Oregon students spend significantly less time in class than their peers nationwide, a gap that educators say is limiting learning and contributing to weak academic outcomes.
A recent analysis by ECONorthwest found Oregon ranks 47th in instructional time, with students attending about 15 fewer days per year than the national average.
Sarah Pope, executive director of Stand for Children, said the difference is substantial.
“Kids in Oregon are getting, on average, a year less time in school than the average student around the rest of the country,” she said.
Educators say the reduced time makes it harder to cover required material and support students.
Angela Zbikowski, a school board member for the Medford School District, said the constraints are evident in local classrooms.
“The time is simply not there for teachers to be able to do all the things that they need to do,” shei said.
Zbikowsk said additional classroom time will not solve everything, but it is essential to improving student outcomes.
The issue is compounded by high absenteeism. Oregon has the third-highest rate of chronic absenteeism in the country, with about one-third of students missing significant amounts of school.
Pope described the problem as systemic and said it requires a statewide response, rather than relying on individual districts to address it on their own.
She said aligning Oregon with the national 180-day school year and reducing absenteeism could significantly improve student outcomes, including literacy by eighth grade.
Zbikowski said expanding instructional time will be a key step.
“The first major hurdle to getting there is getting more instructional time on the calendar,” she said.
Guests
- Sarah Pope, executive director, Stand for Children
- Angela Zbikowski, school board member, Medford School District
