Our Mission

The Lake Oswego Schools Foundation is an independent, 501(C)3 non-profit organization that through the support of the community raises money to provide more educational opportunities for students in Lake Oswego schools. All funds raised are distributed across all schools in the Lake Oswego School district for the benefit of each and every student.

Oregon's public school funding does not provide all the resources our community expects for Lake Oswego students.
For 40 years, our community has stepped up to help bridge that gap. Donations to the Foundation allow Lake Oswego to invest in additional teachers beyond what the District could otherwise fund.

All of the funds raised go to specific LOSD teaching positions throughout the district. Foundation donations give all Lake Oswego students greater opportunities to flourish. Your Foundation donations fund teachers who make many of these opportunities possible. It’s because of Foundation support, every elementary student has music instruction and reading assistance. And, every middle and high school student is offered an unmatched selection of electives in science, technology and the arts.

The Annual Teachers Fund is the Foundation's primary fundraising fund and the heart of our mission.
Donations to the Annual Teachers Fund are used to fund additional teaching positions throughout the Lake Oswego School District.

Both are important, but they serve different purposes.
School PTOs, PTSOs, and PTAs typically support programs, activities, events, supplies, and community-building at an individual school.
The Lake Oswego Schools Foundation raises funds to support additional teaching positions throughout the district.
Supporting both is a great way to invest in your individual school and in excellent education across Lake Oswego.

No. The Lake Oswego Schools Foundation is the only fundraising organization in our district that can fund teaching positions. PTOs provide valuable support for individual schools through programs, activities, supplies, events, and other school-specific needs, while the Foundation raises funds to support additional teachers across all 11 Lake Oswego schools.

Each of our 11 schools has its own personality, traditions, and strong community. At the same time, Lake Oswego is one school district, and every student should have access to a similarly excellent educational experience—regardless of which school they attend.
That’s why teaching positions are funded district-wide rather than school by school. Donations to the Annual Teachers Fund are pooled together and used to support additional teaching positions across the district, helping ensure that resources and opportunities are distributed based on student needs.

This approach allows families to support their own school community through their PTO while supporting teachers and educational opportunities for all Lake Oswego students through the Foundation.

The Lake Oswego School District determines staffing based on enrollment, student needs, educational priorities, and available resources.
The Foundation provides funding to the District specifically to support additional teaching positions.