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Oregon: "Students needing services growing faster than overall student population"

Jan 28, 2025, KATU, Portland, OR: Bill addresses funding gaps for Oregon students with costly disabilities

SALEM, Ore. (KATU) — The Regional Inclusive Services Program, dedicated to ensuring equitable funding and access to special services for children and students with low-incidence and high-cost disabilities, is facing a funding shortfall as demand increases.


Since 2009, the student population requiring these services has surged by 40% yet funding has not kept pace. Kara Williams, Director of Inclusive Services at the Department of Education, presented data indicating a decline in per-student funding from about $3,300 in the 2009-11 biennium to $2,823 in the 2023-25 biennium.


"The current funding model only adjusts for inflation and does not consider raising student numbers or service costs, while geographic cost variations and reliance on discretionary funding further exacerbate those inequalities," said Williams.


The services are provided through eight areas, some of which are expansive, particularly in Eastern Oregon. Tanya Smith from the Intermountain Education Service District in Pendleton described the situation as untenable.


"Seven counties, very large counties, and only four autism consultants to cover 125 kids each across those seven counties. It’s very, very difficult. It's exhausting for staff," said Smith.


Senate Bill 53, passed in 2021, established a task force to determine an accurate cost per student and set a starting point for future funding. The task force concluded that an adequate level of funding is $3,481 per student.


"We really wanted to make sure that we could solve the problem once and for all in this task force," Williams said.


Senator Noah Robinson asked why the number of students needing services is growing faster than the overall student population. Williams responded that the greatest increase is in kids with autism, but they are seeing a rise in the need for services for many conditions

"We've also seen an increase in traumatic brain injury and deaf/blind, which is actually occurring more and is a high-cost disability to service," said Williams.


Senate Bill 868, currently in the Senate Committee on Education, proposes a biennial report to determine the adequate level of funding for each biennium moving forward. The bill remains in the Senate Committee on Education for further discussion.



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