Oregon Governor Tina Kotek announced that her next budget will prioritize education and summer learning programs. She made the remarks at a press conference in Northeast Portland’s Faubion School, where she touted the performance of summer learning programs made permanent by the Oregon Legislature in 2025.

Summer Learning Programs

The programs, which include $35 million for summer learning grants in 2025 and 2026, and $12 million for June of 2027, have shown promising results. The data has been clear that summer slide is real, and it affects students who struggle the most, according to Eddie Wang, chair of the board of Portland Public Schools.

The state’s broader push for early summer learning programs comes as Oregon continues to rank among the lowest states in the nation for performance on fourth-grade test scores for key subjects such as reading and math. Kotek has also faced pushback from the state’s leading teacher’s union, as well as leaders of local school districts, for failing to adequately fund public education.

Budget Challenges

Kotek warned that crafting the financial plan will be a challenge, but she is committed to prioritizing education and summer learning programs. She suggested that lawmakers would be more open to tapping into the state’s educational reserve funding in the 2027 legislative session.

Original reporting: Salem Reporter — read the source article.