Oregon Families Deserve Choice in Online Learning: SB 240 Would Lift the Cap on Online Charter Schools

By Eric Fruits, Ph.D.

We’ve heard a lot of bad news during the pandemic: business closures, job losses, weight gain. But, there’s one area that’s seen a massive boom—online charter schools.

Over the past year, enrollment in online charter schools has increased by a whopping 58%.

But, like many things, government is getting in the way of growth. Under Oregon law, online charter school enrollment is capped at 3% of a sponsoring district’s enrollment.

That could change. Oregon Senate Bill 240 would remove the cap on online charter school enrollment.

During this pandemic, families have been forced into an experiment with distance learning. Some have found it to be an incredible success, while others have seen dismal failure.

Regardless, families have both the interest and incentives to move forward with the educational options that work best for them and their students. If online learning works for your family, you deserve to have that choice.

The Senate Education Committee is holding a hearing Wednesday, April 21, on Senate Bill 240. Let your voice be heard and tell the Senate to lift the cap.

Eric Fruits, Ph.D. is Vice President of Research at Cascade Policy Institute, Oregon’s free market public policy research organization.