In this Issue . . .
- Autism Acceptance Month
- Celebrating Oregon's Presidential Award Finalists
- ODE Updates: Digital Learning Cadre Launching, OSAS Math Test Window Open, Performance Task Review, Updates on Federal Actions
- Professional Learning Opportunities: Ambitious Math Learning for Long-Term English Learners, Non-Coding Approaches to Data Science, Quality Assurance and Learning Panels, OCTM Learning Sessions, Oregon Math Leaders Network
Embracing Neurodiversity in Oregon's Math Classrooms
April is Autism Acceptance Month. In 2023-24, approximately 15% of Oregon’s students received special education services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), with over 12,000 students identified with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) (Oregon Statewide Report Card, p. 73). Each of these students brings unique strengths and perspectives that enrich our classrooms.
Many students experiencing autism excel in areas such as pattern recognition, logical reasoning, and focused attention—skills that are invaluable in mathematical thinking. By adopting inclusive teaching strategies, educators can support these strengths effectively. Implementing structured routines, utilizing visual aids, and providing opportunities for self-paced learning can enhance engagement and comprehension for students with autism.
The Oregon Department of Education (ODE) offers resources to assist educators to embrace and create supportive learning environments for neurodiverse students, including a list of many local and regional organizations that provide valuable tools and information for both educators and families across Oregon.
This Autism Acceptance Month, let's commit to fostering math classrooms that celebrate and leverage the diverse abilities of all scholars, ensuring each has the opportunity to succeed and contribute meaningfully.
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ODE Announcements
Congratulations to the 2025 Oregon PAEMST State Finalists
Congratulations to Ian Maurer and Charles Slusher from Portland Public Schools on being selected as Oregon State Finalists for the Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST). These two finalists can now submit their applications to the national review committee for consideration for the 2025 PAEMST Awardee, the nation’s highest honor for U.S. K–12 teachers in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and/or computer science.
If you are interested in learning more or would like to nominate a Grade K-6 for the next 2026 PAEMST application cycle, please visit the PAEMST website.
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ODE’s Digital Learning Cadre Launching in Fall 2025
The Oregon Digital Learning Cadre, hosted by ODE’s Digital Learning Team, invites instructional leaders to join a collaborative community dedicated to solving local digital learning challenges. Launching in Fall 2025, this evolution of the Oregon Edtech Cadre will bring together educators from across the state to harness the power of technology for enhanced learning experiences, using the "Three Digital Divides" framework to guide our shared work and create meaningful solutions for Oregon's students. Join an upcoming listening session to learn more about this initiative and share how the Cadre can best serve your organization's digital learning needs. Contact Brian Baker, ODE’s Digital Learning Education Specialist, with any questions.
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OSAS Math Testing Window Now Open in Grades 3 – 8 and 11
The statewide administration window for the OSAS Math Tests is now open for grades 3 – 8 and 11. Most Oregon students will take a statewide summative math test that is aligned with Oregon’s 2021 K-12 Math Standards and adaptive, meaning the cognitive challenge of each item adjusts to each student’s performance. This online test can be administered in-person (for most students) or remotely (for schools that primarily use online delivery). To learn what will be on this test at each grade level, reference the OSAS Math Test Blueprints. To connect Oregon’s statewide summative test to your classroom assessment practices, reference the OSAS Target Explorer. Students who experience the most significant cognitive disabilities will take Oregon’s alternate test, the Oregon Extended, which is administered in-person.
As a reminder, prior to beginning a test session, verify that appropriate student accommodations and supports have been accurately set in the OSAS Portal. See the Oregon Accessibility Manual for more information about accommodations and supports. Please contact your Regional ESD Partner with any questions regarding test administration.
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The Aurora Institute is working with Smarter Balanced and ODE to design assessments that will help students and educators track learning progress in a way that reflects students’ interests and lived experiences.
Participants will provide feedback on foundational resources used to develop locally responsive performance tasks in grades 6 – 8, as well as assessment prototypes intended to promote student choice and engagement. Participants can choose to participate in up to five sessions beginning in May 2025 – one asynchronous and four virtual synchronous – and will receive a $75 honorarium for each review panel in which they participate.
Refer to the interest form for more information, including qualifications for applicants and project details, and to sign up. Contact Andrew Byerley, ODE Math Assessment Specialist, with any questions.
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Updates on Federal Actions
ODE remains committed to making sure students have the tools and resources to thrive, and to continue the vision for serving each and every scholar receiving education in Oregon. ODE is actively assessing all executive orders that have been introduced and their potential impacts on Oregon. Visit ODE’s Updates on Federal Actions webpage for updates.
