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To: Superintendents, Directors of Curriculum and Instruction, K-12 Public Information Officers
From: Eric Anderson, Assistant Superintendent of the Office of Teaching and Learning
Date: October 26, 2026
Re: State Board Adopts Revised High-Quality Instructional Materials Schedule and Division 22 Rules
Dear Education Partners,
On October 15, 2026, the State Board of Education adopted a revised schedule for high-quality instructional materials (HQIM) and corresponding Division 22 rule changes. These changes are designed to provide a more sustainable and flexible timeline to plan and support educators with implementation before moving into the next major adoption.
In This Message
- Key changes to the high-quality instructional materials adoption schedule and Division 22 requirements
- Information about a November 4 webinar
- Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
Key Dates
- November 4, 2026, 4:00-5:00 p.m. PT: Join the Informational webinar
- Fall 2027: Anticipated release of the State Board-approved English Language Arts high-quality instructional materials list
Action Needed
Background
Why the change?
With the current adoption schedule ending in 2026, The Oregon Department of Education (ODE) conducted multiple phases of statewide engagement to inform a new schedule beginning in 2027. Feedback and engagement identified challenges with the overlapping content-area adoption schedule, insufficient time to implement materials effectively, and limited flexibility to align adoption decisions with local needs, capacity, and budget. The new schedule reflects adjustments made in direct response to this feedback.
What is changing?
The revised statewide instructional materials schedule moves statewide adoptions from a seven-year cycle covering nine content areas to a nine-year cycle covering six content areas: English Language Arts, English Language Proficiency, Mathematics, Health, Science and Social Sciences. Spacing adoptions farther apart will provide districts with more time for planning, budgeting, professional learning, and implementation.
Physical Education, World Languages and the Arts will no longer follow recurring statewide adoption cycles. Districts will determine their own independent adoption timelines for these subjects as well as for Personal Financial Education and Higher Education and Career Path Skills. ODE will continue to provide standards, adoption criteria, and guidance for these areas.
The corresponding changes to Division 22 OARs clarify that districts must continue to adopt instructional materials for the subjects they offer, but only subjects on the statewide schedule must follow the State Board’s timeline. Comprehensive School Counseling and Transformative Social and Emotional Learning will not require separate materials adoptions because they are framework-based and may be integrated into other subjects.
What happens right now?
- The upcoming State Board-approved list of Physical Education instructional materials now serves as a recommended list for districts to consider on their own timelines.
- English Language Arts remains next on the statewide adoption schedule, and the State Board-approved list remains on track for release in fall 2027.
Informational webinar
ODE will host a webinar to review the revised schedule, explain the Division 22 changes, and answer questions. The webinar will be recorded and made available on the HQIM webpage.
Date: Wednesday, November 4, 2026
Time: 4:00–5:00 p.m. PT
Register for the Informational Webinar
Please submit questions in advance to help ODE address the topics most relevant to districts.
Contact Us
For questions about the instructional materials adoption schedule or Division 22 changes, contact ode.instructionalmaterials@ode.oregon.gov and visit ODE’s HQIM webpage.
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