EL Directed Funding

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HB3499 has a clear accountability provision. The law under ORS 336.079(5)(e) stipulated that if a school district does not meet expected growth and expected benchmarks for student progress indicator, the Agency would direct the district to expend funds under ORS 327.013(1)(c)(A)(II) (ELL weight) for up to three years. The OAR 581-020-0621, which regulates district expenditure of monies for ELL district and school improvement was revised in May 2020 to clarify the metrics of progress and evaluation process.

Table of Contents

• Expenditure Direction Guidelines
• EL Expenditure Expense Code Categories
• Expenditure Direction Process
• Identify & Notify
• Laying the Foundation
• Making the Plan
• Public Notice
• Implementation & Monitoring
• Continuous Improvement

Expenditure Direction Guidelines

1. The expenditure direction development and implementation will be done in partnership and is meant to emphasize collaboration between ODE, districts, community, and other stakeholders.
2. The focus of the expenditure direction is the 0.5 ADM ELL weighted funding. ORS 327.013(7)(a)(B) specifies a weight of 0.5 for each eligible ELL student which is added to the regular weight of 1 for each student for a total of 1.5 weight for each ELL as defined under ORS 336.079. To maximize and leverage resources to systemically impact ELL outcomes, we should have knowledge of other funding sources (e.g., other general fund resources, Title III, HB 3499, Title I, and other funding sources)and their particular program and spending guidelines.
3. Ensure transparency and accountability to promote effective use of funds. For example, districts should publicly report school level expenditure data with enough detail to understand how monies are allocated.
4. Focus on high leverage evidence-based practices defined as instructional practices and/or program improvements recognized as effective in improving outcomes for ELL students. For example, family and community engagement, bilingual education, curriculum and instructional material, smaller class size, professional development. attracting and retaining high quality teachers, student assessment, and others.
5. ELL indicators need to go beyond standardized test scores. It should include language proficiency (in multiple languages), student growth, cultural understanding, social/emotional learning, etc.
6. The development and implementation of expenditure direction must be contextualized to meet the unique needs and goals of the ELL communities served by a district as well as the unique needs and goals of each schools' ELL communities. For example, this can include district size and location, program types and areas of focus, student characteristics, district and school resources, and other contextual factors.
7. The Oregon Department of Education should provide guidelines for all school districts to follow. Districts are all too often left without support and tend to revert to past practices and preferences instead of using evidence-based and innovative practices.
8. The development and implementation of expenditure direction must attend to the complex cultural and systemic policy and practice that produces disparate outcomes for ELLs. Too often the conversation surrounding ELLs is focused only on English language development rather than creating inclusive environments that dismantle oppression, marginalization and harm to ELLs.

EL Expenditure Expense Code Categories

Expenditure Direction Process

Identify & Notify

1. ODE will identify the districts that did and did not meet the expected growth and benchmarks for student progress indicators (Link to exit criteria when available)
2. ODE will provide written communication to each Target and Transformation district about their status and if they will require expenditure direction.
   • Leadership will reach out to districts identified for Directed Funding before information goes out. This is where we need leadership to support. We can provide district profile and talking points related to program.

Laying the Foundation

1. ODE will meet with each district team that will require expenditure direction to review the expected growth and benchmarks for student progress indicators results and to reflect upon the past four years to identify areas of strength and areas of growth.
2. ODE may meet with ELL community members from the district that will require expenditure direction to identify the district's areas of strengths and areas of growth from the perspective of the community.
3. ODE will convene a meeting with the district and the ELL community members it serves, to listen and discuss evidence based practices defined as instructional practices and/or program improvements recognized as effective in improving outcomes for ELL students that were used over the past four years and strategies for future direction.

Making the Plan

1. ODE will use state and district data and evidence based practices defined as instructional practices and/or program improvements recognized as effective in improving outcomes for ELL students to create an expenditure direction for each individual district team.
2. ODE will share and review the expenditure direction with each identified district and ELL community members and receive feedback.
3. ODE will revise expenditure direction based on district and ELL community feedback.

Public Notice

1. ODE will provide final expenditure direction to each individual district.
2. Each district will communicate to stakeholders about the expenditure direction through a community forum.
3. Each district will distribute a letter to parents informing them of the expenditure direction.
4. Each district will add expenditure direction information on their website.

Implementation & Monitoring

1. Each district will implement (with ODE support) as outlined in the expenditure direction.
2. Each district will submit quarterly reflective reports to ODE that indicate growth and challenges and next steps.
3. ODE will provide ongoing technical assistance to support the implementation of the expenditure direction.
4. Each district will submit an end-of-year report to ODE.

Continuous Improvement

1. This process will be repeated annually for up to three years unless the district meets the expected growth and benchmarks for student progress indicators.