Oregon's educational institutions, institutions and nonprofits are set to receive more than $21.3 billion from Congress this fiscal year, including nearly $300 million more than in 2023 for special education programs and Head Start preschool programs. include.
The funding is part of the $1.2 trillion federal spending package recently approved by Congress. This includes billions of dollars for child care, preschool, special education, and higher education programs, as well as funding to strengthen the workforce and health projects. Including Oregon.
The funding is specifically intended to help rural, coastal and underserved communities, according to a news release from Oregon Sens. Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden. .
The funding follows a short session for the state that ended with little new funding for education programs. Oregon's 197 school districts will get $30 million in summer school funding ($20 million less than Gov. Tina Kotek requested) and $171 million for programs to help working parents with child care costs. ($50 million less than backers had expected).
Under the federal spending package, Oregon will receive more than $8.7 billion in subsidies for child care centers and households with children under age 6 (whose income is below 85% of the state median income). This will provide support so that children can receive childcare. In Oregon, household incomes up to about $65,000 per year are eligible.
More than $12 billion would go to Head Start and Early Head Start, federal child care and preschool programs for low-income families. The state will receive an additional $315 million to expand preschool programs of all kinds.
Nearly $376 million will be funneled to Oregon nonprofits, community colleges, and universities (including Oregon State University) to provide immigrant students, seasonal farm workers, and their children with opportunities to pursue higher education and four-year The plan is to provide scholarships to help students earn a GED instead of attending a public high school. Diploma.
More than $14 billion has been allocated to special education programs serving more than 80,000 students across the state. That's $20 million more than the state received from Congress in fiscal year 2023.
Still, supporters said that's less than what's needed.
“While we welcome the $20 million increase in federal funding, it falls far short of what Congress promised in 1975 and what children with disabilities need today,” Oregon Department of Disability Rights said. Jake Cornett, executive director of , said in an email. “When Congress passed the federal special education law, it set a goal of funding 40% of the average per-pupil cost, but the $14.2 billion in funding is only 12%. We have a long way to go to reach our goals.”
Approximately $1.2 billion will go to the federal TRIO program, which supports first-generation college students and students from disadvantaged backgrounds, including low-income and homeless students.
Merkley, who has served on the powerful Senate Appropriations Committee since 2013, said in a news release that he is the first person in his family to earn a college degree.
“Mr. Merkley knows firsthand the value of this type of support and has been a strong advocate for funding,” the news release said.
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