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HECC Collaborations

Recent initiatives and activities of the Higher Education Coordinating Commission (HECC)

September 2026

     Photo by Allison Shelley/Complete College Photo Library

Fall Activity Focuses on Building Opportunity for Oregonians, and Progress on the House Bill 4124 Higher Education Revitalization Study

Message from Executive Director Ben Cannon

Greetings, and if you follow the academic calendar, happy fall term!

Last week, our Commission advanced the preliminary report on the Higher Education Revitalization Study, an early progress report that has now been submitted to the Oregon Legislature as the agency works toward final recommendations due by April 1, 2027. The collaborative process, candid insight from partners across the state, and rigorous analysis that has gone into the first phase of this work already is promising. We look forward to upcoming convenings with students, faculty, staff, regional leaders, and others, as we deepen our conversations across the state.

The preliminary report, detailed more in an article below, summarizes the broad statewide engagement and collaboration underway, and presents the primary technical consultant’s initial set of data and analysis on the challenges and opportunities across Oregon’s public higher education landscape. The October preliminary report to the Legislature does not yet have recommendations. I invite you to read EY-Parthenon’s baseline findings. We will build on this work as we seek to develop strategies that speak to the complexity of pressures faced by the system, while ensuring an accessible, responsive, student-centered system for years to come. In the next phases of this legislatively-driven process, we will continue to gather input from campus communities, and the consultants will focus upcoming discussions on a set of hypotheses on major system needs. 

While we look to the future, we continue innovating across HECC programs to better serve Oregonians today. I am proud to share in this newsletter several exciting initiatives underway to improve and expand equitable pathways to higher education and career pathways for Oregonians.

• With the awarding of nearly $1.5M in grants, we are supporting the ramping up of programming for short-term credentials in high-demand careers, and simultaneously launching a program approval process for programs like this to apply for eligibility through the new Workforce Pell Grant.
• In financial aid news, when we heard that some students from mixed-status families were forgoing important state aid programs such as the Oregon Opportunity Grant because they were concerned about completing the FAFSA, we opened up the Oregon Student Aid Application (ORSAA) as an option.
• We look forward to convening many educators and partners this fall for our two regular annual conferences: the annual ASPIRE conference on October 2, focused on college and career planning strategies through ASPIRE; and the Oregon Adult Basic Skills Conference on October 16 focused on serving Oregon through adult basic education (efforts that were recently celebrated through the Governor’s proclamation establishing Adult Education and Family Literacy week).

These are just a few of the ways we are working intentionally with partners to remove barriers and build real opportunity for all Oregonians. We are also pleased to share updates on the latest Educator Equity Report, the approval of emergency funding for Southern Oregon University, legislative and budget development processes, and more. Finally, I am pleased to announce this month that we have hired Kerry Thomas to the permanent position as director of the HECC Office of Student Access and Completion (OSAC), after her impressive service as interim director of the office responsible for critical financial aid programs for Oregonians. 

Thanks, as always, for staying connected with the work of the HECC.

Preliminary House Bill 4124 Legislative Report Provides an Analysis of the Oregon Higher Education Landscape and the Public Process for the Study

The Higher Education Coordinating Commission (HECC) has submitted to the Oregon Legislature a preliminary report on progress made toward the House Bill 4124 Revitalization Study. This 2026 legislation directs the HECC to study the condition of Oregon’s postsecondary education system and develop recommendations for a viable and improved institutional framework for public higher education in Oregon by April 2027. 

The report includes two documents: the HECC Preliminary HB 4124 Report narrative that details the collaborative process, plus the initial set of data findings and analyses completed by the primary consultant on the project, EY-Parthenon. This initial progress report does not contain recommendations. In coming months, upcoming convenings and discussions across Oregon will shift the work from the baseline analysis presented here to testing hypotheses and developing recommendations. In addition to the collaborative structures underway for this work which are summarized below, plans are underway to engage faculty, student and staff groups as we enter fall term.

The EY-Parthenon findings draw from their analysis of quantitative data and insights gleaned from higher education institution, economic, workforce, and other Oregon leaders. These findings reflect EY-Parthenon’s preliminary analysis of the challenges facing Oregon higher education, the role and value of higher education in Oregon, and the relationship between higher education and the economy. The findings focus on:

• Challenges related to funding, enrollment, costs, capacity, and other factors;
• Oregon’s public colleges and universities and who they serve, differing missions, academic offerings, student outcomes, value/price, and institutional fiscal health; and
• The ties between higher education and living wage jobs, the state’s economy and workforce demands, talent and skill shortfalls, and demographic projections impacting Oregon’s needs.