On March 28, 2025, ODE received formal notification from the U.S. Department of Education that the agency’s more than $2.5 million COVID-era ESSER spending extensions were terminated. Among other student-centered instructional projects, the development of Oregon’s Math Instructional Framework has been paused. This framework was intended to be similar in purpose to the Early Literacy and Adolescent Literacy Frameworks, which outlined a comprehensive approach to literacy instruction in grades K-12. For more information, please contact the ODE Math Team.
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Research and Resources
Ambitious Mathematics Learning for Long-Term English Learners Webinar Series
Join WestEd for a four-part webinar series hosted by the Quality Teaching for English Learners (QTEL) team. Discover effective, evidence-based practices to support “long-term” English Learners in ambitious mathematical learning.
This series is designed for secondary mathematics teachers, instructional coaches, principals, directors of curriculum and instruction, and others interested in improving academic outcomes for English Learners. Register for all four sessions to gain valuable insights. All sessions will be recorded, so you can listen to the recordings if you can’t attend live. For more information, visit the WestEd series webpage.
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Session 1: Let’s Give Them Something to Talk About: Challenging and Supporting “Long Term” English Learners in Math
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Session 2: Lesson Design in Three Moments
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Session 3: Varying the Intensity of Scaffolding
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Session 4: Speaking, Listening, and Reading to Write
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Opportunities for Educators
Free Webinar: Non-Coding Approaches to Teaching Data Science
Are you curious about how to bring data science into your classroom with no coding required? Join the Data Science 4 Everyone team for a webinar designed for teachers who want to explore free and low-cost tools that make data science accessible for all learners. Topics include visual data analysis, interactive data storytelling, and practical ways to collect and explore real-world data. Visit the Data Science 4 Everyone events webpage for more information.
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Spring 2025 Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander Town Hall Events
Please register here for any of the sessions to help plan logistics accordingly.
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Session 1: Friday, April 11, 2025, 5:00 – 6:30 p.m. PT, Bend-La Pine School District Building
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Session 2: Thursday, April 17, 2025, 3:30 – 4:30 p.m. PT, Portland State University's PIAAA Student Center
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Session 3: Thursday, April 24, 2025, from 11:30 a.m. – 12:50 p.m. PT, Pacific University's Multi-Purpose Room
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Session 4: Friday, April 25, 2025, 5:00 – 6:30 p.m. PT, Oregon State University
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Session 5: Friday, May 2, 2025, 12:00 – 2:00 p.m. PT, Southern Oregon University
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Session 6: Tuesday, May 13, 2025, 12:00 – 1:00 p.m., Zoom
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Session 7: Tuesday, May 13, 2025, 5:00 – 6:00 p.m. PT, Zoom
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Quality Assurance and Learning Panels (QALP) Seeks Members
ODE is seeking 200+ people from across the state to serve on QALP to review ODE’s assessment of 2025-27 Integrated Applications. Join this process to support public understanding in the implementation of the Integrated Application and ODE’s review processes with a quality check. Click here for more information and to register. The application will remain open until all QALP panels are full.
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OCTM/ODE Afternoon Learning Sessions
In addition to the monthly Oregon Math Leaders Network meetings occurring in the morning, the Oregon Council of Teachers of Math (OCTM) will be partnering with ODE to offer afternoon learning sessions for teachers. Each month will feature a different topic and speaker available for all teachers and will occur on the third Thursday of the month at 4:00 PM PT unless noted otherwise. Save the dates below and look for registration links on the ODE Math Homepage as speakers and topics are identified throughout the year.
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Session 8: How reading Building Thinking Classrooms by Peter Liljedahl can change your life!
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Session 9: Statistics in GeoGebra and Jamovi
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NEW DATE: Thursday, May 22, 2025, 4:00 – 5:00 p.m. PT (Register here)
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Join the Oregon Math Leaders Network
The Oregon Math Leaders Network is a community of math practitioners who work together to implement and support math teaching and learning in Oregon. Participants include teacher leaders, TOSAs, program administrators, college faculty, and math community partners. The 2024-25 virtual meetings will continue to take place on the third Thursday of each month at 8:30 AM on Zoom. Register now for the 2024-25 Virtual OML Network Meetings.
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Stay Connected!
If you have an opportunity or announcement to share statewide, please contact the ODE Math Team.
The materials contained in the Department of Education’s Oregon Math Educator Update are drawn from both internal and external sources and inclusion of external materials does not necessarily indicate Oregon Department of Education endorsement.
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