December 2024

Report 2024-34

Why this audit is important

From 2017 to 2023, over 230 districts and schools reported spending $125 million each year in Measure 98 grants to expand dropout prevention, college and career opportunities, and CTE for Oregon students in eighth through 12th grade.

The costs of college education continue to grow, while the expected benefits of a degree face increased scrutiny. Expanded statewide CTE programs are an important pathway to career success.

The COVID-19 pandemic was an unprecedented disruption for Oregon schools. Most outcomes targeted by HSS funds were negatively impacted.

The Oregon Department of Education (ODE) made important improvements to district accountability with the integration in 2022 of HSS grants and other programs with related goals. The first round of integrated annual reports were due in November 2024.

What we found

1. High School Success (HSS) investments have helped expand career and technical education (CTE) spaces and programs, dropout prevention supports, and programs designed to help students better prepare for college and careers.
2. Specific outcomes from HSS investments are difficult to determine, in part because the HSS program makes up only 5% of total school funding and many other programs work towards the same goals.
3. Student outcomes since the start of HSS are mixed, in part because of wide-ranging pandemic challenges. CTE participation increased significantly, including for students from historically underserved races and ethnicities. Graduation rates rose overall and dropout rates also improved. Other outcomes were unchanged (ninth grade on-track) or fell (college-going and regular attendance). Results were similarly mixed for historically underserved student groups, a key state focus.
4. ODE has steadily improved its administration and monitoring of the HSS program, yet ODE remains largely focused on grantee compliance with limited analysis of outcomes.
5. Two large-scale ODE efforts — integration of grant programs and new district growth targets under the Student Success Act — could streamline compliance requirements for school districts and identify effective investments in student success.
6. Both initiatives are in the early stages and need improvements from ODE, the State Board of Education, and the Legislature for successful implementation. As we noted in a 2022 report on systemic risks in K-12 education, three past K-12 reform efforts in Oregon were eventually abandoned, reinforcing the importance of full implementation of these initiatives.

What we recommend

We made eight recommendations to ODE. ODE agreed with all of our recommendations. The response can be found at the end of the report.