Northwest Education Law Blog : Northwest Education Lawyer & Attorney : Williams Kastner Law Firm : Tacoma, Seattle, Portland

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SB 113A–Exempting Certain Schools from Oregon’s Degree Granting Statutes

SB 113A exempts certain schools and specially-accredited school campuses from Oregon’s degree granting statutes set forth at ORS 348.594 to ORS 348.615. The degree granting statutes regulate post-secondary education in Oregon by, among other things, granting the Oregon Student Assistance Commission Office of Degree Authorization the power to authorize approved schools to offer academic degree programs and non-degree programs leading to certificates or diplomas, to validate claims of degree possession, to terminate substandard and fraudulent degree activities, and to terminate activities of diploma mills. See ORS 348.603. SB 113A exempts schools and specially-accredited school campuses from meeting the requirements of the degree granting statutes as long as the school or specially-accredited campus (1) is a non-profit school under § 501(c)(3) of the IRS code, (2) has conferred degrees in Oregon for at least five consecutive years, and (3) is accredited by a regional accrediting association or its national successor. Schools meeting these non-profit, degree conferral, and accreditation requirements are exempt from the degree granting statutes because they do not generate many complaints and are not the source of many enforcement issues encountered by the Office of Degree Authorization. Rather, most of the complaints and enforcement issues relate to for-profit colleges and colleges lacking regional accreditation.

SB 113A became effective on January 1, 2010. It is codified at 2009 Oregon Laws Advance Sheets, Chapter 172, § 1.
 

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HB 2109–Changing Terminology to Keep Oregon Law Consistent with the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Improvement Act of 2006

HB 2109 replaces the terms “professional technical education” and “professional technical training” with “career and technical education” and “career and technical training” throughout various Oregon statutes. The change in terminology aligns Oregon law with the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Improvement Act of 2006. Thus, HB 2109 updates Oregon law and makes technical changes in language to keep Oregon law consistent with federal law.

HB 2109 became effective January 1, 2010. HB 2109 is codified at 2009 Oregon Laws Advance Sheets, Chapter 94, §§ 1-27.
 

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HB 2061–Exempting Certain Students From Increased High School Graduation Requirements

HB 2061 exempts certain students from meeting the increased graduation requirements in ORS 329.451. In 2005, the Oregon legislature increased the overall number of credits required for high school graduation from 22 to 24. At that time, the number of individual math and English credits required also were raised. The increased requirements took effect July 1, 2007, and apply to any student receiving a high school diploma after June 30, 2009. The 2005 law did not, however, contain any provision addressing students who entered high school before July 1, 2007 but graduate after June 30, 2009. HB 2061 fills that gap by exempting students from the increased requirements if they (1) entered the ninth grade during the 2005-2006 school year, (2) attended school during the 2006-2007, 2007-2008, and 2008-2009 academic years, and (3) receive a high school diploma before July 1, 2010. Essentially, the new law exempts students who did not graduate on time from being held to the increased graduation requirements.

HB 2061 became effective on June 30, 2009. HB 2061 is codified at 2009 Oregon Laws Advance Sheets, Chapter 55, §§ 1, 2.
 

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In its last regular session, the Oregon legislature passed four education-related bills, all of which were signed into law by Oregon’s governor. The scope and aim of each of these laws is varied, with some making minor technical changes to terminology in Oregon statutes and others exempting certain students from increased high school graduation requirements. Throughout the next week, we will feature each of these bills and offer a brief description of the effects of the new laws.

SB 595–Expanding Scope of Students Who Are Eligible for Tuition Waivers at Oregon Universities

SB 595 expands the scope of students who are eligible to receive tuition waivers under the tuition waiver program, codified at 2008 Oregon Laws, Chapter 39, § 9. The program allows certain students to obtain tuition waivers for courses which may lead to a bachelors or master’s degree at University of Oregon, Oregon State University, Portland State University, Oregon Institute of Technology, Western Oregon University, Southern Oregon University, Eastern Oregon University, and Oregon Health and Sciences University. Under the 2008 version of the program, tuition waivers only were available to children, spouses, and unremarried surviving spouses of members of the US Armed Forces who died on active duty after September 11, 2001, died as a result of military service connected disability sustained after September 11, 2001, or were 100 percent disabled as a result of military service connected disability sustained after September 11, 2001. SB 595 expands the scope of students who are eligible to receive the tuition waivers by removing the September 11, 2001 death or disability date restriction. Thus, under the new law, tuition waivers are available to any child, spouse, or unremarried surviving spouse of a member of the US Armed Forces who died on active duty, died as a result of a military service connected disability, or was 100 percent disabled as a result of a military service connected disability, regardless of the date of the US Armed Forces member’s death or disability.

SB 595 became effective on June 4, 2009 and operative on July 1, 2009. It is codified at 2009 Oregon Laws Advance Sheets, Chapter 236, §§ 1, 3.