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U.S. Rep. Janelle Bynum (D-Ore.) unveiled a “K-30 agenda” on Jan. 26 to address affordability and access concerns she says she’s heard from young Oregonians in her first term.
Notable bills for education include a proposal that would instruct Congress to increase spending on the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act program that provides funds for children with special needs.
Special education funding was a top priority for many education advocacy groups in the Oregon Legislature in the last cycle. School districts across the state demanded changes to the special ed cap, which limits state special education funding to 11% of total enrollment even as many districts report higher percentages of at-need students. (The push to lift the cap was unsuccessful.)
In another nod to increased behavioral and mental health concerns in schools, Bynum is sponsoring a bill to establish more mental health service access for underresourced school districts. It comes at a time when school districts nationwide are struggling to afford behavioral health services, especially after the federal government’s COVID-19 aid relief program expired in 2024.
Bynum, a first-term representative, flipped the 5th Congressional District blue in 2024, unseating former U.S. Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer. She’s seeking reelection this November in a district where voter registration is split closely between parties, but where Republicans have struggled to recruit a viable candidate.
The other 14 bills in Bynum’s K-30 agenda aim to help youth access a quality education, secure well-paying jobs, and afford homeownership. Many of them target relief for specific industries, and a number of them concentrate on rural support. “Millions of young Americans have done exactly what has been asked of them, but our country isn’t returning the favor,” she said.
