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Updates from the Oregon Department of Education
1.Important Update – Change in Parent Notification Letters
2.Call for Nominations: 2024 Migrant Education Awards!
Upcoming Events, Training & Conference Opportunities
1.Webinar: Improving Access to Core Content for Multilingual Learners, August 28, 2024
2.Webinar: English Language Forum – Episode 1 of Translating vs. Translanguaging, August 28, 2024 (Repost)
1. Important Update – Change in Parent Notification Letters
As the school year gets underway, the Oregon Department of Education (ODE) wants to make you aware of a change in service for providing the federally mandated Parental Notification letters (i.e., parent and student rights to educational and linguistic services). ODE’s contract with TransAct, the vendor which has provided these parent notices, expired in July 2024.
Background
ODE spent the last year connecting with districts to best understand their parent notification needs as it relates to being in compliance with federal law. Then, in spring 2024, ODE released a Request for Information (RFI) to determine which vendors could potentially provide a service offering parental notices that could be integrated into district student information systems at a reasonable cost. After reviewing the submissions from the RFI, analyzing district usage data and considering cost and available funding, ODE made the decision not to pursue a contract with a vendor and to directly provide letters for the most frequently downloaded parental notifications.
What this Means for Districts
These letters will be posted and editable by districts to customize to meet their communication needs. ODE will develop and post letters to meet the parent notification requirements regarding the educator and paraprofessional qualifications as well as the parental notification requirements for identifying and serving our multilingual students. ODE is working to translate the letters into the following language as soon as possible:
All letters will be linked to the Federal Programs homepage. For questions and more information, please contact Liz Ross, Director of the Federal Systems Team.
Section image from Pixabay.
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3. Introducing the 2024-25 Migrant State Parent Advisory Committee President and Vice President
We are excited to announce that this month marks a significant milestone for the Migrant Education regions, as executive leaders have proudly appointed the new State Parent Advisory Committee (SPAC) President and Vice President.
- Sra. Elvira Josafat, a migrant mother at the Forest Grove SD region, has been chosen to lead as the new SPAC President.
- Sra. Susana Salinas, a migrant mother at the Lane ESD region, will serve as the new SPAC Vice President.
The Title I-C team is privileged to have the strength and leadership of these remarkable migrant mothers. Su dedicación y compromiso son un ejemplo inspirador para toda nuestra comunidad.
 Pictured from left to right: Sra. Elvia Josafat and Sra. Susana Salinas
For questions about SPAC, please contact Yuliana Kenfield, Migrant Education Specialist.
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4. August 2024 ELPA Informational Webinar Scheduled
The August 2024 English Language Proficiency Assessment (ELPA) Informational Webinar is now available for registration. This optional webinar provides an overview of updates regarding ELPA testing and related policy.
The webinar will be held via Zoom. Register for webinars at the following links:
Information shared in this webinar will also be made available asynchronously. Webinar slides and a compiled Q&A will be posted after the second session. Note that the morning and afternoon sessions are identical; there is no need to register for both.
Please contact Ben Wolcott, ELPA Specialist, with any questions or concerns.
5. Oregon Department of Education Early Literacy Update
On August 2, 2024, the Oregon Department of Education (ODE) released the Request for Information (RFI) for providers of Professional Development, Coaching and High-Dosage Tutoring for the Early Literacy Success School District Grants (ELSSDG). Starting in 2025, if school districts choose to use ELSSDG funding to contract with external providers, they must select from the ODE-Approved Provider List.
In order for providers to be added to the approved list, they must complete and submit the RFI. The RFI will remain open until October 1, 2024, and the final list will be published by January 15, 2025.We highly encourage vendors that offer professional development on literacy and biliteracy for multilingual learners to apply and encourage to share this information widely!
Helpful Links:
If you have any further questions, please email k12.literacy@ode.oregon.gov.
6. Preliminary Test Administration Manuals Now Available for All State Assessments, Including ELPA
The Preliminary Test Administration Manual (TAM), Preliminary Oregon Accessibility Manual (OAM), and final SEED Survey Manual have been published and are available on the Test Administration page. Please note that the Preliminary TAM and the Preliminary OAM will be updated to their final versions by or before October 1, 2024.
