Oregon’s Early Literacy Framework: A Strong Foundation for Readers and Writers (K-5)

Oregon is committed to improving literacy learning for every Oregon student.

Literacy Framework-corner icon.png Decorative In November of 2021, ODE, through a community engagement process, identified an update to Oregon’s 2009 Literacy Framework as a key investment of ESSER state set-aside dollars. This work was reinforced by Governor Kotek naming early literacy as one of her priorities for education. The purpose of the revised framework is to build statewide coherence, clarity, and common ground; fuel action and improvements; support districts and schools in the implementation of a comprehensive literacy vision and plan; and serve as a shared north star for educators, leaders, and community.

An Overview of Oregon's Early Literacy Framework

Find out Why and What

Oregon’s Early Literacy Framework builds momentum and capacity for strengthening belonging and literacy instruction in every elementary classroom so that all children leave elementary school proficient in reading and writing in one or more languages. It speaks to the comprehensive nature of literacy instruction and at its core, is designed to be used as a primary resource (or mentor text) for district leaders and school leaders. The framework is designed around eight sections that work in reciprocity with one another to help reinforce culturally responsive practice and reading science as fundamental to children’s literacy and biliteracy development.

Find out How

Instruction Partner’s Early Literacy Implementation Playbook provides ready-to-use, step-by-step guidance. Early literacy leaders and educators can use this playbook to strengthen and monitor literacy development in their school or system, whether building the essential implementation practices from scratch or tuning up what they already have in place.

Further Resources

English Language Arts and Literacy Standards

Oregon’s most recent English Language Arts and Literacy standards were adopted in 2019. These standards are grounded in research and align with the science of reading. They set the expectations for classroom teaching outcomes.

English Language Proficiency Standards

The State Board of Education approved the latest English Language Proficiency standards in October 2013. The English Language Proficiency Standards highlight and amplify the critical language, knowledge about language, and skills using language that are necessary for multilingual learners to be successful in schools.

Early Learning/Kindergarten Standards

The Oregon Department of Education and the Early Learning Division leadership created a statewide workgroup to align Oregon’s early learning and kindergarten standards. Developing clear and consistent expectations for what children should know and be able to do as they transition from early learning into kindergarten is foundational to improving children’s transition from early learning settings into kindergarten and ultimately invigorating K–3 instruction to ensure that 95 percent of children read proficiently by the end of grade 3.

Early Literacy Success Initiative

In 2023, the Oregon Legislature, with leadership from Governor Kotek, passed the Early Literacy Success Initiative. This initiative establishes four programs: the Early Literacy Success School District Grants, the Early Literacy Success Community Grants, Early Literacy Success Tribal Grants, and the Birth through Five Literacy Plan.

Oregon’s Dyslexia-Related Requirements

Oregon’s dyslexia legislation outlines two main requirements for school districts: universal screening to identify students with risk factors of dyslexia and training at least one teacher in each K-5 school in content in the following three areas:

Using evidence‐based practices to systematically and explicitly teach the foundational skills in reading;
Understanding and recognizing dyslexia; and,
Intensifying instruction to meet the needs of students with severe reading difficulties, including dyslexia

The Oregon Association of School Libraries’ School Library Standards

Oregon Association of School Libraries School Library Standards were updated in 2019, including strands for information literacy, reading engagement, and social responsibility. Additionally, the standards include grade-level learning goals for grades K through 14.

Approved Instructional Materials

The State Board of Education adopted the English Language Arts and English Language Proficiency approved Instructional Materials list in October of 2021. The list includes core basal materials for grades K-2, 3-5, 6-8, and 9-12.

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