Oregon subcommittee hears that ending federal relief, falling enrollment and rising special-education costs are straining K-12 dollars

Dr. Rosa, director of the Edgenomics Lab and a research professor at Georgetown University, told the Oregon Education Subcommittee on Jan. 28 that one-time federal relief funds have ended, enrollment is falling and some districts face budget gaps even as per-pupil spending rose.

"The number 1 stressor for superintendents is the budget," Dr. Rosa said, summarizing what she described as a new and extremely challenging school finance landscape in Oregon and nationally.

Her presentation, condensed to fit a 30-minute informational meeting, said the federal Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds that boosted spending have largely expired and that many districts used that temporary money for recurring commitments. She told the committee that per-pupil expenditures in Oregon rose over the past decade but that statewide reading and math test scores did not recover after the pandemic despite the extra spending.

Why it matters: Dr. Rosa framed the gap between dollars spent and student outcomes as the central fiscal problem for K-12 finance going forward. She said enrollment declines—driven by lower birthrates and out-migration—will reduce long-term revenue because most school funding follows students. She added that special-education costs have…