Graduate School of Education Leading, Learning, Life Changing Evolving Oregon Educational Policy Courtesy of Pat Burk, Ph.D. Department of Educational

Graduate School of Education Leading, Learning, Life Changing

Evolving Oregon Educational Policy

Courtesy of Pat Burk, Ph.D.

Department of Educational Leadership and Policy


Who are Oregon Students?


Oregon’s Student Population


October 1 K-12 Student Population


Linguistic Diversity• 55,402 students in 2012-13 reported a language of

origin other than English

• 2770 teachers needed at a 1:20 ratio

• 9.6% of enrollment

• 38+ languages reported make up 96.5% of all EL

• Spanish (76.63%); Russian (3.53%), Vietnamese (2.95%), Chinese (1.67%) Somali (1.24%)


Age Distribution: Oregon, 2006

0100200300400500600700

Th

ou

san

ds Less than 5

5 to 17

18 to 29

30 to 39

40 to 49

50 to 64

65 +

Pew Hispanic Center


Students with Disabilities






Eligible for Free and Reduced Price Lunch


Homeless Youth in Oregon K-12


Homeless Youth in Oregon K-12


Who Teaches Our Students?


Teacher and Student Diversity


Teacher and Student Diversity


When and Where is School?


Oregon School Districts by Size


Growth of Charter Schools in Oregon

In the 2012-13 school year, there were 123 charter schools (up from 115 in 2011-12, 108 in 2010-11 and 100 in 2009-10.


Impact of Technology•Access to Online Schools and Courses is expanding rapidly at the K-12 Level.•Access to rigorous content•Stand alone courses or supplements to core•Bends the concepts of teacher, school and time.•Social Networking and rapid exchange of information•Policy challenge: control it or use it?


How are the Students Doing?


Students Meeting State Standards-2012-13


High School Graduation Rate, 2012-13


Graduation Rate by Race/Ethnicity


High School Cohort: 2008-09 to 2011-12


Changing Policy Landscape

•Additional required credits in Mathematics and Science

•Floor of Algebra I

•Required Evidence of Proficiency in Essential Skills

•Science must include inquiry and at least two with laboratory experience

•Personalized education

•Credit through demonstrated proficiency and proficiency-based instruction


The New Oregon Diploma


Essential Skills Added to Requirements


How Do Students Demonstrate Proficiency?

Graduate School of Education Leading, Learning, Life ChangingChanging Policy

LandscapeFederal Policy•All states focus on preparing “college and career ready” graduates

•National Common Core Standards and Assessments

•New Assessment Systems based upon growth over time

•Teacher and administrator evaluations include evidence of student growth

•Reward excellence and aggressively intervene around school improvement

•Promote a culture of college readiness and support

•Race to the Top Grants

•Turnaround Strategies and Innovation grants


3 5 8 10 12

The Essential ShiftFocus on Proficiency for All Students

•Student learning outcomes are assumed to follow a “normal” distribution.

•It is expected that some will excel, some will fail and most will be in the middle.

•The impact of demographic variables explains and limits student achievement

•Student learning outcomes are the result of time, effort and appropriate opportunities to learn

•It is expected that ALL students can and will learn at a high level.

•The impact of demographic variables is to help identify goals and to target appropriate instructional strategies


The Challenge• We are asking our educational systems to

accomplish something they have never accomplished before.– Technical change: knowledge is readily

available– Adaptive Challenge: requires significant

new knowledge and experimentation• Commit to the goal• Admit that we do not know everything• Form Learning Communities

See Ron Heifetz, Leadership on the Line


Oregon accountability systemWaiver from certain NCLB provisions filed in January, approved on July 18, 2012. Achievement compacts are the anchor for the accountability system: • At a district level • About support, collective impact and prioritizing

investments • A system to set goals and incentivize annual

progress, aligned with 40/40/20• Achievement compacts are high level snapshots,

not the only tool in Oregon’s accountability system.

http://www.ode.state.or.us/search/page/?id=3475


Changing Policy LandscapeKey Shifts:• College-ready is the new target, not grade level benchmarks. • Cradle-to-Career system alignment• Focus on system goals and outcomes• Rigorous content for all students and required evidence of

student growth• Institutional boundaries are blurred between PK-12 and

higher education and community• Focus on evidence of proficiency• Equity issues of race, language, poverty, gender, ability,

culture must be addressed• Data-driven decision making and measures of quality; what

is the evidence?


Final Thoughts• Prepare for diversity

– Multiple strategies– Culturally competent instruction and

content– Celebrate differences in students

• Work Collaboratively• Focus on evidence and proficiency• Commit to life-long learning• Stay connected to the profession

Documents

Graduate School of Education Leading, Learning, Life Changing Evolving Oregon Educational Policy Courtesy of Pat Burk, Ph.D. Department of Educational