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Board hears memo on rising MESD Outdoor School costs; directors call for state engagement
Summary
Board members reviewed a staff memo showing steep increases in Outdoor School per‑student costs charged by Multnomah Education Service District and urged state lawmakers to restore or increase funding to preserve a multi‑day Outdoor School program for every student.
The board received a staff memo Oct. 14 analyzing Outdoor School costs administered through the Multnomah Education Service District (MESD). Directors and staff discussed large historic increases in MESD’s per‑student charges and the implications for the district’s five‑day Outdoor School model.
Staff and several directors said the district’s analysis shows MESD rates and program costs have risen substantially since 2016—outpacing CPI inflation—and that a state funding reduction several years ago left districts to absorb higher costs. Directors said the effect has been to force districts to shorten the duration of Outdoor School programming (e.g., four days instead of five) and to shift more cost and logistics to local districts. One director said the data in the memo strengthened a case for district‑level advocacy and for state lawmakers to restore or increase the intended state share of the program.
Officials noted two complicating factors: MESD manages the state grant and program contracts in partnership with Oregon State University for aspects of residential programming, and MESD’s rate‑setting approach reflects added services and insurance/operational costs that have expanded over time. Some board members said they had polled other districts and found limited bandwidth for a cross‑district negotiation, though the board urged district staff to continue regional conversations and to raise the issue with legislators.
The memo did not request a board vote; board members asked staff to keep this item on the watch list and to continue outreach with MESD, other districts and state lawmakers to explore rate structures and the program’s affordability for future school years.
