Test scores inch upward but lag the nation and pre-COVID Oregon

By Julia Shumway | Editor

Oregon kids still aren’t reading, writing or doing math or science at pre-pandemic levels. And those levels weren’t great — in the 2018-19 school year, just less than 54% of students were reading and writing at grade level, while fewer than 40% were proficient in math or science. Test scores plummeted in the school year following the onset of the pandemic and are inching upward, but new data released today shows that current students are still 10 points behind their pre-COVID counterparts.

Also in today's edition:

State narrows requirements that foster families support LGBTQ+ kids’ identities after a lawsuit and federal scrutiny
Regulators back off psilocybin fee hikes
Commentator Barbara Klein on voters’ responsibilities

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Oregon students’ grasp of key subjects slowly grows, still below pre-pandemic levels

By Alex Baumhardt

Students at work in a math class. Oregon students' overall proficiency in key subjects grew by less than 1 percentage point on average from the previous school year, according to the state's most recent data. (Photo by Spenser Heaps for Utah News Dispatch)

Oregon students continued to make small gains in key subjects over the last year but still haven’t returned to pre-pandemic levels.

They’re also not keeping pace with many of their peers nationwide when it comes to reading and writing.

Oregon regulators nix higher fees for psilocybin after industry backlash

By Jake Thomas

Oregon allows consumption up to 50 milligrams of psilocybin at a time. (Courtesy of Satya Therapeutics)

State regulators have backed off pursuing sizable fee increases on Oregon’s magic mushroom businesses after dire warnings from the legal psilocybin industry that it would buckle under the added costs.

Oregon narrows LGBTQ+ foster youth protections after losing federal appeals case

By Shaanth Nanguneri

A Pride flag, Oregon flag and U.S. flag rest on a desk in the Oregon Capitol. The Oregon Department of Human Services has narrowed protections under Oregon rules for ensuring LGBTQ+ foster youth have for ensuring inclusive placements. (Photo by Ron Cooper/Oregon Capital Chronicle)

Oregon’s prospective foster and adoptive parents do not need to commit to affirming a child’s potential LGBTQ+ identity to serve as caregivers in the wake of a recent federal court ruling that has narrowed child welfare officials’ ability to determine inclusive placements.

COMMENTARY: ‘Congress, do your job:’ Checks and balances depend on voters, too

By Barbara Klein

“Congress, do your job.” That was a repeated refrain at this summer’s convention of the nonpartisan League of Women Voters in Columbus, Ohio. Whether Republican, Democrat, Independent or every member with an affiliation in between, there was serious concern regarding our U.S. checks and balances.