NEW: K-5 Newsletter
The Oregon Department of Education’s (ODE) Office of Teaching, Learning, and Assessment is launching a new quarterly newsletter for K-5 educators. This newsletter provides resources, opportunities, guidance, and ODE updates tailored specifically to support the integrated and well-rounded instruction that elementary education entails. It aims to streamline information related to K-5 academic standards and instruction into one convenient communication.
To sign up for the newsletter, click here
ODE Receives Comprehensive State Literacy Development Grant from US Department of Education
We are thrilled to announce that the U.S. Department of Education has awarded the Oregon Department of Education (ODE) over $11.5 million for the first year of a five-year grant through the Comprehensive Literacy State Development (CLSD) program. This grant is the initial installment of a potential total of $57 million, with funds flowing as soon as the 2025-26 school year to high need districts through competitive subgrants. This new grant builds on the momentum generated by the Early Literacy Success Initiative, aiming to close opportunity gaps for historically underserved students, including multilingual learners and those experiencing disabilities from birth to 12th grade. Allowable uses will be aligned to the Early Literacy Success School District grants and include high-quality instructional materials, professional development, coaching, high-dosage tutoring, extended learning opportunities, and the hiring of literacy coaches, specialists, and interventionists. Additionally, the funding will facilitate the creation of a Comprehensive Statewide Literacy Plan, ensuring a broad and strategic approach to improving literacy education statewide. For more information, please see the Gov Delivery announcement.
 Literacy Leaders’ Network Meeting: October 10–Save the Date!
Purpose: The goal of the Oregon Literacy Leaders’ Network is to build a diverse community of language arts and literacy practitioners working together to share inclusive literacy practices–reading, writing, speaking, and listening–that align to the needs of all students (i.e. multilingual learners, students experiencing disabilities, etc.).
Who we are: Collectively we are individuals who support literacy development for students:
- Classroom teachers, teacher-librarians, and school library staff
- TOSAs and instructional coaches
- District leaders, school administrators, and program administrators
- Professional learning providers and higher education faculty
- State education specialists
- Community members (usually retired educators)
When do we meet?
- Meet virtually every Second Thursday on Zoom, from 3:30-5:00 p.m.
- 2024-25 School Year first Meeting: 10/10/24
What to Expect in Monthly Meetings:
- Meet and connect with other literacy practitioners from across Oregon
- Share a “Bulletin Board” of opportunities
- Collaborate through self-selected breakout rooms to go deeper on topics of interest
- Read, write, and think about language arts and literacy together, occasional featured speakers
- Highlight high-leverage instructional practices
Link to Professional Learning Goals:
- Tie your attendance and participation in the LLN to your professional learning goals, particularly for goals 9 & 10, with local administrator approval.
- Receive professional learning and build a professional network during LLN meetings.
- Earn PDUs for your attendance and participation in the LLN.
Meeting Facilitation: Co-hosted by Oregon Council of Teachers of English (OCTE), Oregon State Literacy Association (OSLA), Oregon Association of School Libraries (OASL) and the Oregon Department of Education Language Arts, Literacy, Assessment, and Multilingual and Migrant Education teams, Office of Indian Education, and WestEd.
Clackamas ESD to Host Professional Learning Series
Register Here
September 22-28, 2024 is Banned Books Week
According to the American Library Association, Banned Books Week (September 22-28, 2024) is an annual event that “highlights the value of free and open access to information and brings together the entire book community — librarians, educators, authors, publishers, booksellers, and readers of all types — in shared support of the freedom to seek and to express ideas." This year’s theme is, "Freed Between the Lines."
Resources
Professional Learning for School Library Staff through Georgia Library Association
You can find many recorded webinars, corresponding slide decks, and training materials on this website hosted by the Georgia Library Association. Of particular note are:
- BookTube, Bookstagram, and BookTok, Oh My: Understanding the Online “Bookaverse” as Tools for Professional Development, presented by Tara Gold (Georgia Library Association)
- Three Must-Have Activities for New Employee Training, presented by Casey Wallace and Alex Olsen
- A Higher Purpose: Censorship and Intellectual Freedom Today, presented by Peter Coyl
OSLA/OCTE Joint Fall Conference for K-12 Educators
Registration is open for the fabulous Fall 2024 Literacy Conference on Saturday, October 26th in Portland: Igniting Curiosity & Cultivating Literacy for All, K-12
Keynote speaker, Dr. Eugenia Mora-Flores, will share her insights, research, and strategies for effectively supporting multilingual learners in achieving academic success. Professor of Education at the University of Southern California and respected author, Dr. Mora-Flores brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the conference.
Engaging concurrent sessions will offer practical, classroom strategies around literacy topics including:
- Science of Reading
- Supporting Multilingual Learners
- Multimodal Learning
- A.I. and Instruction
- Effective Assessment
- and more!
8:15 am - 3:00 pm at Parkrose High School
12003 NE Shaver St, Portland, OR 97220
This conference is hosted by the Oregon State Literacy Association and the Oregon Council Teachers of English.
REGISTER HERE
Questions? Please reach out to Conference Chair: Bob Bizjak
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Teaching Early Literacy from a Multilingual Perspective Professional Development Course (9/30-12/6) Spaces Available!
Registration will close on Sept. 25th or when the class is full.
You can register directly at beav.es/pAx
Seats are still available for this professional learning opportunity through Oregon State University (OSU).
This online course will provide you with opportunities to learn from experts and current practitioners in multilingualism and early literacy. You will also engage in hands-on activities through which you will learn about your students, reflect on your own early literacy teaching, and develop practical resources. This deep professional learning will support you in developing a multilingual perspective as you implement early literacy instruction aligned with the new Oregon Department of Education’s Early Literacy Framework.
The course may be taken as a non-credit course for 80 PDUs/8 CEUs, for a cost of $600.
FAQs:
What is the time commitment? You will spend 6-8 hours/week on this course. The course will run for 10 weeks in total. Each week, we anticipate that you will spend this time exploring online learning materials and participating in online activities and assignments via OSU’s Canvas platform, including completing tasks in your own classroom.
Is the work asynchronous? The online portion of the course is asynchronous, although we will structure each week’s participation in ways that will guide you through the learning at a reasonable pace. There will be optional synchronous Zoom sessions, but these are not required.
There is limited availability, so please register as soon as possible. Enrollment will be confirmed once your application is reviewed and your eligibility for the course is confirmed.
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Oregon Writing Festival: Save the Date!
Write the World Writing Competitions for Students
Write the World helps “students develop the writing skills they need to succeed and make an impact” on their world. There are seven writing competitions currently available.
If you have ideas for the newsletter or want to contact the ODE Language Arts and Literacy specialists, please reach out:
Tina Roberts -- Language Arts Education Specialist
Tony Bertrand -- English Language Arts / Social Sciences Assessment Specialist
Sody Fearn -- K-2 Balanced Assessment Specialist
Sarah Thorud -- Early Language and Literacy Intervention Specialist
Mindi Helmandollar-Armatas -- PreK-3rd Grade Coordinator
Jennifer Fontana -- Multilingual and Migrant Education Specialist
Martha Sanstead -- Literacy Specialist
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