Beaver State News

In the Center for Education Reform's 2024 Parent Power Index, Oregon secured the thirty-eight position, with an Overall Parent Power Index Score of 61.9%.

The index, designed to assess the degree of parental power in each state, highlights key indicators such as Choice Programs, Charter Schools and Innovation. 

Oregon scored a 50% in Choice Programs, which represents families' ability to access and choose programs that best fit their needs. 

The state's Charter Schools system, which is based on the availability of alternative educational options for students and families, scored a 68%.

In the final category of Innovation, scored on the state's dedication to fostering creative and personalized learning environments, Oregon earned a 78%.

While Florida claims the top spot with a 93% overall score, states like Arizona, Indiana, Ohio, and North Carolina follow closely behind in the top rankings, emphasizing a national trend towards prioritizing parental involvement in education.

Kansas, South Dakota, and North Dakota round out the bottom of the list along with six other states that received a grade of ‘F’.

The Parent Power Index serves as a valuable resource for families across the country, offering insights into state-level educational policies and opportunities. 

Through the index's interactive map, parents can explore the status of parental empowerment in their state and discover avenues to advocate for greater involvement and choice in education.

"Sitting in the same rank of 38 that it was two years ago, Oregon is another state that finds the status quo to be preferable to transformational education. That could be one reason why, despite its beauty, public school enrollment in the Beaver state has dropped precipitously and families are deserting the once popular state for states with more education freedom and definitely more parent power," the Parent Power Index notes.

"Governor Tina Kotek, like her predecessor, is not supportive of education change and clearly states in her education plan that she “opposes any effort to undermine public schools by providing taxpayer dollars to private schools in the name of ‘school choice’”," Parent Power Index said in its assessment of the state’s “Policy Environment.”