January 2023 Education Update

Oregon Achieves... Together!

A Message from the Director of the Oregon Department of Education, Colt Gill

On January 6, Governor Tina Kotek (who was Governor-Elect at the time) shared that I plan to retire later this year after the Legislative Session. Even though our state will continue to face challenges, I truly believe this is a good time for children in Oregon. Governor Kotek is focusing on three priorities: Housing, behavioral health, and education. This focus and her long track record of accomplishment bodes well for our kids. Although I very much look forward to retirement after 34 years in education in Oregon, I know I will miss this work, I will miss working with all of you in our districts and communities, and I will miss working under the Governor’s leadership. This work has been a privileged opportunity, an opportunity of a lifetime, and one that I strived to assign deep responsibility to and treat as such.

Although my time in this capacity of service to our educators, students, families, and communities is coming to an end, I will work hard over the next several months to support Governor Kotek and her goals for Oregon’s children. Our efforts over the last several years are closely aligned with the Governor’s goals. I will be working with legislators to focus on these priorities. And, I’ll be supporting the incoming leadership throughout the transition. My efforts will be on ensuring a planful, informed and smooth transition that allows the team at ODE to continue building on our partnership with schools and community.

The Governor’s press release also named her education staff. I have had the opportunity to work with both members of the Governor’s education team, Pooja Bhatt and Melissa Goff, over the years. They will be incredible partners in education equity and excellence. They carry expertise in working with diverse communities and lifting their voice. They have expertise across early learning and K-12 in increasing academic rigor, attending to social-emotional development, addressing school safety, developing quality instructional leadership, and more. With Pooja and Melissa, Oregon has strong and knowledgeable partners in the Governor’s Office.

A bit of reflection...

We have had our share of incredible accomplishments and challenging times over the last 5+ years that I have been at ODE. We shared a unique time in history together, leading communities through some state and national tragedies, including a global pandemic, historic wildfires, the beginning of a reckoning on racial inequities, and deep political divide. We also implemented Oregon’s largest public education investment in more than three decades. We have introduced new models of accountability that drive change, rather than shame communities. And, we have been steadfast advocates for education equity, even as dominant culture pushes against our leadership that welcomes, honors and serves all.

I’m incredibly proud of what we have accomplished together. The Governor, education leaders, legislators, the nine tribal nations, COSA, OSBA, OEA, OSEA, OASBO, OAESD, Stand for Children, FBO, and so many community-based organizations found incredible ways to partner over the last few years - and that partnership created meaningful investments and policy shifts, including:

I have more reflection to share, but this is not the time. In this time I will focus on our work ahead and on supporting a smooth and planful transition. For now, let’s continue to team and do what we can to support our students, educators, and families.

ODE Releases Supporting Gender Expansive Students: Guidance for Schools

On January 5, the Oregon Department of Education (ODE) proudly published Supporting Gender Expansive Students: Guidance for Schools. This guidance is grounded in the recognition, respect, affirmation, friendship, joy, belonging, and safety every human deserves - including the students, staff, and families that make-up our school communities.

“Gender expansive students are protected under federal and Oregon civil rights laws. School districts have a responsibility to provide a safe and affirming educational environment for all students, including gender expansive students,” Oregon Department of Education Director Colt Gill said. “Affirming and supportive educators, schools, families, friends, and communities are shown to increase academic success, feelings of belonging, and reduce negative mental health outcomes.”

"These gender-affirming best practices from the Oregon Department of Education will help our schools to build safe learning environments where gender expansive students feel welcome, accepted, and celebrated for who they are," said Governor Kate Brown. "It's critical that we continue to work towards ensuring that Oregon's gender expansive students have access to all the same opportunities for learning, achievement, and success as their peers––without fear of discrimination and harassment. If you are a gender expansive student in Oregon, please know this––you are seen, you are loved, and you will always have a place in Oregon's public schools."

This guidance revision was developed with input from over 500 students, parents, community members, educators, district leaders, statewide education partners, LGBTQ2SIA+ community-based organizations, culturally-specific organizations, the Oregon Health Authority (OHA), and ODE staff from many offices and teams. This updated guidance clarifies new and evolving laws and policies in order to address the diverse needs of a broad range of gender expansive students and the school districts who serve them.

