Immigrant Refugee Student Success

Senate Bill 1532, passed during the 2024 Legislative Session, directs the Oregon Department of Education (ODE) to develop and implement a statewide education plan for immigrant and refugee students. This plan supports students in early childhood through post-secondary education programs.

To ensure the plan reflects the needs and aspirations of Oregon's immigrant and refugee communities, ODE will convene an advisory group. This group consists of representatives from immigrant and refugee communities and key partners across the state, who are helping shape the plan's creation and implementation.

Through this initiative, ODE will award grants to:

Early Learning Hubs
Providers of early learning services
School districts and Educational Service Districts
Post-secondary institutions
Tribal governments
Community-Based Organizations
Consortia of eligible entities

These grants will fund the strategies outlined in the plan, focusing on increasing success for immigrant and refugee students at every educational level.

The Immigrant and Refugee Student Success Plan

The well-being of Oregon as a whole is inextricably intertwined with the well-being of its immigrant and refugee communities. As a sanctuary state, we have a responsibility to ensure that our educational systems are prepared to serve the needs of students who are new to our nation and/or have been forced to leave their country for any multitude of reasons, such as war, persecution, or natural disaster. The Immigrant and Refugee Student Success Plan provides systemic opportunities for local education agencies to partner with community-based and culturally specific organizations, and other entities that have expertise in creating and improving equitable services for immigrants and refugees. This plan allows ODE to better serve a unique student population with varying and unique needs – including translation services, wrap-around resources, outreach, trust-building, and partnership with community-serving organizations.

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