FACTS & DETAILS

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.

• The legislature allocated $56.4 million in 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 $48 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 funding requests from 2025 to 2027 are expected to exceed the 4% allocation intended by voters.

• Find more detailed information here: https://oregonstate.app.box.com/s/ekxkchq8qpa8q108vy92fcqdodynpjjd

• Important financial and impact information directly from Oregon State University Extension Service Outdoor School can be found here and will be updated regularly.
  

  2025-2026 REVERSE TIMELINE
  

• August 13, 2025: The Higher Education Coordinating Commission recommended full Outdoor School funding in its 2027-2029 proposed budget.

• May - August 2026: Advocates protest that the Higher Education Coordinating Commission recommended Outdoor School funding be continued at the cut level for 2027-2029.

• April 2026: Oregon State University includes full funding for Outdoor School in its proposed budget to the Higher Education Coordinating Commission.

• March 4, 2026: The Joint Committee on Ways and Means did not pass HB 4112. Thankfully, they also did not subject the Outdoor School budget to further proposed cuts.

• February 2026: Outdoor School champions filled hearing rooms, met with legislators, and called and emailed their representatives and senators to urge support for HB 4112.

• January 16, 2026: Rep Hudson filed HB 4112 with 51+ legislative sponsors to restore $6 million of cut Outdoor School funding.

• December 3, 2025: All state agencies were asked to present proposals for an additional 5% cut to their budgets. Despite 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)

• November 6, 2025: Dozens of Outdoor School champions advocated for no further cuts to Outdoor School at the Higher Education Coordinating Commission meeting. Watch here.

• September 10, 2025: Fall State of Outdoor School webinar. Listen here.

• July 24, 2025: Oregon State University Extension Service Outdoor School announced funding decisions to date and explained next steps. Details are here.

• June 23, 2025: 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 16, 2025: The Senate approved a bill including a $12 million cut to Outdoor School funding from current service levels.

• June 6, 2025: 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 2, 2025: 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.