[{"_1":2,"_112":-5,"_113":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6251696,"mediaKeyId","3193519-d676fad28c9337e3a0f73a50cd1a7963","parentId",3193519,"title","Bill would rework school equity advisory committees to exempt them from public‑meeting rules, sponsors say","audioSeconds",638,"startMs",5198000,"endMs",5836000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3193519-d676fad28c9337e3a0f73a50cd1a7963&start=5198&end=5836","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3193519-d676fad28c9337e3a0f73a50cd1a7963/thumbnail_5198000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6251696/Oregon/Bill-would-rework-school-equity-advisory-committees-to-exempt-them-from-publicmeeting-rules-sponsors-say","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6251696-5d9e401c4aaa9fcb0845549ef14ad65f/orig.mp4?Expires=1770813160&Signature=fJRa3cK3ekTEuwYC3iuDX051NTlCTOVB64D1ofYmuW2T6Dw9pjUaRMLv7RS1o9gD2C4aswXa1GAUaDOhOftDSHrq0VY600z6WNzZjkPGJofjoo2OR-oruHj~dOUfb9DrChDzboJbzkoV9sfYEuOVRwiPSfPYkiasdFs2WQNmjS3AnsIQ05m4lUmejMa-tBrtD2ATzyqu4rqKS5Poazl0SLf6s~C3tOZA0bFzoup5CaBNMhTbe6tL1BRC83vIM5EsR13KrEX89tCsudruLY0~H8sjUOMonaUCDvR5jCwZCTtn2zHvKMVOoljEgwBtC2Ud8Df9ci46Gw4hbvE5q5k2RA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Oregon State Legislature","date","2025-05-05T00:00:00Z","article","The Senate Education Committee on April 5 heard House Bill 2453A, which would adjust how school-district educational equity advisory committees operate by removing their status as public bodies and shifting their advisory relationship to superintendents rather than boards.

Representative Courtney Neuron summarized the bill, saying the change is a technical fix to preserve the original legislative intent of Senate Bill 732 (2021). She said that, as written in 2021, the advisory committees unintentionally became public bodies subject to Oregon’s Public Meetings Law, creating practical barriers for recruiting parents and students willing to discuss sensitive topics. “This bill helps prevent, preserve the intent of Senate Bill 732 … while ensuring that its implementation remains practical, inclusive, and sustainable,” Neuron said.

Witnesses from the Oregon School Boards Association and COSA (the Confederation of Oregon School Administrators) supported the bill. Adrienne Anderson of OSBA said the original legislative intent was to create a safe, non‑public setting for candid feedback and that the proposed fix aligns with that purpose. Morgan Allen of COSA said the bill was not intended to give superintendents unlimited authority to override boards; instead, the superintendent would serve as the official conduit for advisory input and the bill retains duties that belong to elected school boards.

Senator Sara Gelser Blouin asked how committees would ensure public visibility when districts have pressured or muted public input. Sponsors pointed to bill language that requires the report to be distributed to parents and posted on the district website; the committee may present to the school board on request. “We did not change … posting and distribution requirements,” Morgan Allen said, noting the committee can produce an annual report and that members remain free to submit public comment or contact the board directly.

Supporters said the change matches a similar fix adopted last session for Student Success Teams (Senate Bill 215) and will reduce unintended chilling effects that deter participation by students and parents. No formal action or vote was taken during the hearing.

