO programs like FFA, DECA, speech and debate); industry and CTE advocates supported the change while public university representatives warned the bill could conflict with accreditation and standard assessment practices.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Committee hears $6 million grant proposal to help districts address chronic absenteeism

Senate committee hears bill to standardize how districts record students after 10 consecutive absences

Proposal would fund scholarships for agriculture educators who commit to rural service

Bill would put statewide standards in place for dual-credit agriculture and natural resources programs

Bill would allow college credit for workplace and CTSO learning; universities raise accreditation concerns