Education
A group of sixth graders got the opportunity to hear from the two elected officials on May 29 during an assembly commemorating 'National 529 College Savings Plan Day' by learning about "529 savings plans," like the Oregon College Savings Plan.
So-called 529 plans, or qualified tuition plans, encourage young students to save for college. The savings plan gets its name from Section 529 in the Internal Revenue Code. The tax-free investments can be used for any college expenditure, including computers.
School districts across the United States are desperately looking for ways to keep students safe after school shootings that have left millions of students, teachers and other staff afraid they could be next.
In Schuylkill County, Pa., classrooms in the Blue Mountain School Districthave five-gallon buckets of river stone that students can throw if a gunman comes through the door.
NORTH BEND — For Liv Funk and Hailey Smith, reaching a settlement agreement with the North Bend School District means change has finally come.
After years of being bullied for their sexual orientation by both students and staff, they are glad to see the district become a safer place for LGBTQ youth. Because they stood up against discrimination, which included one of their friends being forced to read the Bible as punishment, new policies are being put in place at the district to prevent this from happening again.
WASHINGTON, DC [05/22/18] – Today Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici, a leader on the House Education Committee, questioned Education Secretary Betsy DeVos during the Secretary's first appearance in front of the Committee, 16 months after taking office.
Education Secretary Betsy DeVos said Tuesday that urgent action is needed to keep students safe following last week's school shooting in Texas — but added that local and state governments bear the brunt of responsibility for campus safety.
"We must ensure our children are safe at school. This administration is committed to keeping our nation's students and teachers safe at school," DeVos told the House Education Committee.
From US House of Reps: Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici, a leader on the House Education Committee, stood up for students of color who are disproportionately identified for special education services, placed in more restrictive classroom settings, and disciplined at higher rates than their same-age white peers with disabilities.
U.S. Rep. Suzanne Bonamici fielded numerous questions from a group of eight, then all 100 students, enrolled in the Rachel Carson environmental magnet school within Five Oaks Middle School in Beaverton.
But even though Bonamici sits on the House education and science committees — and is the top Democrat on the environment subcommittee — many of the questions from the larger audience on Friday, May 11, were similar to those raised at her town hall meetings.

