Open Champions
Help Shape the Future of Education in Oregon
Oregon's education system isn't working. We're done talking around it — and we're building a coalition ready to follow the problems from the Capitol to the classroom. No easy answers. Just people willing to do the honest, uncomfortable work together.
Oregon’s Education System Needs Your Voice
Oregon ranks last in the country in fourth-grade reading and math. Education spending has risen 40%. Student outcomes haven't. Something isn't adding up, and we think Oregonians deserve to know why.
Open Champions exists to follow that question honestly, and we need people at the table who aren't afraid of what the answers might be.
32%
of students proficient in reading
20%
of students proficient in math
33%
of students chronically absent
Oregon’s state and national assessments report different student outcomes, the honesty gap. In fourth-grade reading, the state reports 45% proficiency while the national assessment reports 32%. In math, the gap is 38% vs. 20%. Open Champions is working to build a clear, shared understanding of the data so communities and leaders can act with clarity and urgency.
What is Open Champions?
Open Champions is a new model for civic engagement on education. We're a bipartisan, cross-sector table built on one premise: Oregon's education crisis is a leadership and accountability problem, not a funding one.
Too often, families are consulted after decisions are made, educators are talked at rather than listened to, and business leaders are kept on the edges of the systems their workforce depends on. We're changing that.
We're bringing together families, educators, and business leaders to read the same honest data, name what isn't working based on their lived experiences, and build enough political will to follow those questions from the Capitol to the classroom, because this community deserves state leadership that does the same.
Join Our Coalition
Oregon made a promise to educate every student, regardless of zip code and context. We're inviting families, educators, and community leaders to help ensure that promise reaches every classroom.
Who Should Join
- Parents and caregivers who know their kids deserve better and are ready to say so
- Teachers and educators who see what works every day and want it to count
- Business and community leaders who know strong schools build a strong Oregon
We cover transportation, childcare, food, and interpretation.
What You'll Do
You'll participate in:
- Monthly sessions, in person and online
- A working group with families, educators, and business leaders
- Collaborative learning sessions — and the data, the people, and the plan to act on it
What We're Building
Open Champions is Guided by Oregon and National Leaders
We are honored to be supported and joined by representatives from:
