Relating to services to improve school attendance.
Summary
HB 2374 establishes the CARE Program within the Youth Development Division of the Oregon Department of Human Services to help improve school attendance by supporting families and reducing barriers that contribute to chronic absenteeism. The program is designed to strengthen the school-to-home connection, coordinate social services, and address basic needs that may interfere with a student’s ability to attend school regularly.
The bill directs the division to award competitive grants to counties or other local entities to operate local CARE programs. Those local programs may provide advocacy at school and health care appointments, family education and support, and help families apply for and access resources such as food assistance, TANF, WIC, substance use disorder treatment, mental health services, vision care, and dental care. Participating school districts must refer students identified as needing attendance support, along with their families, to the nearest local CARE program for a needs assessment and services.
Impact
HB 2374 creates a new state-administered grant program and adds a referral pathway for school districts to connect chronically absent or attendance-challenged students with family support services. It affects the Department of Human Services’ Youth Development Division by assigning it rulemaking authority, grant administration duties, and oversight of local CARE programs, while also imposing a new obligation on participating school districts to refer students for assistance. The bill is intended to influence attendance outcomes by linking education systems with social service delivery and basic-needs supports.
Sentiment
The available voting history suggests broad support for the measure: the House committee voted 9-0 to do pass with amendments and refer the bill to Ways and Means by prior reference. The bill’s framing as a family-support and attendance-improvement measure indicates generally positive sentiment around its goals of helping students stay engaged in school and addressing unmet needs that can drive absenteeism. No committee transcript is available here, so the record does not show detailed debate or opposition.
Contention
No major opposition is reflected in the provided materials, but the bill’s likely points of discussion are the scope of state involvement, the cost of a new grant program, and the administrative burden on school districts and local entities. The measure also touches on sensitive service areas—mental health, substance use treatment, housing-related supports, and family advocacy—which can raise questions about program design, eligibility, and how broadly attendance-related services should be funded. Because the bill requires rulemaking and competitive grants, implementation details and funding levels are likely the main areas where concerns could arise.