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Updates from the Oregon Department of Education
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1. Al Wright Scholarship for Migratory High School Seniors Opens January 2025
Upcoming Events, Training & Conference Opportunities
1. Webinar: Newcomer Toolkit: Providing High-Quality Instruction and Support for Newcomer Students, January 14, 2025
2. Webinar: Engaging Families to Support Student Achievement, January 15, 2025
. Continuing Dr. King’s Legacy Through Equity in Education
 Civil Rights Movement Mural in Selma, Alabama
As we step into this new year, we are reminded of our shared mission: to foster equity and excellence for every learner through collaboration with educators, partners, and communities. While the year ahead brings both challenges and opportunities, it is also a chance to deepen our commitment to advancing equity and fostering collective impact.
Monday, January 20, 2025, marks the commemoration of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. On this day, many across the state and nation will come together to honor his legacy and reflect on how his work continues to shape our time. The works of Dr. King and the Civil Rights Movement had a profound influence on the state of education, leaving an enduring mark on the pursuit of equitable opportunities for all learners.
ODE’s equity stance builds on this vision, defining education equity as the equitable implementation of policies, practices, and legislation that translate into resource allocation, educational rigor, and opportunities for historically and currently marginalized youth, students, and families, including civil rights-protected classes. This work requires the restructuring and dismantling of systems and institutions that create disparities between beneficiaries and those who are marginalized. More information about ODE’s equity stance can be found through our Office of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion.
If you are looking for ways to commemorate Dr. King this month, Oregon State University is offering a schedule of events throughout January to honor his legacy. As we reflect on Dr. King’s vision, let us continue to foster equity, understanding, and shared responsibility in the year ahead.
Both the Title III and Title I-C teams are hosting separate sessions to assist your district with any questions and provide a collaborative space for sharing challenges and solutions. These sessions are designed to be flexible and supportive of your needs, so attendance is optional. We encourage you to join as your schedule allows!
Title III Webinar
Title III will not hold regular office hours this school year. Based on feedback from districts, office hours have been replaced with webinars. Click here to view upcoming events for Title III.
- Date: January 15, 2025
- Topic: Title III Winter ML/EL Directors Webinar – this webinar will be recorded
- Zoom Meeting
- Password: MLEL
- Contact Kim Miller, Education Specialist, with questions.
Title I-C Office Hours
- Date: The third Friday of every month, from 10:00 - 11:00 AM
- Zoom Registration
- Password: MME
- Contact Yuliana Kenfield, Migrant Education Specialist or Hector Aguirre, Migrant Education Specialist, with questions.
The test window opens for the following English Language Proficiency Assessment (ELPA) tests on January 14, 2025.
- ELPA Summative
- Alt ELPA
- Grade K ELPA Screener
The test window for the following ELPA tests closes on January 13, 2025.
Remember that to administer these tests, a Test Administrator must have the appropriate ELPA test group enabled in the Test Information Distribution Engine (TIDE).
Please contact Ben Wolcott, ELPA Specialist, with questions regarding ELPA testing. Please contact Mason Rivers, Special Education Assessment Specialist, with questions regarding the Alt ELPA or testing students with disabilities.
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The Al Wright Scholarship, awarded annually by the National Association of State Directors of Migrant Education (NASDME), supports graduating migratory high school seniors with financial need who have moved for agricultural or fishing work. The 2025 application will be available sometime in January 2025, with the scholarship presented at the National Migrant Education Conference in San Francisco in mid-April.
Applicants must use the 2025 application form—applications submitted with outdated forms will not be accepted.
Photo by Juan Ramos on Unsplash.
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2. Sister Adele Scholarship: Supporting Farmworker Families, Due February 14, 2025
CASA of Oregon, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting farmworkers and their families, is now accepting applications for the 2025 Sister Adele Scholarship. This annual award provides financial support to youth from farmworker households pursuing trade school, college, or university education, with individual scholarships starting at $1,500. Applications are due by February 14. Click here to apply.
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3. English Learners with Disabilities Toolkit
The National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) offers the English Learners with Disabilities Toolkit to help states and IEP teams effectively support English Learners (ELs) with disabilities. This resource includes eight tools designed to understand students’ unique needs, determine appropriate state assessments, and identify necessary accessibility features or accommodations.
Key tools include:
- Tool 1: Using Data to Understand the Characteristics of ELs with Disabilities – Templates to analyze and display key student data.
- Tool 2: State Assessments for ELs with Disabilities: Data Display Templates – Templates to organize and present state assessment participation and student characteristics.
4. Raising the Bar for Rural: New Resources from the U.S. Department of Education
The U.S. Department of Education has released new briefs offering strategies for rural education, focusing on accelerating learning, addressing the educator shortage, and expanding access to rigorous coursework. Aligned with the Raise the Bar, Lead the World agenda, these resources highlight successful initiatives from rural communities nationwide. Download and share these briefs to explore key strategies for improving rural education.
5. Out-of-School Time Programs & Know Your Rights Materials
UnidosUS highlights the urgent need to sustain Out-of-School Time (OST) programs as federal pandemic funds run out. At the 2024 NSLA Summit, UnidosUS shared key insights from their brief,Out-of-School Time Learning: Practice to Policy, emphasizing the programs' importance for student recovery. Click here for more insight into this brief.
UnidosUS also offers Know Your Rights Materials, a guide on legal assistance, fraud reporting, family preparedness, and immigration enforcement responses. For personalized advice, consult a qualified attorney or DOJ-accredited representative.
UnidosUS Affiliates can request or share resources by contacting Laura Vazquez.
