Oregon needs a first-rate education system to compete in a global economy and extend opportunity to all of our citizens. When the Governor took office, Oregon faced our worst recession since the great depression – leading to difficult cuts in funding for K-12 and higher education. We need a better way to fund education to ensure our schools are never forced to repeat the tough times of recent memory.

Despite the challenging fiscal climate, Ted achieved several important educational improvements:

• Secured an eight-percent increase in K-12 funding in the latest budget;
  
• Dramatically expanded financial aid for low-income Oregon college students;
  
• Committed $77 million to improving facilities at seven Oregon university and community college campuses across the state;
  
• Launched the Oregon Nanoscience and Microtechnology Institute, a collaborative higher education initiative to make the state a leader in nanotechnology research and manufacturing; and
  
• Implemented a system for Oregon students to transfer credits between high schools, community colleges and four-year universities, making higher education more affordable and eliminating redundant requirements.

Ted has a broad vision for taking Oregon education forward in his next term. His Educational Enterprise plan will:

• Provide a dramatic increase in education funding for pre-school through higher education;
  
• Make education funding a budgetary priority, protecting it against future economic downturns;
  
• Guarantee a minimum 10-percent increase in funding during each budget cycle for each sector of the public education system;
  
• Integrate our focus on student achievement to streamline degree requirements and restore the value of a high-school diploma; and
  
• Strengthen community colleges, make it easier to transfer credits to a four-year institution and expand ties to local employers to provide better workforce training.

Learn more about Ted's education record and plans for his next term.

To help make Ted's vision for education a reality, please join Ted's campaign as a volunteer and make a donation today.