Oregon Governor Tina Kotek recently celebrated the signing of a pivotal bill allocating $35 million for summer learning programs for this year and the next.
She referred to it as the “biggest bill” of the legislative session thus far, deeming it a “huge win for all of Oregon.”
However, for 74 education entities—including school districts, charter schools, and education service districts—this win has come too late and comes with too many stipulations, resulting in their decision to decline the funding.
One such example is the Three Rivers School District in Josephine County, which has 4,300 students.
Though eligible for $654,000 aimed at helping struggling students catch up on reading and writing, the district chose to turn down the money.
Superintendent Dave Valenzuela cited the late timing of the funding announcement, stating, “Given how late it came, we just wouldn’t have time to assemble a meaningful program for our students.”
Shockingly, all eight districts and charter schools rated highest on the state’s priority list for summer funds also opted out.
This group included primarily rural and smaller districts but also featured schools like the Reynolds School District-sponsored HOLLA charter school, which serves a 100% nonwhite student population, along with Harmony Academy, a recovery high school.
Education researchers have long endorsed well-structured summer learning programs paired with regular, intensive tutoring as effective strategies to bring lagging students up to speed, especially in crucial subjects like literacy.
The $35 million allocated this year is not sufficient to fund every eligible school district, regional educational organization, tribal learning center, and charter school across Oregon.
To manage this, the Oregon Department of Education prioritized certain institutions for funding based on a formula that considers literacy proficiency rates among diverse demographic student groups.
Grants this year range from a minimum of $20,000 to a maximum of $1,000,000.
Despite the significant state budget earmarked for summer programs, some of Oregon’s largest school districts, including Portland Public Schools and school districts in Beaverton, Eugene, and Bend, did not qualify for funding or even make it onto the waiting list.
That said, the absence of state funding does not mean those districts will forgo summer learning programs altogether; they will simply need to secure funding from other sources.
Hillsboro, Salem-Keizer, North Clackamas, Gresham-Barlow, David Douglas, and the Reynolds school districts, in contrast, accepted their allocations, each receiving the top grant amount of $1,000,000.
Charlene Williams, Director of the Oregon Department of Education, acknowledged the situation and expressed intentions to “take a deeper dive” into how the state determines eligibility for summer learning funding in the future.
Advocates and lawmakers had pushed for quicker action on approving summer learning funds, recognizing that it usually takes months for districts and charter schools to plan staffing, collaborate with community organizations for enrichment opportunities, inform families, and craft programs that meet state guidelines.
Despite these calls, lawmakers didn’t finalize the summer learning package until mid-April.
Applications from school districts and charter schools opened only at the end of April and were due within a short window, by May 12.
This late timing proved to be a significant obstacle for districts like the Redmond School District in Central Oregon, which turned down a $1 million allocation as well.
Linda Seeberg, the assistant superintendent of teaching and learning for Redmond, conveyed in a letter to the Oregon Department of Education that the funds were announced too close to the end of the school year.
She explained that this limited the time available to formulate a feasible grant-compliant plan and highlighted ongoing difficulties in recruiting staff willing and available for summer positions.
This is not the first occurrence of challenging timelines hampering summer learning initiatives.
In 2024, lawmakers allocated $30 million for summer programs, also waiting until March to do so.
A subsequent report by the Oregon Department of Education indicated that the tight schedules led to “inconsistencies” in how student learning objectives were set and assessed at districts that received funding.
Looking ahead to summer 2026, the situation may improve as lawmakers have already approved funding, allowing for an earlier distribution of resources.
Seeberg disclosed that Redmond intends to apply for the next funding round, hoping for a more favorable timeline.
The widespread decision by many districts to decline grant allocations has effectively opened the door for other districts lower on the eligibility list to receive state funding.
For instance, the Tigard-Tualatin School District will benefit from $567,000, despite ranking 161st on the priority list among nearly 300 school districts.
Alex Pulaski, a spokesperson for Tigard-Tualatin, characterized the state funding as an essential lifeline, clarifying that without it, the district could not have offered summer learning instruction due to budget constraints.
“This opportunity was too good to pass up, despite the short timeline for applying,” Pulaski added, emphasizing the importance of targeted reading and math interventions for elementary students.
image source from：https://www.oregonlive.com/education/2025/06/dozens-of-schools-districts-pass-up-summer-learning-money-citing-tight-timeline-others-like-portland-werent-ever-eligible.html
