Astoria, OR – According to the state officials, in order to address many of the underlying structural needs facing our schools, Governor Kotek will take the following steps:
Develop a statewide action plan, with the help of a multidisciplinary group of leaders, to support the social-emotional health needs of students in school settings and strengthen resources and capacity of school staff to meet these needs.
Partner with the legislature on their work to establish minimum teacher salaries and review funding for schools.
Governor Kotek released the following statement:
“The strike was a reflection of larger challenges that districts across the state are facing. From salaries not staying competitive with the market, to backlogs in facility maintenance, to classroom disruptions related to the behavioral health needs of students, we clearly have work to do.
I commit to continuing the work. As your Governor and the Superintendent of Public Instruction, I commit to partnering with educators across the state to tackle the systemic issues that contributed to this strike. We all have an opportunity to do our part to ensure our schools are safe, successful places for students, teachers, and school employees.”
