OPB

When Emma Beiser testified at the Oregon State Capitol last week, she wasn’t alone. Her 5-year-old daughter, Hadley, sat beside her. Beiser traveled to Salem to testify on House Bill 2953, which would remove Oregon’s cap on special education funding. She was one of hundreds of educators, parents, lawmakers, and advocates who submitted testimony or packed in and around the hearing room on Monday to speak in favor of the bill before the House education committee. Oregon school districts receive additional money through the state’s funding formula based on how many students with disabilities they serve. But the “SPED cap,” as it’s often called, limits how much they can get. It’s been around for decades but isn’t keeping pace with the need.