The preliminary narrative describes the collaborative process of statewide engagement, analysis, and partner input that has informed the first phase of the work so far.

A House Bill 4124 Advisory Group representing public institutions, faculty, staff, unions, philanthropy, workforce, K–12, and underrepresented communities is at the center of partner deliberations, and they are advising the HECC agency staff who report to the Commission. The Advisory Group has begun several place-based sessions across Oregon starting in La Grande, with meetings coming up in Klamath Falls, Medford, Monmouth, Portland, and Newport. Oregon Consensus is continuing to provide third-party process support throughout the upcoming year. EY-Parthenon is the primary research consultant and their role is to serve as an independent, evidence-based technical advisor. In addition, other engagement processes—regional panels, a Student Voices Group, faculty and staff focus groups, a legislative roundtable, and an academic and fiscal leadership table—are designed to ensure broad inclusion and transparent processes for partners and decision makers.  At its regular public meetings, the Higher Education Coordinating Commission receives updates and welcomes public input through written and/or oral public testimony. 

More information on the process is available on HECC’s web page linked below.  

Photo by Allison Shelley/Complete College Photo Library

Oregon Launches Program Review Process to Prepare for the Workforce Pell Grant

We are pleased to report that the Higher Education Coordinating Commission (HECC) has launched processes for implementation of the Workforce Pell Grant in Oregon. Workforce Pell—established through Congress’s passage of H.R. 1 in 2025—expands Pell Grant eligibility to support learners enrolled in short-term, career-focused training programs that meet defined standards and lead to industry-recognized credentials.   

The federal Pell Grant program is the foundational federal need-based student aid program, and Workforce Pell is an expansion of this program. Many states across the U.S. are still in the process of preparing for the launch of this expansion, including Oregon. Learners may only use Workforce Pell Grants for programs approved by the state and the U.S. Department of Education, and the program approval processes can take a year or more because of the processes required. Oregonians will be able to benefit from these grants when state programs complete the process of meeting the federal requirements to become eligible and complete a program application on the HECC partner portal.  

At this time, the HECC is helping programs gain eligibility so that Oregonians can benefit as soon as possible (see the article below on Investment in Planning Short Term Credential Programs). When the programs are available in Oregon, the HECC will announce the programs that qualify, and students will apply using the FAFSA. Students can visit the Federal Pell Grant page for more information.​ 

The federal rules for the program were made final in May 2026, and the State of Oregon, like other states, is implementing these program eligibility processes to prepare for individuals to receive benefits for qualifying programs​. The HECC has now finalized the policy on Workforce Pell, and HECC has launched the program approval process for Oregon. The program approval portal and additional background information on the program are available on our Workforce Pell Grant Implementation webpage linked below.  

State Invests $1.46M to Plan Curricula for Short-Term Credential Programs 

OSAC Announces Expanded Access to Oregon State Aid Application (ORSAA) for Applicants from Mixed-Status Families  

The Higher Education Coordinating Commission (HECC) is committed to removing barriers that prevent Oregonians from being able to access state financial aid. The HECC Office of Student Access and Completion (OSAC) recently announced expanded access to the Oregon Student Aid Application (ORSAA) starting in the 2027-28 aid year to provide an option for students with mixed-status families to apply for state aid.*

As of October 1, 2026, the ORSAA may be used in lieu of the FAFSA by students in mixed-status families to apply for Oregon state-administered financial aid programs.  

Recently, OSAC has become aware that some students from mixed-status families in Oregon have decided not to file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) because they have concerns related to data privacy. As a result of not completing a FAFSA application, they are not able to access state aid such as the Oregon Opportunity Grant, private scholarships, and more. The HECC is providing a new option for students in this circumstance to complete the ORSAA in lieu of the FAFSA to apply for state aid and institutional aid for which they may qualify.  

Those considering this option should know that students from mixed-status families will forgo access to all federal aid in addition to Oregon Promise state funds if they decide to file the ORSAA instead of the FAFSA. Read more in the documents below. These materials are intended to help students make informed decisions on whether to submit a FAFSA or ORSAA to apply for financial aid.

• Read about this change in the MEMO: ORSAA for Mixed-Status Families available in English and Spanish or read the FAQs: ORSAA for Mixed-Status Families
• These materials can also be found on the OregonStudentAid.gov website under FAFSA/ORSAA Information.