Ending: Backers urged the committee to pass HB 2453A to protect candid community participation; committee members requested clarification on reporting and safeguards that preserve board authority and transparency.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Senate Committee On Education 05/05/2025 8:00 AM","oneSentenceSummary","The Senate Education Committee on April 5 heard House Bill 2453A, which would adjust how school-district educational equity advisory committees operate by removing their status as public bodies and shifting their advisory relationship to superintendents rather than boards.","taxTitle","Education, Senate, Committees, Legislative, Oregon","taxId",17625,"location","Oregon","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6251706,"Senate committee backs new immediate-accommodations plan for students after concussion",2176,2230000,4406000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3193519-d676fad28c9337e3a0f73a50cd1a7963&start=2230&end=4406","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3193519-d676fad28c9337e3a0f73a50cd1a7963/thumbnail_2230000.jpg","/articles/6251706/Oregon/Senate-committee-backs-new-immediate-accommodations-plan-for-students-after-concussion","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6251706-292c72ee9aa800dcc25ab0f3218aa12d/orig.mp4?Expires=1770813160&Signature=fWd9y43xNPzcJtpLquW8rlzSedfq2938H1RcY9vidybrjUtavyMvspkVfIfQsOrwUd8VKxUYORWa1O4ouHoJadle49i7-4yMw0zeIHjmDyLr~gBtPA1HxjYhe27ONpAcR9pKrMeJQRGmLBY4vU7hjhbSJ9z-7zQZyiYU6W5B5KAMdmyzjBwd2oqn4YLv17PWxYr359Q0eRuTnmvc4LLX9YBLStnhX6EV0tNRb4TfIkp2VI6vfFiFSCUSMFxDcCSkO6ULBRi~EN~XiJLcoY2qdFXQ23Scp4bh206lfUd6mRUircdVaUI2ar7Hj90ancZYycoQ6DUGtn38R-wVC21tDQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Senate Education Committee on April 5 heard testimony supporting House Bill 3007A, which would require the Oregon Department of Education to develop a procedure and sample form to create an Immediate Temporary Accommodations Plan (ITAP) for students diagnosed with concussions or other brain injuries.

State Representative Courtney Neuron, sponsor, described the bill as the product of an 18‑month task force convened by the Oregon Health Authority and said the A‑4 amendment clarified that required accommodations must be in place within 10 school days. “This bill requires the Oregon Department of Education to develop a procedure and sample form … to guide public education providers in creating an immediate and temporary accommodations plan,” Neuron said.

The bill would require schools to initiate the ITAP process on written notification from a parent or guardian that a student has been diagnosed with a brain injury and accommodations are requested. The plan must address academic, behavioral and social-emotional accommodations, and it mandates an immediate assessment of whether physical-activity restrictions are necessary to reduce reinjury risk (for example limiting PE or unstructured play). The A‑4 amendment changed the deadline reference to 10 school days rather than 10 calendar days.

Family testimony was a central element of the hearing. Gwendolyn Lancaster, who said she sustained five concussions in high school, told the committee she received no timely accommodations and that delayed support contributed to long-term academic, social and scholarship consequences. “If the school district had been required to make the accommodations my specialist and I knew I needed, my life might be very different today,” she testified.

Brandina Lancaster, who identified herself as the student’s mother, said teachers implemented suggested accommodations unevenly when they were offered informally and that a statutory requirement would ensure fidelity. “We may think the difference between something being suggested and required is not a big deal. But for some children, like my daughter, it is the difference between success and failure,” she said.

Medical and education experts also supported the bill. Dr. Andrew Ellis, a clinical psychologist specializing in rehabilitation, said HB 3007A “levels the playing field for all students faced with returning to school following concussion” and emphasized the need for coordinated academic accommodations alongside medical care. Melissa McCart, director of the University of Oregon Center on Brain Injury Research and Training, cited national estimates of pediatric traumatic brain injury and said ad-hoc accommodations often arrive too late without a formalized process.

Several senators raised implementation questions for small and rural districts and asked whether athletic trainers and existing concussion-management teams would be incorporated. Neuron and witnesses said athletic trainers and existing school concussion teams had participated in drafting the bill and that the ITAP is intended to be flexible and short-term, updated as recovery progresses. Committee members also discussed whether the 10‑school‑day standard was intended as a maximum; sponsors said the goal is to act as quickly as possible and that the 10‑school‑day window reflects administrative realities.

David Kracke noted the bill includes an immediate requirement to stop physical activity when there is a risk of reinjury and praised the coalition of legislators and advocates that advanced the bill through the House. Several witnesses asked the committee to advance the measure and to help ensure guidance and training accompany implementation.

