PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — A record-breaking $72.2 million will be distributed to Oregon’s K-12 public school districts throughout 2023, courtesy of the state’s Common School Fund. That’s an average of $367,000 per district.
“The act of Congress admitting Oregon to the Union in 1859 granted nearly 3.4 million acres of the new state’s land ‘for the use of schools,’’ the State of Oregon said. “The State Land Board was established to oversee the ‘school lands’ and has been the trustee of the Common School Fund for more than 150 years.”
All 197 public school districts in Oregon benefit from the annual Common School Fund, with a value that evolves along with market conditions.
The fund currently totals $2.1 billion. About 3.5% of this fund is given to school districts through the Oregon Department of Education every year.
According to the Oregon Department of State Lands, the lowest distribution since 2000 was $13 million in 2004. The highest was this year’s $72.2 million, compared to the $62.4 million distribution that previously broke the record in 2022.
ODSL said that its overarching goal is to gradually increase the fund for Oregon schools, by divesting in non-producing lands and investing in those of a higher quality.
The amount of funding that individual districts receive is dependent on the student population. Oregon’s biggest school district, Portland Public Schools, will receive $6,361,788 in funding this year. On the other end of the spectrum, Double O School District in Hines will receive $69.
Overall, the department reported that state school districts will receive about $137 per student.
Districts received their first payment from the Common School Fund in January. The second payment will be distributed in July. Find out how much your local school district will receive here.
The Common School Fund has benefitted generations of Oregon students and can be used for any school district needs.
“The Common School Fund is valuable in sustaining all of our efforts across our district,” Baker School District Superintendent said. “…everything from maintaining facilities to
instruction.”