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Oregon Achieves... Together!
A Message from the Director of the Oregon Department of Education, Dr. Charlene Williams
Dear Education Community,
This is an unusual November. It brings hope, it brings challenges, and for many of us, it brings grief. Across Oregon, we are celebrating the people, cultures, and traditions that make our schools strong, and at the same time we are mourning with communities who have lost students and staff to senseless violence. I want to acknowledge these realities together, because each is true, and because so many of you may be carrying them at the same time. Whatever this month holds for you, please know that we are here to support you through all of it.
What we celebrate this November
November invites us to honor and give thanks, and there is much worth honoring:
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Native American Heritage Month: We celebrate the histories, cultures, languages, and contributions of the Nine Federally Recognized Tribes of Oregon and Native communities across our state. Explore resources from ODE’s American Indian/Alaska Native Education team.
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Veterans Day, November 11: We honor the veterans in our school communities, including the many educators, staff, and family members who have served.
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American Education Week, November 16–20: We celebrate the teachers, classified staff, administrators, and everyone who makes learning possible for Oregon’s students every day.
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A season of gratitude: As Thanksgiving approaches, I am grateful for each of you and for the care you bring to Oregon’s students.
Holding Bend in our hearts
The day after the tragedy at Silver Rail Elementary in Bend, I wrote to Oregon superintendents and principals that, “In the coming weeks, we will have opportunities to reflect, learn, and continue strengthening school safety and support systems. For now, let us make room for grief, care for one another, and recognize that no one should have to navigate these situations alone.” The grief and the care continue, and I am heartened by the stories of healing and recovery, along with the response and resiliency in the community.
As I promised on October 16, we now have additional resources to continue strengthening school safety and support systems. These include a one-page Firearm Safety Guide for Oregon Parents and Caregivers that Governor Kotek has asked schools to share, and an email template to help with distribution.
ODE will continue to work with other state agencies to support the Silver Rail Elementary and Bend-La Pine communities for as long as it is needed.
Caring for ourselves and one another
The coming months may be especially tender as we move into the holiday season with heavy hearts. Joy and grief can sit side by side, and there is no right way to feel. Please be gentle with yourselves, check in on your colleagues, and share these resources with loved ones, friends, and colleagues who may need them:
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How to cope with stress and distress: Explains how stress can become distress when we feel we have more to manage than we have the energy or resources to handle, and offers guidance for coping.
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988 Lifeline: Call or text 988 for free, confidential support for anyone experiencing mental health or emotional struggles.
Thank you for all you do for Oregon’s students, this month and every month.
In Love and Justice,
Dr. Charlene Williams
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This November, we recognize Transgender and Nonbinary Empowerment Month, which also encompasses Transgender Awareness Week (November 13-19) and Transgender Day of Remembrance (November 20). We encourage schools to center joyful representation, taking care to acknowledge the ongoing harm transgender students and educators can face in our communities.
According to the 2024 Oregon Student Health Survey taken by students in grades 6, 8 and 11, about 11% are transgender, gender-expansive, or questioning. The ODE LGBTQ2SIA+ Student Success Plan, resources webpage, and Supporting Gender Expansive Students Guidance webpage outline strategies to increase gender-affirming support for youth, families, and educators as we work together to build legacies of love and support for transgender and gender expansive youth in our school communities during this month and all year.
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More than 50 high schools, consortia, and education service districts (ESDs) serving a combined 20,000 students in Oregon recently received career readiness grants to create or expand Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs last month.
The $6.4 million in CTE Revitalization Grants from ODE and the Bureau of Labor and Industries (BOLI) will support curriculum, equipment, and programming in communities across Oregon, with grants targeting high-wage, high-skill, and in-demand fields, including health care, advanced manufacturing, agriculture, construction, computer science, engineering, health sciences, hospitality, and natural resources.
More about the CTE Revitalization Grants...
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 Congratulations to the winners of the inaugural Oregon Harvest for Schools Awards, announced last month. The awards recognize individuals, schools, organizations, and producers whose work strengthens connections between Oregon students and Oregon agriculture.
Applications for the 2026-27 Oregon Harvest for Schools Awards are now open! Learn more and apply on the Oregon Harvest for Schools Awards webpage.
The deadline to nominate is June 30, 2027!
Read about the inaugural winners...
ODE is thrilled to welcome back the Youth Advisory Council for the 2026-27 school year! This year’s council includes 37 members representing 16 of Oregon’s Education Service Districts, different school types, and an exciting breadth of diversity in lived experiences.
During the 2025-26 school year, the council tackled a variety of issues, including assisting with student mental health surveys, providing insight to shape the statewide vision for college credit in high school, and collaborating with ODE’s Digital Learning Team to share their experiences with personal electronic devices in classrooms. Our year-long engagement with the personal device policy led to the formation of a policy brief summary that elevates their recommendations for the second year of policy implementation!
More about the Youth Advisory Council...
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 Be sure to check out our X feed, our Facebook page and our LinkedIn account, then follow us to stay up-to-date on everything that's happening in education in Oregon!
Celebrating STEM!
November 8 is International STEM Day, an opportunity to highlight the importance of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math in education.
In September, the STEM Investment Council, the Oregon Department of Education, and the Higher Education Coordinating Commission released the revised 2026-2032 STEM Education Plan. The plan provides a shared statewide vision for expanding STEM opportunities, improving student outcomes in math and science, strengthening workforce connections, and preparing learners for Oregon's digital future.
More information on International STEM Day is available online.
Share Your Thoughts on Earthquake and Tsunami Education
The Oregon Seismic Safety Policy Advisory Commission (OSSPAC) wants to hear from you! OSSPAC is collecting information from educators on earthquake and tsunami education in Oregon's K-12 schools. Please share your perspective by taking this short survey. It should only take 15 minutes or less, and you can enter to win an emergency preparedness gift bag.
More about OSSPAC...
ODE In the News
School Administrator magazine featured a look at 13 Oregon schools working together to reduce chronic absenteeism.
The Tillamook Headlight Herald showed how accountability measures being implemented by ODE are helping the Neah-Kah-Nie district take a new look at student assessment and the information it can provide to educators.
The Columbia Gorge News highlighted efforts to improve literacy and help dyslexic students with funding that flows from ODE through the Education Service District.
Student Spotlight
KOBI in Medford caught up with Phoenix HS students learning first responder skills as part of their CTE classes.
The Salem Reporter talked with a recent South Salem HS grad who used her skills as an artist to leave a gift to her school.
The Eugene Register-Guard profiled one of Oregon’s Presidential Scholar Award winners from Springfield who took an unusual educational path.
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