House Republican Leader Vikki Breese-Iverson has called for Oregon Department of Education Director Colt Gill to resign following the release of the 2022 Statewide Assessment results.

“As a mother of two boys in high school, I am not surprised by the plummeting test scores of students across the state. Governor Brown and the Democrat majority took their orders from the teacher unions and shut down schools with callous disregard to the impact those shutdowns would have on students. They deliberately ignored parents who foresaw the devastating impacts the shutdown and mandates would have on their students,” said Breese-Iverson.

As the ODE released disappointing numbers on student achievement, the response from those in charge was to look for more money and blame COVID. “Every student deserves the chance to graduate from school prepared for lifelong success,” said Governor Kate Brown. “As our schools, students and families continue to recover from the impacts of the pandemic, we must continue to accelerate state and federal investments in high-quality instruction and strategies that support academic success, student mental health and other student needs, with a particular focus on equity and helping the students who were disproportionately impacted by the pandemic.”

“Their press release and statements are insulting to parents across the state. Rather than reflect on their actions, Governor Brown and Director Colt Gill took zero accountability.”

Breese-Iverson continued, “ODE needs to get it’s act together. Instead of focusing on improving our student’s ability to read, write and think critically, the Department has pushed a progressive political agenda in the waning days of their failed administration.”

“Today I am calling on Director Gill to resign. If he fails to do so, the Governor should send him home with a paper packet and ignore him, like he did to our students, until January.”

In the 2021 regular session, House Republican Education Committee members pushed HB 2962. The bill would have commissioned a study to understand students’ instructional needs caused by school shutdowns. However, the majority let it die in committee.


--Staff Reports

Post Date: 2022-10-13 12:54:14

Last Update: 2022-10-13 13:56:56