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 $76.6 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 is available here.