Key Updates:
- The Preliminary Test Administration Manual outlines policies and procedures for the Oregon statewide assessments. Notable updates in this version include:
- Updated ORExt training requirements
- New Section 3.7, which describes Test Administration Monitoring
- Information on new Parent Opt-Out and Parent Request for Exemption fields
- See Section 1.3 Summary of Changes for more
2. The Preliminary Oregon Accessibility Manual outlines policies and requirements governing the provision of accessibility support for students participating in Oregon’s Statewide Assessments.
3. The SEED Survey Administration Manual contains necessary guidance and technical information to administer the Student Educational Equity Development (SEED) Survey.
Please contact the Assessment Team with questions or concerns.
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1. Opportunity: Translation Advisory Council in Need of New Members
The Translation Advisory Council anticipates the addition of new language members to comply with Senate Bill 1533. Council members review professional translations of state and county Voters’ Pamphlets to ensure they are accurate and serve voters whose first language is not English.
Secretary of State LaVonne Griffin-Valade invites applicants who speak Farsi, Iu Mien, Khmer, Nepali, and Somali and Chinese speakers who read and write Traditional Chinese characters to consider serving their language communities in this dynamic role. New member service begins in December 2024.
To be a member of the TAC, a person must be a resident of Oregon and have civic service and lived experience in a community served by translated voters’ pamphlets and be proficient in English and one of the Council languages. To apply, visit the Translation Advisory Council website.
There is no deadline to apply. Applications are accepted and reviewed on a rolling basis. However, for most competitive consideration, applications should be submitted by October 1, 2024. Previous and current applications are kept on file and may be used in selecting members for current and future vacancies.
For more information about the Translation Advisory Council, please contact (971) 358-3075 or email. TAC.info@sos.oregon.gov.
Section image from Pixabay.
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2. Resource: Systems Framework to Support Dual Language Learning in Early Care and Education Settings
The Preschool Development Grant Birth Through Five (PDG B-5) Technical Assistance Center released a 5-document Systems Framework to Support Dual Language Learning in ECE Settings to provide practical recommendations and highlight high-quality resources. This five-part series is available in English and Spanish and includes:
English
To access the Spanish version of these documents, please use the following link: Spanish PDFs.
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3. Resource: Journal of Education for Multilingualism Has Released Its First Journal
Are you navigating the complexities of multilingual education? The Journal of Education for Multilingualism (JEM) is a leading international, online-only, and open-access scholarly journal focused on multilingual education. JEM provides a platform for rigorous research and analysis on the education of multilingual individuals spanning from kindergarten through higher education and focuses on workplace literacy settings. The journal encourages scholarship grounded in interdisciplinary frameworks that offer insights from related disciplines such as applied linguistics, school psychology, linguistic anthropology, and sociology of education. Articles in JEM, written in English, offer valuable insights for educators and researchers dedicated to advancing the field of multilingual education. Stay at the forefront of the latest research and insights by diving into A New Educational Research Journal that Advocates for Multilingualism today.
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4. Resource: Arts, Care & Connection – Integrating Arts and Social-Emotional Learning in Oregon’s K-5 Classrooms
As the new school year begins, Arts for Learning Northwest, in collaboration with the Oregon Department of Education (ODE), is launching Arts, Care & Connection, a series of four free arts courses for K-5 students across Oregon in alignment with ODE’s Integrated Model of Mental Health and Transformative Social Emotional Learning Framework and Standards. These courses integrate social-emotional learning and mental health promotion through dance, visual arts, theater, and music, led by talented teaching artists from around the state. The lessons are accessible and scaffolded, providing classroom teachers with the tools to incorporate arts instruction into their daily routines. As you plan for the year ahead, revisit ODE’s Care & Connection resources to continue fostering connection, care, and community in your classroom. Read the full details and access the PDF about this collaborative project here.
Section photo from Pixabay.
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1. Webinar: Improving Access to Core Content for Multilingual Learners, August 28, 2024
Join WestEd’s National R&D Center to Improve Education for Secondary English Learners for the third session in its webinar series, Where the Evidence Leads: Preliminary Findings From IES-Funded English Learner Research Studies. Researchers Ilana Umansky, University of Oregon, and Karen Thompson, Oregon State University, will present new statistical findings regarding the likelihood of English learners to be enrolled in requisite core academic content courses, various factors involved, and implications for English learner high school graduation eligibility.
