A Republican walkout has caused a legislative deadlock for nearly six weeks, putting at risk the funding allocated to schools, literacy programs, and special education teachers. This is particularly concerning in a state where 60% of third graders are unable to read at their grade level.

The impasse revolves around a bill aiming to enhance access to abortion and gender-affirming healthcare. Unfortunately, this political standoff threatens much-needed financial support for education, despite a favorable budget outlook for Oregon this year. State tax revenues have surpassed economists’ expectations, enabling lawmakers to approve a historic K-12 budget of $10.2 billion. However, the education spending legislation remains in limbo, awaiting a vote in the Senate, which has been unable to operate since May 3 due to the Republican boycott. With only two weeks remaining in the legislative session, time is running out.

Democratic state Rep. Courtney Neron, Chair of the House Committee on Education, expressed her disappointment in the walkout during a recent rally, emphasizing the importance of supporting robust schools and improving student outcomes. She stated that the state’s schools and students require a proactive response to address the significant challenges they face, from early childhood education to higher education.

Responding to the situation, Oregon’s Senate Republican office acknowledged the criticality of fully funding education in an email statement. Republican minority leader Sen. Tim Knopp also confirmed via email that his caucus intends to return by June 25 to pass bills and budgets with substantial bipartisan support.

However, Democrats argue that waiting until the final day of the session to pass budgets is not feasible. They emphasize that school districts need a sense of potential funding by early July to adequately plan for the upcoming school year. Democratic state Sen. Michael Dembrow, Chair of the Senate Committee on Education, expressed doubts about the practicality of passing all the budget bills on June 25 in an email response.

Aside from the bipartisan-supported $10.2 billion K-12 budget that successfully passed the state House, the Senate Republican walkout also jeopardizes crucial education bills aimed at addressing pandemic-related learning setbacks and tackling the education workforce crisis.

Similar to the situation in many other states across the country, Oregon experienced a significant decline in reading and math proficiency following the COVID-19 pandemic. School closures had a severe impact on young children, depriving them of essential in-person instruction necessary for acquiring reading skills. The most recent state assessment results reveal that approximately 60% of third graders in Oregon are not proficient in reading or math.

One of these bills aims to tackle shortages of teachers and other school personnel within rural areas, while also enhancing the compensation for special education teachers. Another proposed legislation seeks to invest $140 million in a new initiative focused on early literacy for children.

Whether a deal will get done in time is anyones guess at this point.