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Update on the K-12 Education
Budget:
“The May Revenue Forecast was presented just this morning
– May 14, 2015. I am happy to report to
you that the Legislature will be able to add an additional $105 million to the K-12
education budget bringing that total to $7.360 billion for the 2015/2016
biennium.”
My original letter to you is below for your reference.
Thank you for reaching out to my office with your concerns of the K-12 education budget. I share many of your concerns and am working to get our students and teachers as much funding as possible for the coming biennium.
The fact is, this is the earliest the legislature has ever approved our school budget, and I am glad we can provide our school districts with some stability as they plan for the next school year. I was proud to support a budget that includes a full school year and has no cuts for teachers or programs for the 2015-2016 school year for the Hillsboro School District.
It’s important to keep in mind that this budget represents a funding floor, not a ceiling. It lets our schools know they will not get anything less than $7.255 billion next year, and when the May budget forecast comes out, we have expectations that we can add even more funding to the K-12 budget.
Under HB 5017-A, we are funding full-day kindergarten and increasing the K-12 budget by $600 million - a 9% increase over the last biennium (2013/2015). We are also increasing the per student funding (ADMw). Additionally, the free lunch program has been expanded to include children who were previously on the reduced-lunch program. This budget isn’t perfect, but it is a good starting point.
Again, thank you for contacting me on this important issue. I am committed to continuing to work to make sure that the students and educators across the state, and here in Washington County, get the funding they need to be successful.
Sincerely,
 Senator Chuck Riley
Senate District 15
email: Sen.ChuckRiley@state.or.us I phone: 503-986-1715
address: 900 Court St NE, S-303, Salem, OR, 97301
website: http://www.oregonlegislature.gov/riley
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