Relating to accommodations for students diagnosed with a brain injury; and declaring an emergency.
HB 3007 updates Oregon law governing school responses to students diagnosed with a concussion or other brain injury. The bill requires the Department of Education to create a procedure and sample form for public education providers to use in developing and implementing an immediate, temporary accommodations plan when a parent or guardian notifies the school that a student has been diagnosed by a health care professional and accommodations are requested. The plan is intended to protect the student’s safety and recovery, reduce the risk of reinjury, and support continued participation in school activities at an appropriate level.
The required procedure covers both physical and academic supports. Schools must consider immediate limits on physical activity such as physical education, recess, unstructured play, and similar activities, and must identify and communicate academic, social-emotional, behavioral, or other needed accommodations to teachers and relevant staff. The accommodations must be in place no later than 10 school days after written notice is received and reviewed as needed, but at least every two months. The bill applies beginning with the 2025-2026 school year and takes effect immediately because it includes an emergency clause.
HB 3007 amends ORS 336.495 and replaces the prior, more general form-based approach with a more detailed, mandatory process for school districts, public charter schools, and education service districts. It expands the Department of Education’s role from distributing a form to establishing a standardized procedure and sample form for immediate and temporary accommodations for students with concussions or other brain injuries. The bill affects school administrators, teachers, school nurses, counselors, coaches, athletic trainers, and other staff responsible for student supervision or health, and it creates a clearer statutory expectation that schools respond promptly to injury-related accommodation requests.
The bill appears to have broad bipartisan support and little visible opposition. It passed the House committee 8-0, the House floor 55-0, the Senate committee 5-0, the Senate floor 30-0, and the House concurrence vote 51-0. The unanimous votes suggest general agreement that schools should have a structured process to protect students recovering from brain injuries and to coordinate accommodations quickly.
No major points of contention are evident in the available record. The main policy choice reflected in the bill is the shift from optional, nonmedical accommodations described on a form to a required school procedure with timelines, communication duties, and periodic review. Any practical concerns would likely center on implementation burdens for schools, coordination among staff, and how much discretion schools retain in deciding which accommodations are appropriate, but the voting record does not show organized opposition or debate in the materials provided.