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Welcome to the April 2026 Aligned Message. We hope you found time to rest and renew during spring break. This issue provides updates on spending, professional development opportunities, key dates, and important reports. As you review the message, please pass it along to colleagues who would find it useful. Also, consider submitting a “Bright Spot” to share great work going on in your region. You’ll find the link at the end of the message.
In this month’s message, you’ll find information about:
Spending Thresholds for High School Success
With the passage of HB 3037 (2025), required spending thresholds under the High School Success program have been updated to adjust for current service level increases to the state school fund since the implementation of High School Success (Measure 98). These updated thresholds replace the original statutory amounts and will continue to be adjusted biennially moving forward. Beginning in the 2025–27 biennium, the following thresholds apply:
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Previous Funding Thresholds
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Funding Amount in Y1 of biennium (25-26)
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Programmatic Area
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Less than $100,000
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Less than $121,825.59
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Must invest in at least one
programmatic area
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More than $100,000 but less than $350,000
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At least $121,825.59 but less than $426,389.57
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Must invest in Career and Technical Education (CTE) and at least one
additional programmatic area.
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More than $350,000
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$426,389.57 or more
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Must invest in all three
programmatic areas
(CTE, Dropout Prevention,
and College-Level Educational Opportunities)
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Student Investment Account 2026 Legislative Report
The annual Student Investment Account Legislative Report has been posted. The report provides an update on program implementation in the 2024-25 school year, the investment of resources, an analysis of impact of investments, and a report on the 2025-27 application process. Analysis was conducted of all annual reports submitted by grantees and their annual expenditures. The analysis shows the themes in reports and the most common expenditures. The report also contains information about resources provided to grantees and their impact, such as: customized coaching and professional learning, intensive program, and the regional support model.
A School Attendance Survey
We’re sharing a link to a brief survey from the Oregon Legislative Policy and Research Office (LPRO) as part of a legislative study on chronic absenteeism and student attendance across Oregon. The survey should take about 5 minutes to complete, though the time may vary depending on the length of responses. Please participate by April 8.
What You Need to Know
- Your perspective will help legislators better understand how attendance challenges are affecting students, families, and schools, and what types of support may be most helpful.
- LPRO’s statewide report on this topic will be publicly available by October 1, 2026, and will be published on LPRO’s research and publications webpage.
- Anyone with experience or perspectives related to student attendance is invited to participate. This may include parents and caregivers, students, educators, school board members, community partners, and others who work with or support students and families.
- The survey does not collect individual names and other personal identifiers.
- ODE will not be informed about who does or does not respond to the survey.
Survey Link
Questions?
Please contact the LPRO survey team at LPRO.surveys@oregonlegislature.gov with any survey-related questions.
Key Dates
Annual Reporting Due Date Change
To help grantees meet board presentation requirements for Annual Reporting, the Annual Reporting date for all Integrated Programs has been changed to September 30, 2026. This will allow for more time for boards to convene at the start of the school year.
Additionally, since ODE has made changes in Progress Report requirements to reduce administrative burden, we are sharing an updated 25-27 Reporting dates and requirements table in the Reporting Guidance Folder, see the document titled "25-27 Integrated Guidance: Changes Since Published.”
Biennial Grant Structure - SIA, HSS and Early Literacy
As a reminder, starting in the 25-27 biennium, Student Investment Account (SIA), High School Success (HSS) and Early Literacy grants are all under a similar biennial grant structure. This means that your Year 1 allocation can be spent throughout the entire biennium and will “carryover” into the second year of the biennium (7/1/25-6/30/27). Any unspent funds at the end of the 2025-26 fiscal year will be added to your “Year 2 Allocations” for SIA, HSS and Early Literacy in your Smartsheet budgets so that you can plan for the 2026-27 school year.
Reminder: The Required Monthly Submission and Reporting Calendar lists all required school district submissions for the 2025-26 school year.
Professional Learning Opportunities
Every Day Matter’s Integrated Community Partnership 2023–25 Biennium Report
We are excited to share the Every Day Matter’s Integrated Community Partnership 2023–25 Biennium Report. The report shows how the Integrated Community Partnership Grant has helped improve student attendance by supporting stronger coordination across local partners and by focusing on belonging, engagement, and positive relationships with students and families.
Attendance Learning Series
Join the Every Day Matters team for the Attendance Learning Series! Register now to attend the April 9 session at 3:35 p.m., which will focus on youth voice and student engagement. This series is designed to build shared understanding, strengthen local attendance strategies, and create a learning network to improve attendance outcomes.
Work-Based Learning Opportunity Gap Analysis Training
ODE is offering a Work-Based Learning (WBL) Opportunity Gap Analysis training for regional and local partners on May 13 and 14 from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm. This training is designed to support CTE leaders in using data to identify equity gaps and strengthen access to high-quality WBL experiences for all learners.
The training will introduce Oregon’s WBL Opportunity Gap Dashboard, which includes:
- CTE enrollment data and WBL participation data (secondary),
- comparisons to overall student populations, and
- interactive charts and heatmaps to support analysis and planning.
The training includes guided data exploration, root cause analysis, and strategy planning. The training is designed as a train-the-trainer experience, equipping participants to support similar conversations and analysis within their regions, districts, or schools. Participants will also explore how the dashboard can be adapted to support local WBL data analysis, planning and continuous improvement.
Participation requires a 6-hour commitment across the two training sessions. Register here to join us in building stronger systems for equitable access to Work-Based Learning across Oregon.
Plan Ahead for Customized Coaching & Professional Learning (CCPL)
As the school-year begins to wind down and teams are considering their professional learning and coaching needs for the summer of 2026 and the 2026-2027 SY, consider exploring the no-cost CCPL support available to schools, districts, and ESDs. These supports are provided by ODE-approved coaching organizations who have shown their experience, capacity and knowledge to support progress in improving student outcomes. There are multiple focal coaching areas including literacy, student success systems, and support for improved attendance and mental health/wellness programming. To learn more, click on the CCPL Informational Flyer here.
Reminder: The website lists all professional development opportunities provided by ODE. Also the calendar is now available to track EII specific TA, PL, and other coaching opportunities.
Highlighted Resources for the Month
Military Recruiter Access: Guidance for Oregon School Districts
Federal law requires school districts that receive federal education funds to provide military recruiters with the same access to secondary school students and certain student contact information as is provided to institutions of higher education and prospective employers. Districts must also annually notify parents and eligible students of their right to opt out of the release of student information and honor written opt-out requests submitted by parents or students age 18 and older. This guidance outlines district responsibilities, family rights, and implementation considerations under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), Section 8528, and is intended to support consistent, compliant practices across Oregon school districts.
Contact Us
Celebrate Bright Spots Across Oregon!
We want to highlight and share the incredible success stories happening in your school, district, region, and community. Whether it’s an inspiring Career and Technical Education (CTE) initiative, a Career Connected Learning (CCL) program, impactful Integrated Guidance (IG) projects, community engagement efforts, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) advancements, or achievements in SIA, HSS, and more—we want to hear about it! Tell us your story, and it could be featured in an upcoming Oregon Department of Education (ODE) communication. Let’s celebrate and share the amazing work happening across the state! Submit the form here.
All previous Aligned Messages can be found on the Integrated Monthly Communication page.
If you have any questions, please contact OEII at ode.eii@ode.oregon.gov.
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