In this informative webinar session, Center researchers will describe patterns evident from data analysis across several states (for example, to what extent do English learners have access to core content courses from grades 9–12?).
To attend, register via WestEd’s website, and please note that participation in past sessions in the series is not required to benefit from the current offering. This event is for school, district, and state administrators; directors of multilingual and English learner programs; policymakers; and researchers.
Please contact Erica Lepping with any questions about this event.
Section photo from Pixabay.
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2. Webinar: English Language Forum – Episode 1 of Translating vs. Translanguaging, August 28, 2024 (Repost)
Digital translation tools may seem to have solved the language barrier for monolingual teachers, but they haven't. On-demand translation for English Learners (ELs), especially newcomers, can hinder long-term English acquisition and create poor instructional habits. So, what should teachers do instead? Find out at the EL Pandemic Recovery Forum Office Hours on Wednesday, August 28th, at 4 p.m. PST. Dr. Lillian Ardell will discuss translating vs. translanguaging pedagogy and offer practical insights to improve classroom equity for ELs.
3. Webinar: REACHing the Mental Health Needs of Agricultural Workers and their Families, September 26, 2024
Join this National Center for Farmworker Health (NCFH) webinar, featuring The REACH Institute, which will discuss barriers and challenges experienced by agricultural workers and their families in receiving and accessing mental health services. Presenters will also provide an overview of common mental health disorders found in Hispanic children; discuss strategies for how health center staff can help connect agricultural workers and their families to mental health services; and share resources to meet patient mental health needs, including the REACH’s Parent and Community Empowerment Manual and NCFH’s Mental Health Resource Hub.
4. Course: Teaching Early Literacy from a Multilingual Perspective, September 30 – December 6
Oregon State University’s College of Education is offering a fall course to educators on how to provide rich early literacy opportunities for K-2 learners while developing expertise in teaching multilingual learners. Content addresses designing instruction in ways that build upon students’ linguistic repertoires in culturally responsive and equitable ways as part of teaching foundational and other early literacy skills. To learn more about this opportunity and enrollment information visit Teaching Early Literacy from a Multilingual Perspective PDF flyer. Space is limited, and registration closes September 25, 2024, or when the class is full.
Please contact Amanda Kibler, OSU Professor of Education with any questions.
If you have content or stories you’d like featured in our newsletter, we want to hear from you! Whether it’s an article, event, or an inspiring story, your contributions add depth to our discussions. Please send your submissions and ideas to Estephany Membreno, Administrative Specialist, and you may see your content in an upcoming publication.
Section image from Pixabay.
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Héctor Aguirre,
Migrant Education Title 1-C Specialist
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Hector.Aguirre@ode.oregon.gov
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Leslie Casebeer,
Office Specialist, Title III, Title I-C,
and ESEA Monitoring
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Leslie.Casebeer@ode.oregon.gov
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Diego Contreras-Medrano,
Research Analyst
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Diego.Contreras.Medrano@ode.oregon.gov
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Jennifer Fontana,
Multilingual Education Specialist
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Jennifer.Fontana@ode.oregon.gov
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Yuliana Kenfield,
Migrant Education Title 1-C
Specialist
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Yuliana.kenfield@ode.oregon.gov
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Mary Martinez-Wenzl,
Director of Multilingual and
Migrant Education Team
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Mary.Martinez-Wenzl@ode.oregon.gov
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Estephany Membreño,
Administrative Specialist II
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MembrenE@ode.oregon.gov
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Kim Miller,
Title III Education Specialist
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Kim.A.Miller@ode.oregon.gov
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Myrna Muñoz,
Senior Multilingual and Migrant
Education Strategic Advisor
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Myrna.Munoz@ode.oregon.gov
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Reza Norouzian,
Multilingual Education
Research Analyst
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Reza.Norouzian@ode.oregon.gov
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Natalia Piar,
Multilingual and Migrant
Education Team Coordinator
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Natalia.Piar@ode.oregon.gov
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You were added to this newsletter if you are part of the Migrant Education Program and/or the Title III English Learner listserv. Migrant Ed and Title III leaders, staff, and interested members of the public may subscribe to this newsletter through ODE's QuickSubscribe portal at any time. We thank you for serving Oregon's multilingual and migrant students.
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