Political collateral? Oregon GOP walkout on ‘culture war’ bill threatens billions in school funds

PORTLAND, Ore. — Funding for schools, literacy programs and special education teachers in Oregon — a state where 60% of third graders can’t read at grade level — could be jeopardized by a Republican walkout that has stalled hundreds of bills and derailed the Legislature for nearly six weeks.

The standoff over a bill that would expand access to abortion and gender-affirming health care could scuttle much-needed education funding in a year when the stars seemed to align for Oregon’s budget.

Tax revenues have exceeded state economists’ projections, allowing lawmakers to approve a record K-12 budget of $10.2 billion. But the education spending legislation needs a vote from the Senate, which hasn’t been able to conduct business since May 3 because of the GOP boycott, and time is running out, with just two weeks left until the legislative session ends.

“Supporting strong schools and improving student outcomes should be enough to make anyone show up for work,” Democratic state Rep. Courtney Neron, the House Committee on Education chair, said at a recent rally against the walkout. “From early childhood through higher education, our schools and students need us to respond to serious challenges.”

Oregon’s Senate Republican office said in an email that “it is critically important that we make sure education is fully funded.” Republican minority leader Sen. Tim Knopp also said in an email his caucus will return by June 25 to pass “substantially bipartisan” bills and budgets.

But Democrats say waiting until the session’s last day to pass budgets isn’t feasible and school districts need a sense of potential funding by early July to begin planning for the next school year.

“There’s no way that we can pass all the budget bills on June 25,” Democratic state Sen. Michael Dembrow, the Senate Committee on Education chair, said in an email. “Just doing budget bills in both chambers will take several days.”