SALEM — Oregon’s K-12 public schools in 2025 will receive a record $76.8 million from the Common School Fund.
Oregon has 197 public school districts; the average 2025 distribution is $389,607. The amount of funding depends on the student population in each county and district, according to the announcement. School districts in Baker, Grant, Morrow, Union, Umatilla and Wallowa counties will receive more than $2.9 million.
State officials on Friday, March 14, announced the funding.
“Across the country, school districts are facing budget shortages caused by the expiration of federal pandemic relief dollars, declining enrollment, increasing costs due to inflation, and many other factors,” Gov. Tina Kotek said in the announcement. She called the Common School Fund “a critical and reliable resource” for student success.
The Common School Fund’s value as of February was $2.38 billion. The state distributes 3.5% annually to schools. The 2025 distribution of $76.8 million is $2.4 million more than the 2024 distribution and $4.4 million more than the 2023 distribution. The funding comes in two equal — the first in February and the second in July.
School districts can use the money for anything from instruction to infrastructure. It is separate from the public education budget, which the Oregon Legislature sets.
The Common School Fund has contributed to schools since Oregon became a state, when the federal government granted nearly 3.4 million acres “for the use of schools.” The State Land Board – Oregon’s governor, secretary of state and state treasurer – oversee these school lands dedicated to generating revenue for the Common School Fund. The state Department of Treasury manages the fund with oversight from the Oregon Investment Council.
The Department of State Lands on behalf of the State Land Board manages about 681,000 acres of school lands statewide. School lands generated $7.2 million in revenue during fiscal year 2024.
Total allocations to school districts by county
Baker County
Baker SD $242,421
Burnt River SD $4,893
Pine Eagle SD $28,034
Total: $278,348
Grant County
Dayville SD $5,793
John Day SD $61,879
Long Creek SD $2,529
Prairie City SD $31,769
Total: $101,970
Morrow County
Ione SD $15,901
Morrow SD $288,279
Total: $304,180
Umatilla County
Athena‐Weston SD $69,644
Echo SD $41,685
Helix SD $24,313
Hermiston SD $700,503
Milton‐Freewater Unified SD $203,245
Pendleton SD $384,229
Pilot Rock SD $38,745
Stanfield SD $67,104
Ukiah SD $3,745
Umatilla SD $183,738
Total: $1,716,951
Union County
Cove SD $43,547
Elgin SD $57,951
Imbler SD $45,024
La Grande SD $290,515
Union SD $53,566
Total: $445,579
Wallowa County
Enterprise SD $57,104
Joseph SD $37,802
Troy SD $271
Total: $95,177
Total for all the six counties: $2,944,205
The full list of Common School Fund distributions can be found here.
