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Oregon Achieves... Together!
A Message from the Director of the Oregon Department of Education, Dr. Charlene Williams
Dear Education Community,
Happy Black History Month and Career and Technical Education (CTE) Month! Some of you may know, my journey in education was powerfully influenced by Black teachers and allies who exposed me to representation in multiple fields and cultivated a belief that I could do anything. I was in awe of Black pioneers such as Mary McCLoud Bethune, Dr. Charles Drew, Garrett Morgan, Madam C.J. Walker, Shirley Chisolm, Carter G. Woodson, Lewis Lattimer, Harriet Tubman, Ben Carson, Elijah McCoy and so many others. Thanks to strategic efforts to diversify the STEM field, I entered education as a mathematics instructor and have been on a mission ever since to eliminate barriers for students. This month, we would like to highlight this story about an ODE grant to increase diversity in computer science. We are grateful for opportunities to partner with educators to provide these important experiences for Oregon students.
Short Session Priorities
We are in the midst of the short legislative session and we remain committed to our efforts to accelerate learning for our scholars. We are pleased to be working with the Governor’s Office and Rep. McLain on HB 4082 for Summer Learning funding and with Sen. Jama on SB 1532, which will codify and provide grant funding for the Refugee/Immigrant Student Success Plan.
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February is Black History Month, and although Black history should be included and celebrated year-round, it is worth recalling that the original celebration of Black history, championed by Carter G. Woodson was first recognized in 1926 and was only one week long. It took another fifty years for a declaration of Black History Month. While heritage months are helpful reminders of our national past, we have seen tremendous progress among social science and humanities educators working to include Black history not merely as the shaded pages of a U.S. History textbook but as a bright thread running through the fabric of the human story. We teach Black history because of its centrality to U.S. and world history.
This month's Oregon Open Learning newsletter is dedicated to celebrating K-12 Black History Open Educational Resources (OER) as well as listening to the voices of Oregon educators. There are more than 70 Oregon Open Learning Black History OER, including many for elementary classrooms.
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Each February we celebrate Career and Technical Education (CTE) and the opportunities that students receive by participation in programs that help them develop technical skills, employability skills and self-awareness about their employment options. Early career exploration provides valuable insights into individual interests and aptitudes, enabling students to align their passions with a suitable CTE program. Now is also a great time to energize students to consider participating in a CTE program of study during forecasting.
What is your school or district doing to feature the accomplishments of CTE programs of study? Are you thanking CTE teachers, highlighting student work, and hosting a CTE showcase event for students and families? Revisit the January CCL newsletter for ideas and resources to promote CTE in your school or district! Share with the rest of the state too!
To promote the importance of CTE, the CTE Youth Advisory Council, sponsored by the Oregon Department of Education and the Higher Education Coordinating Commission, has launched the #ThisIsCTE social media campaign in February 2024. Follow ODE on X to see how students are engaging, growing and learning thanks to CTE.
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The statewide graduation rate for the class of 2023 is 81.3 percent, tying the previous class as the second highest graduation rate ever recorded in Oregon, according to data released by the Oregon Department of Education (ODE).
While the overall rate held steady, some student groups reached all-time highs for graduation including former English Learners (87.6%) and Migrant students (81.6%).
“These 37,700 graduates overcame historic challenges to earn their diploma. During their journey to graduation the class of 2023 endured the full, multi-year impact of COVID and its aftermath,” said Dr. Charlene Williams, Oregon Department of Education Director. “Each diploma represents an inspiring step forward for a student, their loved ones, and their community. With impressive grit and resourcefulness they worked their way through the jarring and isolating impacts of the pandemic to earn their education. We need to maintain high expectations and provide high levels of support that will lead to academic excellence for all of our students. Each and every child from birth through 5th grade must be set up for success in learning to read and reading to learn and be provided opportunities to find their path to graduation success and their dream career.”
More about the Class of 2023...
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