May 11, 2023 4:20 p.m. 

On Thursday, State Representative Tracy Cramer, a Republican from Gervais, introduced an amendment to House Bill 5015 to increase funding for the State School Fund to $10.4 billion.

A House Republican release said the Governor’s recommended budget was $9.9 billion, while Democrats have proposed a budget of $10.1 billion.

The release said it has been recently reported that Oregon school districts are facing serious staff cuts with the state’s budget proposal, with one superintendent stating that it is “impossible to continue” at $9.9 billion. The current statewide education service levels operate at $10.3 billion.

The amendment was voted down 5 to 3 in the Joint Ways and Means Subcommittee on Education, and failed along party lines with Republicans voting in support and Democrats opposed.

Cramer said, “If we are serious about getting Oregon’s education system back on track, then we need to be serious about funding our schools. At a time of record inflation and labor shortages across the education field – now is the time to provide the necessary support for our students”. Cramer said, “Budgets are about priorities and this amendment would have prioritized extra investments in our student’s futures”.

The release said to operate at the $10.1 billion proposed budget, the Beaverton School District and Portland Public Schools have proposed cutting 90 positions.