Click the image below to watch ODE Director Colt Gill's message to the Class of 2023!

May Is…

There is a lot to commemorate in May! Click on each link below for resources that will help incorporate these topics into schools:

• Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month
• Jewish American Heritage Month
• Mental Health Awareness Month
• Military Appreciation Month
• Wildfire Awareness Month

Seeking Teachers and Teacher Leaders

A new ESSER III-funded partnership between Oregon State University and ODE will support hundreds of teachers and teacher leaders as they spearhead an effort to address unfinished learning, particularly within K-8 literacy and mathematics subject areas inclusive of multilingual learners and learners experiencing disabilities. Participants will identify problems of practice and co-design practical solutions to support teaching and learning for all students. Funding available for your work!

Learn more or indicate your interest in participating here.

About this initiative: Oregon has invested $9 million of the State Set-Aside Emergency and Secondary Schools Emergency Relief Funds (ESSER III) to support Oregon educators in addressing unfinished learning, specifically in literacy and mathematics. Through this partnership with OSU, ODE will invest funds to strengthen instructional leadership throughout the state, develop educator resources to accelerate student learning and create professional learning opportunities. Learn more about this and other ESSER III-funded initiatives on the ODE website. #ESSERImpactOR

Oregon School for the Deaf Student Competes on National Stage

Congratulations to Oregon School for the Deaf junior Kari Morgan who represented the state this week at the National Poetry Out Loud competition in Washington, D.C. And while Kari did not make it to the final round, she represented our state and her school very well. You can check out the Oregon School for the Deaf’s Facebook page for plenty of pictures of Kari’s experience in the nation’s capital. You can also watch one of her performances that earned her the 2023 state title back in March. It’s the second consecutive year an OSD student won the state competition. Trayshun Holmes-Gournaris was the 2022 champ.

U.S. Presidential Scholars Announced

On May 10, U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona announced the 2023 class of U.S. Presidential Scholars, recognizing 161 high school seniors for their accomplishments in academics, the arts and career and technical education fields. Congratulations to Caroline Xingyan Gao of West Albany High School in the Greater Albany School District and Rishab K. Jain of Westview High School in the Beaverton School District for being named U.S. Presidential Scholars! More about the Presidential Scholars program...

Provider Report Explores Pandemic-Driven Decisions 

The COVID-19 pandemic brought widespread disruptions, closures, and chaos to early learning and care services and systems designed to support family well-being. To understand how state and local agencies could better support Oregon-based child care programs and help them remain open during public health emergencies or other situations that create pressure for closures, researchers at Portland State University (PSU) Center for Improvement of Child and Family Services (CCF) and OSLC Developments, Inc. (ODI) conducted a study.  The goal of this study was to learn from home-based child care providers who made the decision to close permanently during the pandemic and understand why they closed, and what, if any, supports might have enabled them to stay open and continue to serve families with young children.  Home-based providers represent an important component of the child care system and provide much-needed care for many of Oregon’s families who identify as Black, indigenous, and persons of color. Further, home-based providers may be less likely than center-based programs to have cash reserves and other resources that might help them stay in business during emergencies such as that posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.  To learn more, read the executive summary (multiple languages) and the entire report.

Be sure to check out our Twitter page and follow us to stay up-to-date on everything that's happening in education in Oregon!

May 12 is Provider Appreciation Day!

Early Learning Division Director Alyssa Chatterjee made the following statement about Provider Appreciation Day on May 12:

This week, Oregon joins states around the country in recognizing the important work of child care providers, with Provider Appreciation Day on May 12th. We know that 95% of a child’s brain growth occurs before the age of five, and 65% of all children under the age of six have both parents in the workforce. With dedication and professional skills, child care providers create spaces that support children to learn and thrive while also making it possible for families to be successful in the workforce. Simply put, child care providers are the workers that make all work possible.

Continue reading the statement...

Healthy Families Oregon Celebrates 30 Years 

Healthy Families Oregon (HFO) is celebrating 30 years of supporting families in building a strong foundation for our communities and families. 

HFO is a free, voluntary home visiting program offering support and education to Oregon families who are expecting or parenting newborns. 

More about HFO...

ODE In the News

The Roseburg News-Review and KQEN Radio in Roseburg both reported on the Wellness Award that ODE gives out every year with the help of the Nutrition Council of Oregon, the Oregon Dairy and Nutrition Council and OregonASK.

Student Spotlight

OSBA talked with Hillsboro students going through the high school apprenticeship program that is the first of its kind in the state.

The Ontario Argus Observer spotlighted two students graduating this spring who already each have 30 college credits to their name.

The Bend Source Weekly featured students creating assistive technologies to help their peers who are experiencing disabilities get through their school day easier.