Taskforces and Commissions

Quality Education Commission

The 2000 Quality Education Commission was appointed by Governor John Kitzhaber and State School Superintendent Stan Bunn in November 1999 to validate and refine the Oregon Quality Education Model (QEM). The model is helping lawmakers establish the costs of providing the education programs necessary for Oregon's children to meet educational goals.

The 2001 Legislature established the Quality Education Commission in statute to determine the amount of funding needed to meet the state's quality education goals with the passage of HB 2295.

Oregon’s Quality Education Model: A Tool for School Districts

The Charge of the Commission

The Commission Shall:

• Determine the amount of moneys sufficient to ensure the state's system of K-12 public education meets the quality goals established in statute.
• Identify best practices that lead to high student performance and the costs of implementing those best practices in K-12 public schools.
• Issue a report to the Governor and Legislative Assembly by August 1 of each even-numbered year that identifies:
  • Current practices in the state's K-12 public schools
  • Costs of continuing those practices
  • Expected student performance under those practices
  • The best practices for meeting the quality goals
  • Cost for implementing those best practices
  • The expected student performance under those practices
  • Two alternatives for meeting the quality goals (i.e.: different approach, phased implementation)

Related Charges (HB 2295)

• The Governor shall publish a report that:
  • Demonstrates that the amount of moneys appropriated is sufficient to meet the quality goals (or) demonstrates that the amount of moneys appropriated is sufficient to meet the quality goals (or)
  • Identifies reasons the amount is not sufficient, the extend of the insufficiency and the impact of the insufficiency to meet the quality goals.
• The President of the Senate and Speaker of the House of Representatives shall jointly appoint a special legislative committee to issue a report pursuant to section 8, Article VIII of the Oregon Constitution.
• The legislative committee shall issue a report which:
  • Demonstrates the amount within the K=12 public education budget is sufficient to meet the quality goals (or)
  • Identifies the reasons that the amount for K-12 public education is not sufficient, the extend of the insufficiency and the impact of the insufficiency to meet the quality goals.
  • Makes a determination on the use of the Commission's report as a basis for carrying out the reporting requirements of section 8, Article VIII. If the report is not used, specific guidelines are outlined for an alternate report

School Funding Taskforce

The Task Force on School Funding was established by HB 2506 (2013). Its directive is to “make recommendations regarding possible modifications to the funding formulas used to distribute State School Fund moneys to school districts and education service districts.”

Task Force Membership

The task force consists of 13 members. The Speaker of the House appoints two members; the Senate President appoints two members; and the Governor appoints 9 members. The Governor’s appointees shall be persons who represent school teachers, school administrators, school district business managers, district school board members, and education service districts.

Task Force Members

• John Rexford (Chair), Superintendent, High Desert Education Service District
• Samuel Henry (Vice-Chair), Professor, Portland State University
• Cam Preus, Oregon Community College Association, Executive Director
• Dana Hepper, Director of Policy & Advocacy, Children’s Institute
• Reed Scott-Schwalbach, President, Oregon Education Association
• Tricia Mooney, Superintendent, Hermiston School District
• Carlos Sequeira, Executive Director, Lane Education Service District
• Whitney Swander, Foundation for a Better Oregon, Data & Research Director
• Andrea Townsend
  
• Monica Cox