Ending: Committee did not take a final vote during the hearing; sponsors and advocates urged passage with attention to implementation supports for districts and educators.","The Senate Education Committee on April 5 heard testimony supporting House Bill 3007A, which would require the Oregon Department of Education to develop a procedure and sample form to create an Immediate Temporary Accommodations Plan (ITAP) for students diagnosed with concussions or other brain injuries.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6251711,"Senate committee hears bill to expand 'brain injury' definition for special-education eligibility",2146,58000,2204000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3193519-d676fad28c9337e3a0f73a50cd1a7963&start=58&end=2204","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3193519-d676fad28c9337e3a0f73a50cd1a7963/thumbnail_58000.jpg","/articles/6251711/Oregon/Senate-committee-hears-bill-to-expand-brain-injury-definition-for-special-education-eligibility","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6251711-f14ee882c255ff38e10917cae3c45fca/orig.mp4?Expires=1770813160&Signature=Sf7z-jSBnvlLPvO4zFUMk5I7cRzEEfwBZixWfTE7VR9qwa2cIOK~gNzbyM3TrMNviatv-v8X8NH-QhaVjRuv1JHc71yp10jS-Td3r0-GzgUdvJx5TBmBFP9ENgwm64rGVsjbcv82ttW--OLqeWylKs43rkHOlw3JfnfBuyTVu5NM6crMhbpuFH0sTphPSWdTpt1KuWxeeBLF2hZGn0N~gp9mQPZDZF6mRIR~mT3E1~KmxXfAbwMAdQGZmZOXfNmMTAehqkA~co3KHoTK0Te28fs0GjbO~-Wy3axCneaD93qH73swJPtICmk~v3P-Jnfsgp6VLZzDq-cRHJM~GAsjlA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Senate Education Committee on April 5 heard testimony on House Bill 2670A, which would modify the statutory definition of “brain injury” used for special-education eligibility to include injuries from internal as well as external sources.

Representative Emily McIntyre, sponsor, told the committee the change would align Oregon Department of Education practice with language in ORS 410.750 used by the Department of Human Services and ease access to individualized educational supports for students who acquire brain injuries after birth. “This just streamlines things for kids,” McIntyre said. “They’ve already been through enough. They don’t need to jump through more hoops at school.”

The bill would expressly recognize damage to the brain caused by internal events — for example, infection, tumor, anoxia or medical treatment — as well as by external trauma. David Kracke, Oregon’s brain injury advocate coordinator, testified that the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) originally defined traumatic brain injury in a way that emphasized external causes and that several states have moved to include internal causes. “What this bill seeks to do is to expand the definition of brain injury to include brain injuries from the internal source,” Kracke said, describing situations in which parents and teachers struggle to place students in an appropriate eligibility category.

Several senators and expert witnesses pressed for detail on how the change would affect actual eligibility and services. Senator Sara Gelser Blouin warned that eligibility for special-education services still requires assessment to demonstrate a need for specially designed instruction, regardless of the diagnostic label used. “It would go through the same pathway. It just would allow this to be a diagnosis,” McIntyre replied, and both she and Kracke said the bill is intended to create a clearer starting point so children with an acquired internal brain injury are not forced into other categories simply to begin the assessment process.

School psychologist Justin Potts, testifying remotely, said his work suggests districts already evaluate students with internally caused brain injuries when those injuries affect educational performance. “If a student is otherwise would qualify and has a condition, a brain injury of some sort, even if it’s not traumatic, that student can be found eligible,” he said, and urged caution about changing statutory language without clearer implementation guidance.

Zoe Larmer, government relations director for the Oregon Department of Education, told the committee she was not prepared to speak to all technical details at the hearing but flagged that changing the definition could affect regional inclusive services calculations and said ODE would follow up in writing.

Committee members debated two recurring concerns: (1) whether a label change would actually make it easier for students to receive services, given the assessment requirements already in place; and (2) whether relying on an external definition (in DHS statute) could create unintended reporting or programmatic consequences.

No formal action or votes were recorded during the hearing; sponsors and witnesses asked for follow-up with ODE staff to clarify technical effects and implementation questions. The committee closed the hearing on HB 2670A and moved to additional bills on the agenda.

