POLICY & ADVOCACY

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The Oregon Coalition of Community Charter Schools works to shape public policy and opinion that supports charter school quality and growth at the local, state, and federal level. 

OUR LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES

EDUCATIONAL EQUITY | As Oregon seeks to rectify inequities in educational outcomes, policies should support families from historically underserved communities that feel their children’s needs can best be met in the charter school setting.

 

FAIR FUNDING | Charter schools’ potential is compromised when they are expected to do more with less. Funding formulas and grants should be aligned to ensure students in public charter schools are not receiving less support than their counterparts.

 

AUTONOMY & ACCOUNTABILITY | Autonomy in exchange for accountability is the best way for charter schools to support innovation in Oregon education. Real accountability should reflect development of the whole child and provide a basis for improving educational outcomes.

2021 LEGISLATIVE SESSION

At the start of the legislative session, ORC3S members prioritized policy and funding recommendations for 2021 that focused on meeting the needs of Oregon's community charter schools and students.

 

ORC3S supported a number of bills during the legislative session. Our priority bill, HB 2954, which reinstates and makes permanent the weighted lottery option for student enrollment passed with much support! We’re grateful that no overtly anti-charter school pieces of legislation were passed this year and that legislators committed to ongoing conversations about issues of importance to brick & mortar and virtual charter schools.

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Click here to see the full report and status of bills that ORC3S monitored during this year’s legislative session.

ORC3S ADVOCACY COMMITTEE

The advocacy committee is organized to aid in the development and implementation of an annual advocacy & legislative agenda for ORC3S. Advocacy Committee members are appointed by the ORC3S Board of Directors from interested member school representatives. The committee makes recommendations to the ORC3S Board of Directors for determination of the organization’s advocacy and legislative agenda.

 

The committee consists of Cecile Enright (REACH School), Jonathan Bilden (Crater Lake Charter), Jon Bullock (Redmond Proficiency Academy), Seanna Bloemer (Alliance Charter Academy), Sheryl Zimmerer (Logos Public Charter School), and Thomas McGregor (Phoenix School of Roseburg).

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For more information about the Advocacy Committee please contact us.

ADVOCACY FRAMEWORK

The Advocacy Committee develops the ORC3S advocacy and legislative agenda annually by seeking feedback on priorities from ORC3S member schools, assessing the current political and policy landscape, and reviewing the organization’s statement of principles.

The team works to ensure that proposed legislation will:
 

  • Support and expand Charter schools that innovate in instructional and operational practices;
     

  • Increase funding equity for charter schools at the federal, state and local level;
     

  • Ensure that charter school students have access to the same programs and educational opportunities as traditional public school students
     

  • Increase charter school facilities access and equity
     

  • Strengthen and maintain charter school autonomy
     

  • Continue to hold charter schools accountable for student performance, fiscal responsibility, effective governance, equitable access for students
     

  • Improve charter school authorizing practices and measures of accountability