Egged on by a state senator, Oregon's top expert on school funding told lawmakers Wednesday that the state should seriously consider directing a bigger share of school funding to help low-income students.

At this point, there's nothing surprising about a report that shows a chasm in opportunity between residents in the Portland area and those in rural Oregon. But the annual data book produced by Children First for Oregon provides a bleak reminder of just how stark those differences are.

Another school year has begun for Oregon students exactly as it has for decades. And nothing really has changed, much less improved, even though significant resources have been expended on school improvement and reform.

Oregon schools are delivering a massive new dose of early childhood education this fall: Full-day kindergarten, available to just 42 percent of 5-year-olds last year, will reach virtually every kindergartner in the state.

Nancy Golden, who for two years has overseen public education in Oregon from preschool to college, will retire in two weeks, Gov. Kate Brown announced Monday.