Those who work with students on financial aid planning are encouraged to read and share the memo and FAQ with learners who may be interested in this option.

*Here, a mixed-status family is one in which the student is a U.S. citizen or eligible noncitizen, and their parent(s) or spouse—also known as FAFSA contributor/s — does not have a Social Security Number (SSN) or is undocumented.

Legislative Committee Approves Emergency Funding for Southern Oregon University

The Oregon Legislature’s Joint Emergency Board voted on September 10, 2026 to release a $7.5 million allocation to Southern Oregon University (SOU) at HECC’s request, to maintain SOU’s financial viability through June 2027 and beyond. Prior to the vote, Executive Director Cannon presented an update to a legislative committee on the financial sustainability request and required reporting. The $7.5 million is the second installment of the $15 million emergency funding package, the first half of which was approved in June 2026.  

In early 2026, it became clear that SOU faced a significant financial shortfall. To provide bridge stabilization, HB 5204 (2026) included an appropriation to the Emergency Board in the amount of $15 million to be allocated to the HECC to provide SOU with short-term financial stability and address the projected shortfall. Several conditions were established to receive the funding, including SOU’s development and successful implementation of a plan for long-term fiscal sustainability. The SOU Board of Trustees approved the final version of the Vitality Plan in July, satisfying one of the conditions set by the Legislature. 

Moving forward, the HECC will track SOU’s adherence to specific benchmarks in executing the Vitality Plan. SOU is submitting monthly reports on its progress, adhering to measurable implementation and offering clear communication with the campus community, state officials and the public.

SOU’s Vitality Plan reduces the university’s $100 million budget by more than $20 million while reducing impacts on students wherever possible. Read about the plan on the SOU website here.

• Read the details of HECC’s request.
• View the presentation to the E-board.

Progress Toward State Goals for Educator Diversity, Contributions of Educator Preparation Programs

We are pleased to share the 2026 Educator Equity Report, Oregon’s most recent report on progress made toward increasing the diversity of the state’s educator workforce to reflect the diversity of K-12 students in the state’s public schools.

Since 2015, the Educator Equity Report (now in its 10^th edition) has provided an update on research, state-level data, and state initiatives focused on recruitment, preparation, and retention of diverse educators across Oregon’s educator workforce. Oregon has a goal for the percentage of diverse educators to reflect the percentage of diverse students in the public schools of this state or the percentage of diverse students in the district.

Key findings are summarized in the report’s Executive Summary here, including longitudinal trends in workforce participation, educator career pathways and preparation, and key data on Oregon’s K-12 educator workforce. A few key findings related to higher education and training include:

• Enrollment in education majors at Oregon’s public colleges and universities rose substantially over the last two years (these include students pursuing teacher licensure and those who are not).  
• Between 2019-20 and 2022-23, overall teacher licensure candidate enrollment in Oregon education preparation programs declined; however, the racial and ethnic diversity of enrolled candidates has increased.  
• In addition to training new teachers, Oregon is seeing progress in training transitioning individuals who previously served in other roles in Oregon public schools. This is a major source of teachers in the state. Not only are these teachers more diverse than the traditional new hires, they also have higher retention after entering the classroom. 

The legislatively required biannual report is submitted by the Educator Advancement Council in partnership with the Teachers Standards and Practices Commission, the HECC, and the Oregon Department of Education. The report also includes recommendations on how Oregon can continue to improve.  

Update on 2027-29 HECC Agency Request Budget  

Every two years, the HECC is responsible for preparing recommendations to the Governor on the comprehensive biennial budget needs of the higher education and workforce system. The HECC's Agency Request Budget (ARB) for each biennium is an early step in the state's multi-phased biennial budget-making process, and includes recommended funding levels for the operation of Oregon's community college and public university support funds, student financial aid, workforce programs, capital construction, debt service, and HECC agency support. The ARB is considered in the preparation of the Governor’s Recommended Budget (GRB), which must be balanced to projected revenues, and which serves as a starting point for the Legislature’s development of the Legislatively Approved Budget (LAB).   

After reviewing information and developing recommendations over the course of numerous public meetings, and receiving considerable public input, the Commission approved the final 2027-29 Agency Request Budget (ARB) funding levels in August. The agency has submitted the final ARB to the Department of Administrative Services and the full document is available on our website.

