Evaluation of Oregon's Quality Education Model (SB 1552, 2024)

Background
The Oregon Legislative Assembly enacted Senate Bill 1552 during the 2024 legislative session, directing the Legislative Policy and Research Office (LPRO) to contract with a public, private, or nonprofit research entity to study Oregon’s Quality Education Model (QEM) and the state’s system of financing public education from kindergarten through grade 12. The enabling legislation requires the LPRO Director to submit a report to the interim committees of the Legislative Assembly related to education no later than January 31, 2025.
The Legislative Policy and Research Office provides centralized, professional, and nonpartisan research, issue analysis, and committee management services for the Legislature.

Work Details
The Scope of Work for this procurement consists of assessing Oregon’s system for financing public K-12 education and exploring viable alternatives for implementing a system that provides for adequate, uniform, and equitable education for all public K-12 students in the state; evaluating Oregon’s Quality Education Model used to estimate the necessary legislative appropriation for the state’s public schools; identifying trends in student performance and school funding since the emergence of COVID-19; establishing a baseline cost for public education providers to supply adequate education opportunities; reviewing the costs and funding of special education services with consideration of viable alternatives.
The Services are anticipated to include quantitative analysis of secondary data, historical data around school funding, statewide and among the 197 school districts, document review, and policy analysis. The analyses are intended to inform the Legislative Assembly on the state’s current funding system for public education for kindergarten through grade 12, including special education. The analyses also advise the Legislative Assembly on establishing an alternative education funding formula to provide adequate public education. In addition, the Services will include developing a series of presentations and a comprehensive report as documentation of the analyses.

Period of Performance
The Contract is anticipated to start in June 2024 with an initial term of one year, with an option to renew for one additional year. Agency may issue work orders for up to 2 years from the effective date of the Contract.

Place of Performance
The services will be performed in Oregon.