Choosing a school? Youāve got options.
Deciding where to send your child to school is a big decision (no pressure)! Fortunately, youāre not alone. Thousands of Oregon parents are making K-12 school choice decisions each year. And remember, each child is unique. So, the ābestā school for your neighborās child may be different than the ābestā school for your child.
In Oregon, you have access to more K-12 education options than you might realize. Navigating these options can help you find a great school for your child. In short, you can choose fromĀ traditional public schools,Ā public charter schools,Ā public magnet schools,Ā private schools, online learning, homeschooling, and microschooling and mix-and-match learning.
One factor many families consider when choosing a school is transportation. In Oregon, transportation is available if students attend their assigned public school, attend a public charter school within their zoned district, attend a private school along public school bus routes, or have transportation services in their Individualized Education Plan (IEP). Transportation may be available to other types of schools – check out this transportation guide for a full overview.
Looking for special education options? You can learn what special education services are available in Oregon at theĀ Ultimate Guide to Special Education.
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Oregon Traditional Public Schools
In Oregon,Ā 81.6% of all K-12 studentsĀ attend traditional public schools. Traditional public schools are free, open to all students, operated byĀ districts, and funded by taxpayers like you.Ā On average, Oregon spendsĀ $13,875Ā per public school student each year.
Most states have some form of open enrollment, which refers to whether parents can send their child to a public school other than their assigned school. This is an important choice, widening parentsā options and ensuring that their zip code isnāt the sole determiner of their education.
Unfortunately, Oregon currently has very limitedĀ open enrollmentĀ policies for public schools. The state of Oregon did establish temporary open enrollment between school districts in 2012 to support school choice, but the policy ended in 2019.
While open enrollment is not widely available to Oregon families, they may still request anĀ interdistrict transfer (which requires the consent of both the sending and receiving district).Ā Some districts, such asĀ Reynolds School District,Ā also allow families to request an āarea exceptionā for which school they attendĀ withinĀ their district.
Find out more about public schools in your state at theĀ Oregon Department of Education.Ā You can also learn more about open enrollment at āPublic Schools Without Boundaries: A 50-State Ranking.ā
Oregon Charter Schools
Oregon families can currently choose from more thanĀ 130Ā public charter schools. In Oregon,Ā 6.7% of all K-12 studentsĀ attend a public charter school.Ā Like traditional public schools, charter schools are public, free, and typically have no requirements for entry. What distinguishes charter schools is that they have extra freedom to innovate with curriculum and learning methods. Charters are accountable toĀ authorizing bodiesĀ for results.
Each school has a charter which explains the schoolās purpose and what specific community need it serves. For instance,Ā that might be offering a Spanish immersion program, likeĀ Arco Iris Spanish Immersion SchoolĀ in Beaverton, or a rigorous, literacy-based curriculum. If there are more families seeking admittance to a charter school than there are seats, a lottery system (like drawing random names out of a hat!) is usually used to determine admittance.
Recently we talked to an Oregon public charter school with aĀ dual enrollmentĀ program, Baker Early College. āThe whole point of the early college is if a student is ready to go to college while theyāre in high school, we want to facilitate and make that happen,ā described superintendent Daniel Huld. āOur students complete all of their classes at the local community colleges. In the case of eastern Oregon, we actually have students going to Eastern Oregon University.ā
Free transportation is provided to all Oregon charter school students within their school district. Elementary school students living more than 1.5 miles away must receive transportation, either from the charter school or the district. Out-of-district students may use existing bus routes and transportation services of the school district where the charter school is located. Students with special needs and an Individualized Education Program (IEP) are eligible for transportation assistance.
Oregon originally passed charter schoolĀ legislation in 1999. You can learn more at theĀ League of Oregon Charter Schools.
Oregon Magnet Schools
You can also choose magnet schools! Magnet schools are free public schools that allow kids to narrow in on a specific learning track, such as engineering or the performing arts. At a magnet school, all the subjects are taught through the lenses of that specific track. There are several magnet schools in Oregon. For example, you can read aboutĀ Bend La Pine School Districtās magnet choices,Ā Portland Public Schoolsā choices, andĀ Beaverton Schoolsā magnet choices. Oregonās magnet programs range from community-building to performing arts and more. If there is one near you with a theme that interests your child, this could be an exciting choice to consider.
Oregon Private Schools
Families in Oregon can also consider private schools, nonpublic schools that charge tuition. Private schools may offer a uniqueĀ curriculum, smaller class sizes, or a faith-based tradition. Oregonās more thanĀ 460Ā private schools come in all shapes and forms, from religious schools to schools designed for children with special needs.
