| SENATE MAJORITY OFFICE Oregon State Legislature State Capitol Salem, OR
|
News Release
April 12, 2011
CONTACT: Molly Woon (503) 986-1074
Senate votes to cut red tape in education system,
passes “mandate relief” bill
SB 800 streamlines and eliminates wasteful requirements for educators
SALEM –The Senate voted this morning to approve Senate Bill 800, legislation that will cut administrative costs and improve efficiency at the Department of Education by eliminating a series of mandates required of the state’s public education system.
“We call this bill ‘mandate relief’ because it eliminates cumbersome and unnecessary requirements,” said Senator Suzanne Bonamici (D-Washington Co./NW Portland), chief sponsor of the bill. “Finding ways to be more efficient is even more important this session. Senate Bill 800 is a straightforward example of how we are working to make sure tax dollars are directly benefiting Oregon children and their families.”
SB 800 will clean up many outdated or unnecessary requirements, including:
- Simplifying statewide and school and district report cards by putting some of the information on the Internet and allowing reports to be emailed;
- Eliminating a duplicate report on the race and ethnic characteristics of high school graduates;
- Eliminating curriculum requirements for the Irish Potato Famine, the arms race, and on conflict resolution;
- Eliminating an outdated requirement that school districts record the contents of student dental certificates;
- Eliminating the requirement that school districts withhold grade reports, diplomas, and records of students who owe more than $50; and
- Eliminating redundant and outdated requirements that the Superintendent distribute and prepare education laws.
“We need to ensure that every possible education dollar is being spent in the classroom,” said Senate Majority Leader Diane Rosenbaum (D-Portland). “Especially when we’re fighting to protect critical services from budget cuts, we must make sure we’re not wasting time and money on outdated or needless mandates.”
SB 800 has broad bipartisan support and was introduced at the request of a coalition of stakeholders including the Department of Education, the Oregon Education Association, the Oregon School Boards Association, the Oregon Association of Education Service Districts, the Confederation of Oregon School Administrators, the Oregon School Employees Association, and the American Federation of Teachers-Oregon.
The bill now goes on to the House for consideration.
###
For more information on the Senate Majority Caucus, please visit www.orsenatemajority.org