Oregon aims to have 40 percent of its adults equipped with 4-year college degrees by 2025, according to the 2009 Governor’s Report on Education. But some high school officials are concerned that new legislation could make it harder for students to make the transition from high school to college.
Senate Bill 441 would allow K-12 schools to cut guidance counselors, school librarians, Talented and Gifted education programs and alcohol and drug prevention classes. The bill would not require schools to update textbooks, and it would allow schools to cut school days – all in the name of saving money.
“We’re in some kind of different times. This is the sort of thing that we can do in the legislature to help schools navigate in difficult financial times,” Sen. Jeff Kruse, R-Roseburg, said. “This bill doesn’t require schools to make any cuts. We just want to give them some flexibility to make adjustments where they see fit.”
Kruse said schools are responsible for meeting state benchmarks for end-of-the-year report cards. If schools are unable to meet a requirement, they have to provide an explanation for why the benchmarks were not met. Under SB 441, schools wouldn’t be required to meet textbook, counselor, TAG or school-day requirements, so reports for those services wouldn’t be required.
“The reporting costs a lot of money,” Kruse said. “And when it comes to cutting administrative costs or cutting classrooms, I choose administrative costs.”
If the bill passes, Kruse estimates schools across the state could save as much as $140 million in reporting costs. But South Eugene High School assistant principal Stephanie Cannon said the bill’s allowance of school autonomy may have unintended consequences.
“Legislators may think they are providing schools with more flexibility, but they forget that students rely on many of those services to prepare for college,” Cannon said.
Cannon explained that without counselors students wouldn’t have the guidance they’ve traditionally had to explore post-graduation opportunities.
“South Eugene has a reputation of excellence,” she said. “Colleges might not consider our students with equal weight if we chose to provide fewer programs.”
Sen. Mark Hass, D-Beaverton, admits the bill is not flawless, but sees SB 441 as a way for the state to compromise with schools in tough economic times.
“A lot of legislators had concerns about the bill, but I think there were some good points, and so I voted to move it to the Ways and Means committee to keep it alive,” he said.
Regardless of what the state decides to do, Di Suanders, public relations director for the Oregon University System, said colleges will understand that not every student comes from the same level of high school background.
“Students shouldn’t worry about their chances of getting into universities with the cuts,” she said. “We look at the entire student and their accomplishments, not what their high school had to offer them.”
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