Outdoor School Funding Update
December 3, 2025
Recently all state agencies were asked to present proposals for an additional 5% cut to their budgets. In spite of the already drastic cuts to the Outdoor School budget, an additional cut of $1.7 million to Outdoor School funding was proposed (line 23, column 7 of this spreadsheet).
It is now up to the Legislature to determine whether and how much to cut Outdoor School (or whether to restore previous cuts).
Our call to action:
Please reach out to your state representative and senator to amplify our impact and help us increase our growing movement for restoring funding.
Here are the key bullet points to include, in your own voice of course:
Outdoor School is important to me because…
I want to make you aware of this troubling HECC proposal to further cut Outdoor School
These cuts are unacceptable—please reject further cuts to Outdoor School
Outdoor School is already reeling from the 20% cuts the Legislature made in June, 2025
Voters were clear with Measure 99--4% of Lottery revenue for kids to attend Outdoor School
We are grateful to Representative Zach Hudson for introducing legislation to allocate $6M in 2026 to restore funding to the voter-dedicated level
Please lend your name in support of Rep. Hudson’s legislation
Please forward a copy of your letter to us so that we may have a complete record of Outdoor School advocacy. And, if you get a response, please forward that along to us as well. It will help us follow up with the representative or senator.
Consider joining our Advocacy Network! Send us an email and we will send you updates on our advocacy and ways to participate through letter-writing, attending hearings, or other activities.
Share your Outdoor School Story!
We are partnering with Oregon State University Extension Service Outdoor School to collect stories from Outdoor School champions like you. Your story will help us educate decision-makers about the benefits of Outdoor School and what funding cuts mean to students and families.
ACTION: Please share your story of Outdoor School, including explaining how Outdoor School funding cuts are affecting you, your family, and your community.
Oregon camps are vital to providing inspiring natural locations for tens of thousands of Oregon students to attend Outdoor School. Friends of Outdoor School and camps throughout Oregon are working together to communicate the impacts of state Outdoor School budget cuts on camps.
ACTION: Please complete this form to share how Outdoor School funding cuts are impacting your ability to participate in your favorite camp.
FACTS:
In 2016, Oregon voters overwhelmingly dedicated 4% of Lottery funds via Measure 99 to work toward sending every Oregon student to a week of Outdoor School.
Over $51.5 million was provided to school districts during the 2023-2025 biennium to support student attendance at Outdoor School.
OSU Extension worked with the Legislature in 2024 to spend down the COVID-era carryover for programming, freeing 2023-2025 allocated resources for urgent state needs while achieving voter-intended funding levels.
Providing only $43.2 million to school districts for the 2025-2027 biennium is a cut to Outdoor School funding, and 20% below what voters approved.
Increasingly, Oregon students are attending Outdoor School, and requests for funding from 2025 to 2027 are expected to surpass the 4% allocation intended by voters.
Find more detailed information here: https://oregonstate.app.box.com/s/ekxkchq8qpa8q108vy92fcqdodynpjjd
This cut is already having a very real impact on Oregon students and the many adults working together to make Outdoor School happen for the kids. Together, with respectful yet assertive facts, we can correct this mistake. Thank you for helping to make Outdoor School possible for the kids!
For the kids!
Kim & Dan
KEY INFORMATION:
Oregon State University Extension Service Outdoor School:
Important financial and impact information directly from Oregon State University Extension Service Outdoor School can be found here and will be updated regularly.
What’s happened so far:
November 6th: Dozens of Outdoor School champions advocated for no further cuts to Outdoor School at the Higher Education Coordinating Commission meeting. Watch here.
September 10th: Fall State of Outdoor School webinar. Listen here.
July 24th: Oregon State University Extension Service Outdoor School announced funding decisions to date and explained next steps. Details are here.
June 23rd: The Oregon Legislature approved a 20% cut to Outdoor School funding despite voters overwhelmingly supporting Measure 99, designating 4% of state lottery funds to Outdoor School.
June 16th: The Senate approved a bill including a $12 million cut to Outdoor School funding from current service levels.
June 6th: The Oregon Joint Committee on Ways and Means voted to pass a budget that cuts Outdoor School funding by $12 million. Watch for yourself- the work session on SB 5525 begins at 1:22.
June 2nd: The Oregon Joint Committee on Ways and Means subcommittee on Education passed a budget that cuts Outdoor School funding by $12 million. Watch for yourself.
Key points:
The state is in a very difficult budget environment
Oregon voters overwhelmingly passed Ballot Measure 99 in 2016
Outdoor School is important for Oregon kids!
We seek to restore the funding that was cut in July
Our Strategy:
October tours of Outdoor School for legislators
Briefings with key legislators this fall and early winter
February 2026 legislative session: request funding restoration for 2026-27
Share stories and data about the impact of the reduced budget for students, schools/districts, and Outdoor School sites and providers
Targeted advocacy in the coming months
Training in January for advocates
Email dan@friendsofoutdoorschool.org if you are interested