Oregon’s schools need help

If a student is repeatedly ranked near the bottom of their class, teachers would express concern and provide assistance. If a majority of students are consistently tardy to their first period class, schools can alter their policies to excuse these students due to commuter conflicts. 

So why, when Oregon is one of the lowest ranking states in the nation for education, is the response so limited?

Oregon is one of the nation’s most educationally lacking states, ranked bottom five nationwide. This ranking raises concern over graduation and attendance rates and teachers express their concern for students graduating unprepared for real-life events. 

Struggling with low test scores in reading and math, the Oregon Department of Education highlights the poor comprehension of class material. With less than half of students proficient in English or math, improving these rates becomes crucial to our education system.

38% of K-12 students are chronically absent in Oregon. Compared to the national average of 23%, Oregon’s poor attendance can be closely linked to lacking test scores. What separates Oregon from other states is how common online learning has become.

Online learning has contributed to poor educational outcomes through limiting the development of good time management, interacting in a school setting with classmates, and how to perform important core skills. Remote learning is commonly inaccessible among many students, which can determine student engagement. 

When students are only learning core subjects in class for a small amount of time, there is a high possibility that a majority of the class will not have a steady understanding of that unit, and with subjects like math, where concepts constantly build on each other, falling behind becomes increasingly inevitable.

If the state advocates for improvements in graduation rates and overall education quality, it must take action. Graduation rates will not improve with an education system that does not support its students.