Doing Our Best for School Funding - 2009
The legislature protected K-12 education by passing a $6 billion K-12 public education budget and maintained funding for Head Start, prioritizing Oregon school kids in the face of an unprecedented national recession. The budget bills are SB 5520 & SB 5554.

Full Day Kindergarten - 2009
SB 44 allows school districts to continue offering full day school year through the end of the 2011-2012 school year and creates the framework for extending full day kindergarten across the state. Full day kindergarten, which is currently offered at a cost to parents in many districts in the state, is an issue I will continue to follow.

Higher Education Facilities Upgrades - 2009
SB 338 is a $174 million job stimulus and investment package, supplying funds for much needed upgrades at the state's centers of higher learning. The projects are located in all thirty-six counties, at all seven state universities and all seventeen community colleges.

Sex Education - 2009
HB 2509 requires each school district to provide age-appropriate, human sexuality education courses as integral part of health education curriculum.

Anti-Bullying - 2009
HB 2599 requires districts to include specified elements in policy prohibiting harassment, intimidation, or bullying and prohibiting cyber bullying.

Teacher Mentoring - 2009
SB 443 establishes the Oregon Educator Professional Development Commission, which will give teachers improved tools for professional development.

Reinvestment in K-12 Education - 2007
A K-12 budget of $6.245 billion passed through the Legislature, a 14 percent increase over the 2006-7 biennium. It is likely to pull Oregon out of the bottom half of states for spending per student, and will enable districts to restore some school days, teachers, and elective classes, as well as provide some capital maintenance and construction.

Despite the improvements, several school districts, including Portland, still face budget challenges with the approved funding due to falling student enrollment and increasing health care costs for employees.

The budget bills are HB 5019, HB 5020, and HB 5021.

Reinvestment in Higher Education - 2007
SB 5515 provides $868 million for the Oregon university system, a 14 percent budget increase. It will restore some funding lost in the last recession, and enable universities to boost professor salaries, make some capital investments, make textbooks more affordable, and double financial aid.

Expansion of Early Childhood Education
The Legislature increased funding for the Head Start pre-school program by $39 million, which will enable an additional 3,200 children to participate. Head Start is renowned for helping set kids on a track for success inside and outside of school.

Local Development Revenue for Schools - 2007
SB 1036 adds a local option for school boards to implement an excise tax on construction in school districts to cover capital construction costs for schools. This bill marks the end of a nearly two-year struggle to bring Oregon in line with California, Washington, and other states in requiring builders to help accommodate new students.

Rainy Day Savings Account - 2007
HB 2707 establishes the state's first ever savings account - a Rainy Day fund that will protect Oregon from drastic cuts in education, public safety, and social services in the event of a recession. This one-time diversion of the corporate kicker is especially important to education, as it will help to avoid the cuts experienced over the past several years.

Student Free Press - 2007
HB 3279 protects freedom of the press for high school and college student journalists. It allows students to decide content for student publications, while allowing school officials to edit slander, libel, and "unwanted invasion of privacy." Students are also restricted from publishing material inciting readers to break the law. The bill grants speech rights by allowing students to bring charges in civil court if they believe their rights have been violated. As a teacher and as a former college newspaper editor, I worked with students, educators, and other legislators to pass this bill.