This guidance update replaces the previously released Guidance to School Districts: Creating a Safe and Supportive School Environment for Transgender Students from 2016. ODE’s 2016 guidance was one of the first statewide guidance documents in the nation to assist K-12 schools to synthesize state law, federal law, and best practice in order to support transgender students.

Key Points in the Updated Guidance:

Expanded and clarified support for all gender expansive students, including but not limited to transgender, nonbinary, two spirit, intersex, agender, genderqueer, and genderfluid identities.
Recommendations for merging legal requirements with best practice in the classroom, in school activities, in school policies and procedures, and more.
Additional implementation examples grounded in the technical support requested by Oregon school districts.

Additional Resources for School Districts, Students and Families

Alongside the guidance, ODE is releasing a set of tools that offer districts best practices and recommendations to implement gender-affirming practices each day. At the request of students and community members, there are also student- and family-facing resource documents that outline the support that can be requested and affirmed within Oregon public schools and communities.

For School Districts:

An action planning tool outlining specific resources for gender-affirming schools (for administrators, educators, and all school staff)
A student support and safety planning template (for administrators, school health providers, educators, students, families)
A document that outlines options for affirming gender, names, and pronouns within student information systems (SIS) (for administrators and registrars)
A document that explains the expanded options for gender markers on the standard Individual Education Program (IEP) template (for administrators, IEP teams, and families)

For Students and Families:

A list of gender-affirming care and crisis response resources in Oregon (for school health providers, health educators, students, and families)
Answers to frequently asked questions about filing a discrimination complaint (for students and families)
A one-pager outlining supportive options available to LGBTQ2SIA+ students in Oregon (for students and families)

The publication of this guidance comes during a tumultuous time for LGBTQ2SIA+ communities nationwide, as well as in Oregon. In the face of ongoing anger and violence, gender expansive students are resilient, as are the LGBTQ2SIA+ communities that lift them up all across Oregon. 8% of Oregon students who identify as transgender, questioning, or gender expansive are part of our communities and our classrooms, our school plays, our after school clubs, our bands and orchestras, our leadership programs, and our sports teams. LGBTQ2SIA+ youth report finding sources of joy in self-acceptance, supportive teachers, falling in love, playing sports, parental support, LGBTQ2SIA+ student clubs, and affirming friends, among others.

As directed by the State Legislature in 2021, this guidance is one way ODE is prioritizing the LGBTQ2SIA+ Student Success Plan strategy which states, “ODE demonstrates leadership to districts, schools, and families by collecting and disseminating resources, providing guidance and coaching, addressing violations of policy in a timely manner, and proactively building districts’ capacity to create trusting, connected and inclusive environments.” (Student Success Plan Domain 3, Objective 2).

“It is our responsibility to move beyond mere tolerance and inclusion toward respectful, affirming, and celebratory school communities where all students belong and succeed,” Gill said. “Gender expansive students who are absent due to fear, or who spend their school day feeling unsafe, are prevented from accessing their right to an education. In partnership with each of our school districts, we can make 2023 a year of wraparound support for LGBTQ2SIA+ youth in Oregon.”

Coming February 2023: The Oregon Statewide Educator Survey

The Educator Advancement Council is pleased to re-introduce the Oregon Statewide Educator Survey (OSES), formerly known as the TELL Oregon Survey.

This online, anonymous school survey is for all school-based, licensed educators and instructional staff, including administrators. The survey offers educators an opportunity to provide input on conditions that can be used to inform state, district and school improvements.

The redesigned survey will take place in February of 2023. A printable version of the Save the Date is available to share with educators in your network.

Additional information about the survey date, materials, and rollout coming soon! For FAQs and to learn more, please visit the Educator Advancement Council’s OSES page.

U.S. Senate Youth Delegates Announced

Congratulations to Beaverton School District seniors Caleb Bello and Daniel Hadi for being selected to the U.S. Senate Youth Program (USSYP)! The pair will join U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley in representing Oregon during the 61st annual USSYP Washington Week, to be held March 4 - 11, 2023. In addition to the Washington Week experience, each delegate will also receive a $10,000 college scholarship for undergraduate study.

