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To: Superintendents, K-12 Public Information Officers
From: Eric Anderson, Assistant Superintendent, Office of Teaching, Learning and Assessment
Date: August 10, 2026
Re: Action Required: 2025-26 Division 22 Standards Assurances
Dear Superintendents,
Thank you for your leadership and your steadfast commitment to serving the students, staff, and families in your community. We recognize that August is a busy month, with much to do in preparation for the 2026-27 school year (SY). In an effort to help you track what is upcoming, I am reaching out now regarding the required Division 22 Standards Assurances process so you can plan accordingly to meet the November deadlines.
Division 22 Standards Assurances: What & Why
The Division 22 Standards are the requirements set by the Oregon Legislature and the State Board of Education that school districts must meet in order to be a standard school district. Each year, districts report on their compliance with Division 22 Standards to their community by presenting a report to the local school board. This annual practice provides an opportunity for school districts to demonstrate compliance with rigorous standards, reflect on areas in need of attention and alignment, and plan for continuous improvement. As part of a shared responsibility to provide quality service for our students and communities, districts also submit a report to the Oregon Department of Education (ODE). This system promotes reciprocal accountability between school districts and ODE, and it also facilitates the provision of technical assistance and support as districts implement corrective action.
New this year, districts will also need to provide the total number of hours of student instructional time (calculated as bell to bell) that students received for the 2025-26 SY, as required by Executive Order 26-06 and Section (10) of OAR 581-022-2320 Required Instructional Time, which states, “The department shall track and publish once each calendar year the instructional time provided by each district during the previous school year.” For the 2026-27 SY and beyond, ODE will gather student instructional time information through a formal data collection rather than the assurance process.
Key Dates: Fall 2026 Assurances Timeline
The annual Division 22 Standards Assurances timeline and process is outlined below. By completing the Assurances process, school districts are certifying that they have completed the following actions:
- By November 1, 2026: Report to School Board
- To meet this deadline, districts should make their report to the local school board in either September or October.
- The report must be made in an oral presentation at an open public meeting. ODE provides an optional board presentation slide deck template.
- The report outlines the district’s compliance with all Division 22 Standards in effect for the 2025-26 school year. ODE also recommends that superintendents inform their school board if there have been any recent changes in policy or practice that may result in the district being out of compliance with any standards during the current school year (2026-27).
- By November 1, 2026: Post Report on District Website
- School districts post the Community Report on Compliance with Public School Standards to their website, using the required template.
- By November 15, 2026: Report to ODE
- School districts complete and submit the annual online ODE Division 22 Standards Assurance Form (to be provided by ODE no later than September 1, 2026).
What happens after the report is submitted to ODE?
ODE will review each school district’s submission, and if the school district did not meet one or more standards, ODE will consider the proposed plan to come into compliance and provide guidance and technical assistance in support of the plan, as needed. In this process, school districts and ODE work together to ensure compliance with all of the Division 22 Standards to maintain full eligibility for state school funding.
Division 22 Rule Waivers and Other Exceptions
Two waivers to the Division 22 Standards were in place for the 2025-26 SY. The following rules will continue to be waived through the end of the 2027-28 SY:
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Assessment of Essential Skills graduation requirements (OAR 581-022-2115(3)) were waived for high school graduates through the end of the 2027-28 SY. Note: the local performance assessment requirement in Section (2) of the rule is still required.
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Essential Skill Assessments for English Language Learners (OAR 581-022-2120) has also been waived through the end of the 2027-28 SY.
An additional exception exists for the following rule, which is not included on the community report:
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Community-Informed Information Gathering Process at Kindergarten (OAR 581-022-2130) does not currently require any action by school districts while ODE continues to develop a scalable information gathering process.
All other rules set forth in Oregon Administrative Rules Chapter 581, Division 22 were in effect for the 2025-26 SY and remain in effect for 2026-27.
Resources and Support
ODE has developed a wide range of resources to support school districts in completing a robust Assurances process that supports public accountability and transparency, builds trust with the school community, and strengthens the relationship between district leadership and the school board. See this comprehensive list of available resources for more details. Any resources on the list that are not currently linked will be posted on the Division 22 Standards webpage no later than September 1, 2026.
Thank you for your continued efforts to honor and uphold the Division 22 Standards. If you have any questions or are in need of additional support, we are happy to assist you.
For More Information
Please direct questions regarding the Division 22 Standards Assurances process to Division22@ode.oregon.gov or call Susan Payne, Education Standards & Systems Specialist, at (503) 580-6814. You can also visit ODE’s Division 22 Standards webpage.
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