The average tuition for private schools in the state isĀ $11,225Ā for elementary schools andĀ $14,654Ā for high schools. Unfortunately, there are no state-run scholarship options in Oregon at present, but private scholarships may be available. Also, parents can save for K-12 private school tuition usingĀ tax-preferred 529 savings accounts.
Learn more atĀ Childrenās Scholarship Fund-Oregon, theĀ Archdiocese of Portland Catholic School Directory, andĀ Private School Review: Oregon.
Oregon Online Learning
Whether your child wants to accelerate his or her learning or needs a quieter environment in which to focus, you may be interested in giving virtual school a try.
Oregon has about a dozen online public charter schools serving families across districts in all grades K-12.Ā These includeĀ Clackamas Web Academy,Ā Metro East Web Academy,Ā Oregon Charter Academy,Ā Oregon Family School, Sheridan AllPrep Academy,Ā Silvies River Charter School,Ā TEACH-NW,Ā Willamette Connections Academy,Ā Oregon Connections Academy,Ā CascadeĀ Virtual Academy,Ā Frontier Charter Academy, andĀ Baker Web Academy.Ā AĀ full list, including virtual charters only serving specific grades or districts, is available at the Oregon Department of Education website.
In order for funding to follow a student to an online charter school, the studentās family may be required to submit a letter of intent, stating that they will be enrolling in a virtual school. You can learn more about the online school community at theĀ Oregon Virtual Public School Alliance.
Another option for some Oregon families is to attend a district-run online school. Districts such as theĀ Beaverton School District, theĀ Hillsboro School District,Ā Bend-La-Pine Schools, theĀ Eugene School District, andĀ Salem-Keizer Public SchoolsĀ have developed their own online programs.
For part-time courses, students can ask their district if they can enroll in courses throughĀ Oregon Virtual Education, a statewide network that supports online learning and offers a catalog of approved courses.
To read more about online learning in Oregon, check out the Digital Learning Collaborativeās state profile.Opens PDF in new tab
Oregon Homeschooling
Oregon families can also choose to homeschool, which allows for high levels of customized learning and flexibility. Homeschooling is the process of parents educating students at home and is permitted in all 50 states. In Oregon, aboutĀ 4 to 5%Ā of K-12 students are homeschooled.
Homeschooling Requirements:
In Oregon, notice of your intent to homeschool is required within 10 days of starting. It is recommended that you formally withdraw from your public school so your student is not marked truant.
While the state doesnāt lay outĀ specific subjects that homeschooling families must teach, it does require that homeschooling students take tests approved by the State Board of Education in certain grades. Keep in mind that homeschooled students in Oregon may still be eligible to participate in sports or activities at local public schools. New homeschooling families have an 18-month grace period during which testing or assessments are not required. After this period, students must take assessments in specific grades or annually if they participate in interscholastic activities.
Oregon offers limited funding assistance for home education if you are enrolled via a charter,Ā likeĀ Oregon Family School.
You may also want to check out the Oregon Department of EducationāsĀ HomeschoolingĀ page, theĀ Oregon Home Education Network,Ā Home School Legal Defense Association ā Oregon, and theĀ Oregon Christian Home Education Association Network.
Oregon Microschools and Mix-and-Match Learning
Today, many Oregon families are mixing and matching school options to come up with new ways to personalize education.Ā MicroschoolsĀ are one of these ways. A microschool refers to students gathering together in a small group ā with adult supervision ā to learn, explore, and socialize. Microschools can take a variety of shapes and legal forms, from homeschoolers coming together at an enrichment center to a private school committed to small classrooms. What microschools share in common is a commitment to small-group learning and close-knit relationships, along with an emphasis on children as individual learners.
Examples of microschools and related resources in your state:
- ActivateĀ is a full-time microschool in Portland specializing in serving students with dyslexia.
- Madrona Folk SchoolĀ is a microschool in Grants Pass offering classes for homeschoolers in inspired academics, arts, and land-based living skills.
- Prenda Microschools supports hundreds of microschools all over the United States, including Oregon, with the mission of empowering learners.
Oregon officials have suggested that theyĀ may regulate multi-family pod programs under the stateās childcare guidelines.
Remember, microschooling is more a mentality than a specific legal distinction in most cases. Often, a family participates in a microschool while legally homeschooling, or being enrolled in a private or online school.
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