Bello is a senior at the International School of Beaverton and serves as the vice president of the National English Honor Society. He also serves as senior class officer for Student Council and served this year as student representative of the Beaverton School District World Language Project team. Hadi is a senior at Mountainside High School and serves as the Beaverton Mayor's Cabinet youth representative. He is also a youth ambassador to the United Nations and a U.S. State Department Arabic Studies youth ambassador.

The USSYP was created in 1962 "to increase young Americans’ understanding of the interrelationships of the three branches of government, learn the caliber and responsibilities of federally elected and appointed officials, and emphasize the vital importance of democratic decision making not only for America but for people around the world." Two delegates are chosen from each state, the District of Columbia and the Department of Defense Education Activity - with an intensive week-long study of the federal government and the people who lead it. The overall mission of the program is to help instill within each class of USSYP student delegates more profound knowledge of the American political process and a lifelong commitment to public service.

Chosen as alternates to the 2023 program were Katherine Parrish from Corvallis High School and Melanie Glatter of Hood River Valley High School.

New Coaching Competencies Guidance for Early Learning Educators in Oregon

How do instructional coaches help preschool teachers improve? The Early Learning Division asked colleagues at the Oregon State University’s Early Learning System Initiative (ELSI) to help answer that question. The result was new guidance on what coaches do to effectively support quality teaching and learning, as shared in the Oregon Coaching Competencies.

The ELD is committed to providing high-quality public preschool programs. By developing Coaching Competencies, the agency has clearly defined how coaches support early childhood educators. Coaches will receive training that empowers them to be even greater support for early educators in public programs like Preschool Promise, Head Start and Oregon Prenatal to Kindergarten (OPK).

Coaches play an important role in creating a genuinely effective Early Learning System. Coaches work with teaching teams to improve teaching and learning methods used by the early learning educators on those teams. They make connections with diverse people to learn together and promote collaborative partnerships. The result means that coaches use effective coaching techniques with culturally responsive coaching methods to help early learning educators work better with the children and families they serve.

The ELD and the Professional Early Learning Systems team thank ELSI, a partner in developing the Oregon Coaching Competencies. ELSI helped with research methods and engaging with the early learning educator community, developing the competencies over the course of a year.

OSBA’s “Get on Board” campaign encourages candidates for school board

With Oregon school board elections fast approaching this May 16, the Oregon School Boards Association is encouraging individuals to run for these important volunteer positions.

OSBA is providing resources and training through its “Get on Board” campaign, and especially encourages candidates of color to run for local seats. A free, Jan. 25 webinar (the power of diversity) for the campaign is available via www.getonboardoregon.org. There you will find background information and registration links.

In addition, a short video outlines what school board members do.

The filing period for school board seats opens Feb. 4 and closes March 16. School board elections in Oregon are held every two years.

Award Opportunities From the State Treasurer’s Office

Extra support for Oregon students

The Oregon College Savings Plan’s annual Diversity in Leadership Scholarship is now open and accepting applications. This multiyear scholarship (up to $25,000) was created to make higher education more accessible to underrepresented Oregon students pursuing a degree in-state. The scholarship can be used for trade school, university, community college, apprenticeships, and beyond. Applications are due March 1, 2023, so help us spread the word to the students in your life and encourage them to chase their dreams.

Financial Empowerment Awards

The Oregon College Savings Plan (OCSP) is an official sponsor of Treasury’s Financial Empowerment Awards, which celebrate standout educators and community organizations who champion financial literacy. The 2023 awards are fast approaching, so it’s time to nominate candidates from your local Oregon community. If you know someone who promotes financial education, submit their name, and they may become a 2023 award winner. We love to have your help to find the next financial literacy superstar here in Oregon, nominations are due March 1, 2023.

ODE In the News

Former Governor Kate Brown and ODE Director Colt Gill published an op-ed in the Portland Tribune about the need for schools to be open and welcoming to all students, including the LGBTQ2SIA+ community.
OSBA shared ODE’s call for districts to send in their ESSER stories so that we can spread the word about how this historic investment is helping communities.
KTVZ in Bend reported on the grants ODE is offering for new Summer Food Program sponsors.

Student Spotlight

The Salem Reporter talked with a Four Corners Elementary 4th grader who has published his own horror story.
The Bulletin highlighted a CTE program where students are building homes for the houseless.
Oregon Capital Chronicle talked with a McKenzie River Community School sophomore who is advocating for a lowering of the voting age, and getting lawmakers to listen.