As many of you are aware, the Department of Labor has decided to pause the Job Corps program.  I wrote this letter to share with Astoria residents just prior to learning that a federal judge had paused the pause.   While I am all for fiscal responsibility, it was a pretty dramatic shift for students to be one day working on a new career path to being told they have to be out in one week.  There certainly is a better way to navigate such  a pause that doesn’t send these students, staff, and our community scrambling to react.    

For over 60 years, Job Corps has been instrumental in equipping young Americans with the skills needed for successful careers in industries such as construction, automotive, healthcare, technology, logistics, and more.

Representing Senate District 16, where Tongue Point Job Corps Center is located, I have witnessed firsthand the transformative impact of Job Corps. Whether through work-based learning initiatives, hiring graduates, or participating in community service projects, I have seen how Job Corps empowers young people to thrive.

The success stories speak for themselves: Job Corps graduates secure meaningful employment, pursue higher education, or enlist in the military. This program not only prepares individuals for the workforce but also instills in them the confidence and abilities to contribute positively to society as skilled professionals and taxpayers.

As a state legislator, my staff and I have lobbied our federal congressional delegation, federal agencies and anyone else who would listen, asking them to do everything in their power to support Tongue Point Job Corps Center.  I cannot say I have been pleased with the results, but we will continue to do anything we can to provide support for staff and students.

For those who are most affected by the doubts around Tongue Point Job Corps Center’s future, the students and the staff, please know we will continue to do anything we can to help you in your future. The uncertainty is frustrating and disconcerting, and I know you are most certainly wondering what is next. If there is anything my office can do to assist you, we will do all we can to help.

Thank you, everyone who has worked so hard to preserve Tongue Point Job Corps Center for the present and the future. 

Outdoor school is a unique and valuable Oregon program. It is very important to me and I will always do what I can to advocate for additional funding as it is available. As the budget evolves changes are happening on all levels of funding and it is reasonable for people to be worried when they think that Outdoor School funding dropped by $12 million. 

I wanted to share some of the details from the Legislative Fiscal Office regarding how that wording came to be to help folks better understand what they are hearing regarding the portion of the Higher Education Coordinating Commission budget that impacts the Outdoor School.

Before we jump into more detail, I want to say up front that the recommended 2025-27 budget for Outdoor School of $48 million is a 32% increase from the 2023-25 biennium appropriation of $36.4 million and a $16.6% increase from 2021-23 actual cost of $41.3 million.

To better understand all of that I am sharing information from the response given to us from the Legislative Fiscal Office below:

The recommended 2025-27 budget for Outdoor School is $48 million of Lottery Funds which is the exact amount included in the Governor’s Budget for the 2025-27 Outdoor School budget. This number was calculated based on 2021-23 actual spending of $46.5 million. This number includes $5.2 million for Equity, Diversity, Accessibility, Inclusion (EDAI) Improvement grants. Therefore 2021-23 the direct costs for Outdoor School was $41.3 million.

Lottery Funds available for Outdoor School at the May 2025 Revenue Forecast were $59.8 of Lottery Funds. The $12 million (20%) reduction you are hearing about was made from this forecasted available revenue amount.

While 4% of the Lottery revenues are statutorily dedicated to Outdoor School, the program has not always been funded at this level, as the Legislature can utilize these funds to balance the budget. The most recent example is from 2023-25 when the funds for Outdoor School were reduced in response to the large ending balance resulting from the pandemic, when students could not participate in Outdoor School. The Legislature made a $20 million reduction and allowed Outdoor School to spend down the majority of the balance by awarding Outdoor school providers grants to upgrade their facilities. This funding to providers to upgrade facilities was one-time and not intended to be ongoing.

If all this makes your eyes cross, you are not alone.  The important thing to remember right now is that the budget that did pass the Ways and Means full committee on Friday was for $48 million and does amount to a 32% increase from the previous biennium appropriation.  While it is not what we wanted, it is an effort to maintain a current service level.