Ending: Supporters said the measure would remove a barrier for students with acquired brain injuries by creating an explicit, inclusive definition; opponents urged further analysis of assessment, data and implementation impacts before statutory change.","A House bill, 2670A, would align Oregon Department of Education eligibility language with ORS 410.750 by recognizing brain injuries from both internal and external causes; supporters said the change would streamline access to services, while some educators warned the label alone may not change assessment outcomes.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6251702,"Bill would let Oregon regional and technical universities charge in‑state equivalent tuition in targeted East Asia partnerships",785,4329000,5114000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3193519-d676fad28c9337e3a0f73a50cd1a7963&start=4329&end=5114","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3193519-d676fad28c9337e3a0f73a50cd1a7963/thumbnail_4329000.jpg","/articles/6251702/Oregon/Bill-would-let-Oregon-regional-and-technical-universities-charge-instate-equivalent-tuition-in-targeted-East-Asia-partnerships","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6251702-f9e89ed05a0db6a4bb601bd325ed7fec/orig.mp4?Expires=1770813160&Signature=EAbZE2sWra~SPB9sc-V0R3zuNE1TeMdEWNq1C7kRRp5OUrtQ6E4j7gY2O4M7r3daLI-kcMrMSbG0kSkgsTenQaECQXAd~B3Y3btGdSh8sNT1Nw8CyID5fmVKNjyhEMkpP5ddCAG-s-sObZ8g8C1hIg36ks23aS81xDnAJZyaXAS9m0523gC0d-6JdG-mEFqAJeb16GyK9SGisCkWg6izHZzgAPgFErq7d58EzlNifumuPNsRReDupX5H6BYgZucrIwe6sQiHKJHR1qvj5sySnEBwVk5R7FVw1EhZreNyuFJkUTXabjyIHqYh23fzsMfQPA1JVIFmxiQ99XLMK5mu5Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Senate Education Committee on April 5 heard testimony on House Bill 2649, which would permit governing boards of Oregon’s technical and regional universities (the “Trues”) to develop cooperative programs with countries in East Asia and to charge qualifying students from those countries a tuition rate equivalent to average resident tuition at regional and technical universities.

Representative Paul Evans, who introduced the bill, described it as a targeted authority to help regional and technical universities develop international relationships and enrollment pipelines in places such as Taiwan and Vietnam. “This bill simply clarifies the ability of the Trues, if they choose, to pursue a relationship with students from those countries, the ability to charge tuition at the in‑state rate,” Evans said.

Mark Overbeck, director of government relations for Southern Oregon University, and Evan Sorensen of Western Oregon University said the initiative is meant to provide flexible options amid enrollment pressures and funding uncertainty. Overbeck told the committee the universities view the authority as an opportunity to expand applied‑learning partnerships and cultivate longer-term economic and cultural ties. He said the memorandum of understanding with a Taiwanese language institution in Wenzhou was negotiated with gubernatorial support.

Committee members asked how the in‑state tuition rate would affect institutional finances. Witnesses said most regional universities’ student bodies are predominantly in‑state, and that bringing targeted overseas students at an in‑state equivalent tuition rate would not replace other revenue mechanisms; housing and auxiliary fees and negotiated program costs could still offset expenses. No fiscal impact was reported on the testimony record, and proponents described the change as an optional tool for universities rather than a mandate.

Ending: Committee took testimony from sponsors and university representatives and closed the public hearing; no formal vote or committee action was recorded at the session.","House Bill 2649 would permit governing boards of technical and regional universities to develop cooperation programs with East Asian countries and charge qualifying students a tuition rate equivalent to average resident tuition; sponsors said the measure aims to expand enrollment pipelines and international partnerships for smaller universities.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Bill would rework school equity advisory committees to exempt them from public‑meeting rules, sponsors say

Senate committee backs new immediate-accommodations plan for students after concussion

Senate committee hears bill to expand 'brain injury' definition for special-education eligibility

Bill would let Oregon regional and technical universities charge in‑state equivalent tuition in targeted East Asia partnerships