Photo by Priscilla Du Preez 🇨🇦 on Unsplash.
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6. Oregon Attorney General Provides Sanctuary Information for Immigrants
Ahead of the incoming presidential administration, Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum has unveiled a new toolkit to help immigrants in the state navigate their rights and protections under Oregon's landmark sanctuary law, established in 1987. This essential resource aims to ensure that immigrants can protect themselves and stay informed. Read more in the Oregon Capital Chronicle.
7. California Bill Proposes Safe Zones to Protect Immigrant Families
A California lawmaker is pushing to create a one-mile "safe zone" around schools to protect immigrant families from deportation fears. The proposed bill would restrict ICE activity near schools and ensure safer learning environments for all students. Read more about this bold initiative.
Photo by Scott Webb on Unsplash.
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8. Dual Language Immersion Project – OELA Playbook
High-quality dual language immersion (DLI) programs are a key lever to provide every student with a pathway to multilingualism. These playbooks, published by the Office of English Language Acquisition, provide a roadmap for the creation, design, and adoption of policies, processes, programs, and practices that state education agencies, local education agencies, and non-profit organizations, as well as families and communities, need to support and implement high-quality, effective, inclusive, and evidence-based DLI programs. Click here to view the Dual Language Immersion Project – Playbook.
9. How Oakland Unified Supports Older Immigrant Students
Discover how Oakland Unified School District is transforming education for older immigrant students in the 74's latest feature by Jo Napolitano. Despite challenges like language barriers and gaps in education, Oakland schools provide newcomers with vital resources and unwavering support. Learn how this district stands out with its "moral mandate" to serve students often turned away elsewhere. Read the full story to see how one district is making a difference.
Photo by Matese Fields on Unsplash.
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1. Webinar: Newcomer Toolkit: Providing High-Quality Instruction and Support for Newcomer Students, January 14, 2025
Join the Office of English Language Acquisition for Part 3 of the "Newcomer Toolkit: Providing High-Quality Instruction and Support for Newcomer Students" webinar series. This session will explore research and practices that ensure access to high-quality instruction and outcomes for newcomer students, in alignment with Chapter 4 of the Newcomer Toolkit. Panelists will present findings on the characteristics of newcomers, high school graduation practices, literacy curricula, and a planning tool for guiding newcomer students in secondary grades toward graduation. Click here to register.
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2. Webinar: Engaging Families to Support Student Achievement, January 15, 2025
Don't miss the upcoming webinar, “Engaging Families to Support Student Achievement”, hosted by the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Safe and Supportive Schools and the National Center on Safe Supportive Learning Environments (NCSSLE). This session will explore how schools can effectively engage families to support student success, featuring a presentation on building relational trust and a panel discussion with parents and caregivers. Click here to register now and secure your spot—resources and the recording will be available after the event.
3. Webinar: Winter National Webinar Series on Student Privacy and Data Security
The Student Privacy Policy Office (SPPO) and Privacy Technical Assistance Center (PTAC) will host a 3-day virtual webinar series in January 2025, focusing on FERPA, data security, breach preparedness, and transparency. Click on the links below to learn more about each webinar.
Photo by Kaitlyn Baker on Unsplash.
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4. Event: The Documentary Screening and Panel Discussion on the Living Legacy of Colegio César Chávez, January 22, 2024
Join the Oregon Historical Society on January 22 for a screening of a documentary on Colegio César Chávez, followed by a panel discussion with its co-founders and documentary producer Alicia Avila. The event features live music by the Forest Grove High School Mariachi and explores the enduring impact of the Colegio’s legacy. Presented in partnership with OSU Special Collections, OPB, and PODER. Click here to learn more about the event.
Event Details:
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Location: Oregon Historical Society (1200 SW Park Ave., Portland)
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Time: 6:00 – 8:00 PM. Doors open at 6:00 PM, program begins at 6:30 PM
Join the California Department of Social Services, the California Department of Education, California Newcomer Network, and Californians Together for a series of webinars on resources to support newly arrived immigrant students and their families.
Register for each webinar individually:
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6. Conference: OABE 2025 Winter Institute and Teacher Award Details
The OABE Winter Institute on February 21-22, 2025, will take place at Baker Prairie Middle School in Canby, Oregon! This annual event brings together 200+ educators and administrators to share best practices and resources for supporting emergent bilingual students. Register now on Eventbrite to secure your spot! This is a wonderful opportunity to connect and support bilingualism together.
Event Highlights:
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Friday, February 21, 2025
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School Visits (8:00 AM–3:00 PM): Tour K-12 Dual Language schools in Clackamas County. ($100)
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Leadership Reception (5:00–8:00 PM): Network with dual language and district leaders. ($50/extra slot)
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Saturday, February 22, 2025
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One-Day Institute (8:00 AM–4:30 PM): Workshops on best practices in bilingual education.
- Register early by January 31: $250
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Parent Strand (8:00 AM–12:00 PM)
- Bilingual sessions for parents to support their children. ($50)
Additional Opportunities:
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Path to Scholarship (Jan. 10, 2025): Free registration for high school students by December 13 and $60 after.
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Institutional Memberships: Includes educator, leader, and parent slots. ($1,200–$1,300)
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OABE Teacher Award: OABE is now accepting nominations for the 2025 DLBE Teacher of the Year Award, with a $1,500 prize and other benefits. Click here to nominate an outstanding K-12 DLBE teacher by January 13.
For questions, please contact Elisa Lee at OABE.
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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.
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For questions or assistance, the Multilingual and Migrant (MME) team is available to support you. Please contact us via email for further information.
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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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