Student Success Act Signed Into Law

On May 20, 2019, Governor Kate Brown signed House Bill 3427 into law, tweeting, “Proud to sign our Student Success Act into law today, ensuring our schools will finally receive funding at the level our children deserve. This is a big day for our kids, and their future."

According to the Children’s Institute, “This historic investment of $2 billion promises to reinvigorate Oregon’s education system by funding a range of programs to boost student achievement and increase graduation rates.” $77.5 million per year will add full-day slots and boost half-day to full-day slots for both Oregon Pre-Kindergarten and Preschool Promise. Additionally, $10 million in the first year ($20 million total) will go toward the Early Childhood Equity Fund to support proven culturally-specific early learning and parent support programs in order to meet the diverse needs of our community. This was a major win, in large part due to the remarkable efforts of the Culturally Specific Early Learning Advocacy Collaborative (aka Equity Collaborative). SVP Portland has served as a capacity builder, seed investor, fiscal sponsor, and champion of the Equity Collaborative over the past several years, and we are incredibly proud of the advocacy efforts that resulted in this significant outcome.

Numerous members of the SVP Portland Partnership swarmed Salem, Oregon’s capital, in early April to advocate for this crucial funding of early childhood education and the support systems necessary to create systemic change.