A good education system is at the heart of healthy communities
Our public schools do more than teach reading and writing – they equip students with the knowledge and skills that can help their communities thrive.
A recently released brief from the Oregon Voices research team explores Oregonians’ attitudes towards the quality of education in their hometowns. Oregon Voices is an innovative survey from The Ford Family Foundation that shares insights into the lived experiences of more than 4,000 households across Oregon.
Half of the survey respondents believe our state has good schools, especially when it comes to the way teachers support students. At the same time, Oregonians of all backgrounds are deeply concerned about several issues, including lack of funding, overcrowding and lack of diversity in the school workforce.
“Communities across Oregon need high-quality public education in order to become prosperous places where children and their families can succeed,” says Kasi Allen, the Foundation’s lead researcher and director of the Learning and Knowledge Management department. “Our future depends on it.
“Our schools are fantastic and an integral part of our community.”
— Rural household with children aged 5 to 17 present, white, Wheeler County
We know that education is important to Oregonians. In the Oregon Voices survey, a solid half of all respondents agreed they had good schools, regardless of whether they lived in rural or urban areas or whether they had children in the household.
“(I’m concerned about) lack of funding for school resources and supports. It has gotten better but we still need help.”
— Rural household with children aged 5 to 17 present, white, Douglas County
It doesn’t matter where you live in Oregon, the lack of adequate school funding is worrisome. When asked the open-ended question “What is one thing that concerns you most about the place where you live?,” 10% of respondents chose to talk about education. Most of the comments had to do with funding. For respondents, funding is key to improving Oregon’s schools.
The largest share of comments came from Douglas, Lane and Umatilla counties. Residents cited perceived lack of value for education, the retired population’s unwillingness to fund education, and lack of funds and resources for schools.
“Many challenges described by respondents can be addressed, at least in part, through a fully funded education system,” says Allen
“The schools need to be updated and better. We need a sports facility for the youth to support our future athletes.”
— Rural household with children aged 5 and 17 present, white, Clackamas County
School facilities that have not kept pace with technology, culture and population changes were a top concern for Oregon Voices respondents. This was especially true in counties that are experiencing growth, such as Clackamas, Douglas, Harney, Polk and Umatilla counties.
In 2014, a task force estimated that Oregon schools had more than $7 billion worth of deferred maintenance costs. Survey respondents, especially those with school-age children, confirmed they are bearing the burdens of this outdated infrastructure.
Population changes have also led to concerns over classroom overcrowding. A notable exception is Wheeler County, where dwindling school sizes are leading to median class sizes of between five and nine students.
“(I’m concerned about) Presence of diverse, equitable options (example: Spanish immersion schools) WITHOUT competent people to work there (example: Spanish immersion school without teachers that actually speak Spanish).”
— Urban household with no children present, BIPOC, Lane County
An educator workforce that reflects student demographics has proven to be beneficial for all students, but the survey revealed concerns about Oregon’s low number of teachers and administrators of color.
For example, in Jefferson County, 65% of the district student population identify as Black, Indigenous, Latino/Hispanic or Asian American and Pacific Islander, as compared to only 14% of the district’s teachers. This gap in diversity is a longstanding issue for Oregon, with teachers of color making up 12% of the statewide workforce, even as students of color count for 40% of the student population. Respondents were also concerned about the difficulty in retaining teachers, who are leaving their schools for reasons such as housing costs or inadequate pay.
“The Oregon Voices research team invites you to start conversations around education where you live,” Allen says. “Together, we can work toward a robust and diverse K-12 education system that meets the needs of students.”
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Oregon Voices is an innovative listening project from The Ford Family Foundation and its research partners, Portland State University and ECONorthwest, that aims to learn more about the lived experiences of households in our state.
Download the education issue brief at orvoices.org/education.
For other issue briefs, as well as interactive tools and a look at the rich data set and personal stories collected by Oregon Voices, visit orvoices.org.