Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek is entering a second term with public education at the center of her agenda, promising changes aimed at improving student achievement while school districts confront declining enrollment and significant budget pressure.
The governor’s priorities include expanding instructional time, reinforcing academic standards and holding districts more accountable for student outcomes. She is also questioning whether Oregon’s existing approach to financing public education should be overhauled, a potentially far-reaching debate for schools already facing difficult financial decisions.
State test results remain below expectations
The latest statewide assessment results, covering the 2025-26 school year, show that fewer than half of Oregon students tested reached state standards in reading and writing. Results were lower in math and science, where roughly one-third of students met grade-level expectations.
| Subject | Students meeting state standards |
|---|---|
| Reading and writing | 43.8% |
| Math | 32.9% |
| Science | 30.6% |
The figures point to a broad academic challenge rather than a problem confined to one subject. Literacy remains a particular focus for Kotek, who said the state must continue concentrating on children who are not reading at grade level.
“We have still too many children who aren’t reading at grade level. So, we are going to continue to double down on literacy. Make sure instructional time is improved. We have work to do there,” Kotek said.
More time in class is a central proposal
Kotek has said Oregon should increase the amount of time students spend receiving instruction. The state currently ranks near the bottom nationally for instructional time, according to the source material, and the governor wants Oregon to reach the national average by the end of her second term.
To prevent further reductions, Kotek issued an executive order barring school districts from cutting instructional time beyond current levels. The effort connects a measurable policy change — the amount of time available for teaching — with the state’s larger concern over academic performance.
- Literacy: Continue emphasizing reading achievement and grade-level performance.
- Instruction: Increase classroom time and prevent additional reductions.
- Standards: Pursue stronger academic expectations and greater accountability.
- Funding: Consider whether Oregon’s public education formula needs a major overhaul.
Districts face competing financial demands
Expanding instructional time could require additional funding at a moment when districts are already under strain. School systems across Oregon are facing budget shortfalls, with declining enrollment and rising operating costs contributing to the pressure. Some districts are confronting cuts totaling millions of dollars.
That financial backdrop creates a difficult test for the governor’s plan. District leaders may be asked to provide more classroom time and maintain student services while reducing spending. Kotek has argued that decisions should be made with the student experience as the priority.
“They have to make the right choices for their students. And that means being transparent and reducing all their costs before they start impacting the student experience,” Kotek said.
Funding formula could become a major issue
One of the most consequential changes under consideration is a possible overhaul of Oregon’s school funding formula. The source material does not outline a specific replacement or identify which elements would change, but it places the issue among the governor’s potentially biggest education initiatives for the second term.
Any funding discussion will unfold alongside the realities facing local districts: fewer students in some systems, higher operating expenses and the need to protect classroom instruction. The combination means that questions about how Oregon allocates education dollars are likely to remain closely tied to the debate over academic results.
A long-term test for the administration
Kotek’s education agenda sets several targets for the years ahead: improving literacy, raising performance in math and science, restoring instructional time and increasing transparency around district finances. The state’s assessment results provide a clear measure of the challenge, while the governor’s proposals establish the direction she intends to pursue.
The central question will be whether Oregon can improve outcomes without placing additional unsustainable demands on districts. For students and families, the immediate stakes are reflected in the proficiency rates: fewer than half of tested students are meeting standards in reading and writing, and only about one in three are doing so in math and science. Kotek’s second term will put those numbers at the heart of the state’s education debate.
