Oregon Education: Views of Oregon Opinion Leaders. Technical Report No. 3.

Overview & Synopsis

The third of four technical reports on Oregon education finance, this report summarizes views of 44 opinion leaders in Oregon (including public officials, business leaders, educators, and journalists) on questions of education goals, quality, cost, and methods of decision-making. Answering questionnaires, the respondents first addressed issues of financing public education in Oregon, primarily the state's role in raising revenue for schools and the expenditures at each level from elementary to higher education. Other issues that underlie education finance comprise the second half of the report--that is, program objectives, administrative channels, and the division of educational responsibilities. Roles and responsibilities for the various sectors of public education are commented on, with emphasis on the priority of education as a public expenditure. The administrative structures in Oregon public education are also critiqued. The role of private education and the constituencies of educational sectors (K-12, community colleges, and higher education) are addressed, as well. The report includes a section summarizing the opinion leaders' views of the major education finance issues covered in the interviews. (JW)