On Tuesday, April 5, Governor Kitzhaber introduces SB 909, his proposal to create the Oregon Education Investment Board, at a presentation before the Senate Education and Workforce Development Committee. This is a very important step to strengthen the quality of education in Oregon at all levels.
The Oregon Education Investment Board will be appointed by the Governor, subject to Senate confirmation, and chaired by the Governor to streamline administration and create a seamless and strategic education budget from zero to 20 to meet Oregon’s education responsibilities. The OEIB will:
- Develop an outcome-based budget proposing strategic investments across the public education system to ensure integration and coordination, and maximize returns on state investments.
- Oversee streamlining and connecting early childhood services to the K-12 system and streamlining and connecting the K-12 system to post-secondary education programs.
- Direct three subcommittees to advise the OEIB: the Early Learning Council, the K-12 Coordinating Commission, and the Higher Education Coordinating Commission.
- Develop a strategic education plan for Oregon, including a plan to consolidate and assume the functions of the Oregon State Board of Education and the Oregon Board of Higher Education.
Unified Public Education System: The OEIB will report to the Legislature no later than December 15, 2011 with a plan to create a unified public education system from zero to 20, for consideration in the 2012 legislative session. The plan will include:
- Aligning Education Governance: The OEIB will develop the plan for consolidating functions of the State Board of Education and the Board of Higher Education into the OEIB by July 1, 2012. In addition, the OEIB will appoint a Chief Education Investment Officer to oversee the Early Childhood Director, a Director of the Department of Education, the Commissioner of Community Colleges and Workforce Development, the Chancellor of the Oregon University System, and the Director of the Oregon Student Assistance Commission by July 1, 2012.
- Consolidating Early Childhood Programs: The Early Learning Council will develop the plan for reconfiguring Oregon’s disparate early learning-related programs. The position of Early Childhood Director will be created in the Office of the Governor as lead staff to consolidate existing efforts, funding streams, and administrative structures.
- Improving K-12 Education Outcomes: The K-12 Education Coordinating Commission will convene design teams to develop recommendations for: transforming primary and secondary education by building better professional pathways for teachers; eliminating redundant testing; creating teacher/administrator performance assessment tools; moving to proficiency-based learning; aligning standards and assessments; shifting state investments from enrollment-based to performance-based models; expanding opportunities for high school students to earn community college and university credits; supporting effective teaching and administrative leadership; supporting new models of Special Education; increasing use of technology including greater access to virtual schools, online learning, and integration of technology in the classroom; and improving access to proven innovative models and open enrollment.
- Coordinating Higher Education Institutions: The Higher Education Coordinating Commission will develop state goals and associated accountability measures in a strategic plan for Oregon’s post-secondary education system, including community colleges and public universities. In addition, the Higher Education Coordinating Commission will develop a consolidated finance model and budget recommendations across the post-secondary education spectrum.
Measuring Results: The OEIB will oversee the creation of an integrated, statewide, child-based data system to track expenditures and return on investment for education-related programs from zero to 20.
Contact members of the Senate Education and Workforce Committee in support of the Oregon Education Investment Board.
Contact your own legislators in support of the Oregon Education Investment Board.