Photo via Senate Bill 3 PDF of the Oregon Department of Education
The Variety of Education Across America
By glancing at the political landscape of America, one can see that the battle of educational standards is an eternal conflict between both prominent political sides. Education, a convoluted system, varies vastly across the nation and even more within states. Prime examples of such variation and progression lay in one of America’s West Coast states, Oregon.
Following the declaration of the COVID-19 pandemic, actions such as the approval of Senate Bill 744 and its recent continuation are in the era of educational inclusivity, allowing for lessened diploma requirements. While we do not support Senate Bill 744, we do support the Senate bills that source from its creation.
Specifically, we stand for the approval of Senate Bill 3, an educational act legalized in June 2023 by Oregon Governor Tina Kotek. Senate Bill 3, which we consider the supreme product of Senate Bill 744, alters the Oregon diploma requirements for all Oregonians in the class of 2027. Moreover, Senate Bill 3 increases the rigor required from students as it adds diversity in credit requirements for graduation. Such rigors are a 0.5 credit for Personal Financial Education and a 0.5 credit for Higher Education and Career Path Skills. However, this addition is possible because of the reduced elective credit requirement, falling from six to five. Reductions like this are imperative for keeping the minimum required credits at 24.
Educational Timeline and Positive Outcomes
Although Senate Bill 3 achieved approval by the Oregonian state legislature, it will not affect Oregonian students until January 1, 2027. A timeline provided by the Oregonian government displays that by the beginning of the 2025-2026 academic year, the majority of schools will include said requirements. However, throughout 2026-2027, all schools will enact these implementations but can avoid them with a one-year waiver. Waivers are available to school districts if they prove they cannot properly execute these courses for student consumption. After this exception year, all districts and schools have no choice but to offer these courses for students.
We believe that Senate Bill 3 is a crucial stepping-stone for acquiring ideal education standards. While we understand the importance of traditional schooling values, we also believe that in today’s competitive world, it is vital to equip students with real-life skills. Students should be able to leave secondary schooling with a conceptual grasp on money, finance, credit, taxes and adulthood requirements. By requiring students to learn these concepts, they can properly compete and navigate the world among their peers.
Personal Finance Education
Including Personal Finance Education credit requirements for Oregon Diplomas is a brilliant decision due to its various benefits. As said in the overview of Senate Bill 3, such new credits will cover topics like credit scores, investments, financial strategies, taxation and the behaviors behind world economics and fraudulence.
Combating the Age-Old Question of “Why Can People Not Do Their Taxes?”
As students become young adults and enter the workforce, they start to deal with the issue of taxes. Important issues like this affect more than a small group of people as it has historically plagued youth minds alike in America. By implementing this Senate bill, America will finally achieve the opportunity to dismantle the rigorous nature of taxation.
We firmly believe that equipping students with the skills to understand and correctly complete a continuous yet essential process of their adulthood will drastically improve youths’ outlook on finances. Similarly, we see this as something that will help limit their apprehension of the process and will improve overall efficiency.
Alternative Highlights of Personal Finance Education
Notable inclusions of the new course besides taxation education include the budgeting and financial management section. Listed third of the five descriptions in the Senate Bill 3 overview, this specific category will educate students on how to keep track of a budget and where and how they can invest their earnings.
We feel that this can make an astronomical impact on teens because by the time these teens reach high school, they will not only be coming across more money, but they will be securing jobs as well. Not only is it common sense that such things can overwhelm a teenager, but from our own experiences, we know how easy it is to lose sight of a budget. By forcing students to take a course that will educate them on financial management, we think that it will undoubtedly influence students for the better. Furthermore, providing these management strategies can better prepare an individual for more costly expenditures like vehicles and housing.
Higher Education and Career Path Skills
As the other half of this Senate bill, we acknowledge the Higher Education and Career Path Skills course as valuable for student consumption, but lesser than its’ counterpart course. In this course, students mentally focus on the workforce as they learn how to successfully apply for jobs, universities, trade schools and apprenticeships. Aside from applications, students will learn the craft of resumes, develop career and work ethic skills and how to find a sense of community in their professional ventures.
Contrasting its’ counterpart, this course focuses on improving students’ appearance and morals in the post-secondary world. Touching on our previous point, we feel this course is less valuable because its contents build off of common sense. Nevertheless, sharpening these skills is crucial for job contention in the competitive nature of the world.
Consensus of Senate Bill 3
After analyzing Senate Bill 3, we find ourselves excited about its implementation and its impact on the current American freshman. While we will not personally go through these courses, we feel enthused that our peers can acquire such a desirable notch of knowledge. Such adaptations are best for students, as we believe that education must push students to the apex of their powers. Beyond that, it would be in Tina Kotek and the Oregonian government’s best interest to continuously improve education, so long as their goal is to cultivate generations better than before.
