School and District Improvement
Continuous improvement, whether at the school or district level, is an ongoing, systemic, cyclical process. In this cycle, the results of previous efforts are examined in order to determine where to focus new efforts.
As with any system undergoing change, staff benefit from examples, supported by research, of what work in particular circumstances. Staff also benefit from resources to help them examine, based both on observation and on data, current practices in determining next steps.
Support for Low Performing Title I Schools
(Priority, Focus, and Model Schools)
In accordance with Oregon’s ESEA Flexibility Waiver with the US Department of Education, the Oregon Department of Education identified 92 Priority and Focus Schools in need of additional supports to see improved student outcomes. These schools were identified for supports of a period of four years, and under the ESEA Flexibility Waiver, would have been eligible to exit identification at the conclusion of 2015-16 school year. In December 2015, the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) was signed and ended Oregon’s flexibility waiver effective August of 2016. In March, the US Department of Education issued guidance to states to support an orderly transition from the state plans authored to address the requirements of the Waiver to the new requirements under ESSA.
This guidance provided Oregon two options in how to support Priority and Focus Schools (section 1.a).
Given legislative action pertaining to the use of statewide summative assessment data to rate schools,
Oregon selected “Option A” and froze the list of Priority and Focus Schools (last updated after the 2014-15 school year).
During this transition year, ODE will continue to work with districts and schools adjusting supports based on a review of qualitative and implementation data, locally reported achievement measures and a review of statewide summative assessment results. The
tiers of supports will be communicated to districts and schools and reflected on the official report cards released in October.
For more information regarding the development of Oregon’s statewide plan and changes under ESSA, please visit the ESSA web pages.
This page provides information about the U.S. Department of Education (USED) School Improvement Grant program.
Planning for improvement leading to increased levels of student achievement requires clearly defined roles and responsibilities for the local school district and the state.
This system is a continuous improvement monitoring process that focuses on improving student outcomes. SPR&I is a district/program driven system founded on data-informed decision-making. It supports improvement planning through performance data collection and interpretation, development and implementation improvement plan, and evaluation of impact and effectiveness of improvement strategies.
It is a policy of the State Board of Education and a priority of the Oregon Department of Education that there will be no discrimination or harassment on the grounds of race, color, sex, marital status, religion, national origin, age, sexual orientation, or disability in any educational programs, activities or employment. Persons having questions about equal opportunity and nondiscrimination should contact the Deputy Superintendent of Public Instruction at the Oregon Department of Education, 255 Capitol Street NE, Salem, Oregon 97310; phone 503-947-5740; or fax 503-378-4772.