The HECC’s ARB for 2027-29 adheres to budget instructions developed by the Governor and Chief Financial Office (CFO), which limits most requests for new resources this budget cycle, unless they are paid for with reductions from within the agency’s budget. In keeping with these guidelines, most recommendations were at Current Service Level (CSL). When the HECC agency submitted the ARB, the agency also included an introductory narrative that sets the context for the higher education budget and speaks to the long term funding landscape (pages 16-18 on Future Investments). In addition, HECC Chair Hamann also submitted an accompanying letter expressing concerns about the impact of a CSL budget, and focused on the opportunity in higher education investments.

Additional summary materials on the ARB funding levels are available in the August 13, 2026 Commission meeting materials, and a short article on the ARB funding levels was also provided in our August newsletter here.  

September Legislative Update 

Kerry Thomas Hired as Director of HECC Office of Student Access and Completion (OSAC) We are pleased to announce that Kerry Thomas has been hired as director of the HECC Office of Student Access and Completion, accepting this permanent position as of September 1, 2026, after serving as interim director of this office since December 2025. In this role, Ms. Thomas will continue to lead the office responsible for the administration of state financial aid and access programs, including budget recommendations, fiscal management, policy, and awarding of financial aid to Oregon students at private and public institutions statewide. Kerry Thomas has already made significant contributions to student- and learner-centered work at the HECC as interim director, and in numerous prior HECC roles. Prior to serving as interim OSAC director, she served as Future Ready Oregon program manager where she helped lead the activities supported by a historic workforce and education investment, and she previously served as workforce program analyst, and college and career access coordinator for OSAC’s ASPIRE program. She also brings student support experience working with Oregon public university students as a first-year student experience coordinator, a campus relations manager, and an academic advisor. She holds a Master’s degree in Student Affairs in Higher Education and a Bachelor’s degree in Economics.  Ramona Rodamaker, deputy director of the HECC, says, “The HECC team, and the many Oregonians who benefit from OSAC programs, are very fortunate that Kerry Thomas has accepted the permanent position of OSAC director. She has already brought her student-focused vision and thoughtful leadership to this role, and we look forward to how she will continue to apply the depth and breadth of her experience to serve Oregon learners.”

Photo courtesy of Kerry Thomas, photographer Teddy Thomas, 2026

With Governor’s Proclamation, Oregon Celebrates the Impact of Adult Education and Family Literacy 

The HECC recently announced that Governor Kotek declared the week of September 14-18 Oregon's Adult Education and Family Literacy Week. The Governor’s proclamation emphasizes that education is essential for the economic, social, and cultural well-being of the State of Oregon, providing residents with the skills and knowledge necessary to succeed in a rapidly changing world.   

Oregon’s recognition of this week coincided with the national Adult Education and Family Literacy Week, organized through the Coalition on Adult Basic Education (COABE), and with National GED® Day on September 18, 2026.  

In Oregon, adult and literacy education is provided through Oregon community colleges and multiple other providers. At the center of Oregon’s adult education ecosystem is the federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) Title II program, the foundation of the state’s Adult Basic Skills system. Through 15 Oregon community colleges and the Oregon Department of Corrections, Title II funding ensures that thousands of adult learners can access literacy, numeracy, digital literacy, English language acquisition, and workforce preparation each year. In our recent press release, we shared numerous key findings on the impact of these programs.

• In 2024–25 alone, more than 13,300 adults participated in Oregon’s Title II program, earning thousands of measurable skill gains and nearly 1,200 high school credentials.
• Since the last biennium, Oregon has seen a 29 percent increase in the number of adults served in Title II programs and a 35 percent increase in median earnings six months after program completion.
• Nearly 2,200 Title II participants earned a GED® and transitioned to employment or postsecondary education, marking a 25 percent increase over the previous biennium.

Join Us for Upcoming Conferences

2026 Oregon Adult Basic Skills Conference - October 16, 2026 

Mark your calendars! The 2026 Oregon Adult Basic Skills Conference will take place virtually on Friday, October 16, 2026. We’re excited to once again host this event in a virtual format to ensure broad access and meaningful participation from adult education professionals across the state. Registration details can be found on the conference webpage. 

2026 ASPIRE Conference - October 2, 2026

The 2026 ASPIRE Fall Conference will be held on October 2 at the Oregon State University–Cascades campus in Bend, Oregon. ASPIRE supports students, families, and communities across Oregon by providing timely career and college readiness training and professional development opportunities, and this annual conference brings together ASPIRE staff and college access partners from across the state.

Other HECC News Resources:

News and Updates| Recent Initiatives |Strategy, Research & Data