Senate Education Committee advances several education bills; tuition waiver, teacher pathways, foster-care waivers among measures sent to Ways and Means

The Oregon Senate Committee on Education on April 9 considered and advanced a package of education measures on topics ranging from cosmetology licensure and teacher workforce development to tuition waivers for former foster youth and pilot grants for student participatory budgeting.

What the committee did

- Senate Bill 207 (cosmetology): The committee approved the dash-4 amendment and moved the bill with a due-pass recommendation; the measure requires the Board of Cosmetology to adopt rules allowing provisional certificates supervised by certified practitioners, sets supervisor eligibility criteria, allows renewal of provisional certificates and moves the operative date to 2027. The committee also rescinded a subsequent referral to Ways and Means for SB 207.

- Senate Bill 302: The committee adopted a dash-1 amendment replacing the bill to require ODE to audit kindergarten assessments and report by Sept. 15, 2026; the amendment passed and the bill was moved to the floor with a due-pass recommendation.

- Senate Bill 314: The committee approved a dash-2 amendment requiring multiple agencies (HECC, ODE, TSPC, Department of Early Learning and Care and EAC) to jointly develop a three-to-five-year strategic plan for nontraditional pathways to educator licensure, including grow-your-own and apprenticeship programs; it was moved to Ways and Means by prior reference.

- Senate Bill 401: The committee moved a bill that would increase the state school fund distribution…