Summary:
Oregon offers families limited school choice options. The state does not support private school choice. But it does allow for some choice within the public education system.
Public School Choice:
Oregon offers inter-district public school transfer options. The Center for Education Reform reports that Oregon has an average charter school law. Over 17,000 students attended the state’s 109 public charter schools in 2010.
Private School Choice:
Oregon does not offer private school choice.
Online Learning:
Oregon has a state-led online program, statewide online charters, and district programs. According to the Keeping Pace with K-12 Online Learning report, the state-led Oregon Virtual School District (ORVSD) provides 150 course templates for middle and high school students. Eight full-time charter schools served approximately 4,800 students during the 2010-2011 school year.
Recent Developments:
A school choice proposal received a public hearing on the Oregon House floor during the 2007 legislative session but did not make it out of committee. According to the Portland School Choice Working Group, the Freedom to Choose My School grant program would have created “a pilot project within the poorest neighborhoods in Portland to allow low-income parents the same access to school choice that higher-income Oregonians already enjoy.” The group also reports that the program would benefit low-income students in qualifying neighborhoods and that qualifying students would be eligible for a scholarship equal to the per-student funding amount from Oregon's state funding formula, which is roughly $5,000.
More Information:
Click here for detailed information on Oregon's public school system and see below for school choice contacts and a history of school choice legislation in Oregon.