Oregon’s school funding formula hurts kids in poverty the most, according to Oregonian reporting

Think Out Loud

Oregon’s school funding formula hurts kids in poverty the most, according to Oregonian reporting

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Published on Jul 14, 2026, 1:17:13 PM
Total time: 00:19:15

Episode Description

Oregon school districts rely on the state for funds they need to educate students in their schools, but some educators and advocates say the formula they use to allocate those funds is outdated and inequitable. In-depth reporting by The Oregonian/OregonLive describes the way that students in poverty are undercounted, their schools underfunded and details how the resulting cuts are affecting some of the most vulnerable children in the state. 

 

Education reporter Julia Silverman spent time with a student, a teacher, a principal and an attendance specialist in the Reynold’s school district in east Multnomah county. The district serves the highest percentage of low-income students in the Portland area. Silverman joins us to share more about her reporting and the possibility of state lawmakers reforming or overhauling the funding formula.

 

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