This document outlines the ODE's plans to help ensure success for black students, with a section tackling disciplinary actions

(1) The Oregon Department of Education shall establish a request for proposal solicitation and approval process to be conducted for the African American/Black Student Success Plan for Grant funds. All proposals must comply with the requirements of the Department's Procurement process. Grants shall be awarded based on the following criteria:

• (a) Ability of the applicant to identify how funds will be used to address school attendance and chronic absenteeism, Pre-K to 3rd grade, middle and high school, utilizing programs that create educational supports and developmental assets leading to continual and increased attendance for African American and Black students. In Pre-K programs, this is specific to increased attendance in early learning programs which foster success upon entering the K-12 education system. A critical examination of the negative impact of disproportionate rates of African American/Black students named in discipline behaviors leading to suspensions and expulsions is also a key component in this area;
• (b) Ability of the applicant to demonstrate knowledge, experience, and expertise in addressing parent and community engagement to improve academic achievement and graduation rates for African American and Black students; and
• (c) Ability of the applicant to increase student participation in summer school, improved academic preparation, transitions from early childhood to kindergarten, middle school to high school, high school to college and/or increase graduation rates and decreased dropout rates.

(2) The Department shall give priority to proposals that meet the minimum criteria and:

• (a) Provide a sustainability plan to continue the program for at least two years after the grant funding has ended.
• (b) The extent to which the applicant clearly documents its capacity to implement and carry out programming and services for addressing the needs of African American and Black student populations, including demonstrated intentions to work in a collaborative way with school districts or post-secondary institutions.

(3) The Department of Education shall allocate funds for the grant program based on the evaluation of the grant application and the following considerations:

• (a) Whether the applicant meets the minimum requirements in OAR 581-017-0556;
• (b) Geographic location of grant applicants to ensure geographic diversity and representation within the recipients of and students served by grant programs funded throughout the state. This includes areas of the state that demonstrate a lack of sufficient services for African American/Black students;
• (c) Whether grant applicants demonstrate commitment and readiness to use best practice around culturally responsive programming and services to close gaps for African American and Black students; and
• (d) Whether applicants demonstrate evidence of prior implementation of a robust culturally responsive program or service as a way to close opportunity gaps for African American and Black students.

(1)  For the biennium beginning July 1, 2017, a school district may not use more than five percent of an apportionment under section 3 of this 2016 Act for administrative costs. (2)  For biennia beginning on or after July 1, 2019, a school district may not use more than four percent of an apportionment for administrative costs. (3)  A school district may not use an apportionment to administer activities not directly related to the programs, opportunities and strategies described in sections 5, 6 and 7 of this 2016 Act. (4)  From the portion of the apportionment used for administrative costs, a school district must conduct an annual analysis of:

• (a)  Student attendance in grades 9 through 12; and
• (b)  Disciplinary referrals, suspensions and expulsions in grades 9 through 12 disaggregated by race and ethnicity.

(1) For the purposes of this section, “plan student” means a student enrolled in early childhood through post-secondary education who:

• (a) Is black or African-American or a member of a student group that is not covered under an existing culturally specific statewide education plan; and
• (b) Has experienced disproportionate results in education due to historical practices, as identified by the State Board of Education by rule.

(2)

• (a) The Department of Education shall develop and implement a statewide education plan for plan students.
• (b) The department shall form an advisory group consisting of community members, education stakeholders and representatives of the Early Learning Division, the Youth Development Division and the Higher Education Coordinating Commission to advise the department regarding:
• (A) Development and implementation of the plan;
• (B) Eligibility criteria, applicant selection process and expectations for recipients of grant awards described in this section; and
• (C) Adoption of rules by the State Board of Education for the implementation of the plan.

(3) The plan developed under this section shall address:

• (a) The disparities experienced by plan students in every indicator of academic success, as documented by the department’s statewide report card;
• (b) The historical practices leading to disproportionate outcomes for plan students; and
• (c) The educational needs of plan students from early childhood through post-secondary education by examining culturally appropriate best practices in this state and across the nation.

(4) The plan developed and implemented under this section must provide strategies to:

• (a) Address the disproportionate rate of disciplinary incidents for plan students compared to all students in the education system;
• (b) Increase parental engagement in the education of plan students;
• (c) Increase the engagement of plan students in educational activities before and after regular school hours;
• (d) Increase early childhood and kindergarten readiness for plan students;
• (e) Improve literacy and numeracy levels among plan students between kindergarten and grade three;
• (f) Support plan student transitions to middle school and through the middle and high school grades to maintain and improve academic performance;
• (g) Support culturally responsive pedagogy and practices from early childhood through post-secondary education;
• (h) Support the development of culturally responsive curricula from early childhood through post-secondary education;
• (i) Increase attendance of plan students in community colleges and professional certification programs; and
• (j) Increase attendance of plan students in four-year post-secondary institutions of education.

(5) The department shall submit a biennial report concerning the progress of the plan developed and implemented under this section at each even-numbered year regular session of the Legislative Assembly in the manner provided by ORS 192.245 to an interim committee of the Legislative Assembly related to education.

(6) The department, in consultation with the advisory group, shall award grants to early learning hubs, providers of early learning services, school districts, post-secondary institutions of education and community-based organizations to implement the strategies developed in the plan developed and implemented under this section.

(7) To qualify for and receive a grant described in this section, an applicant must identify and demonstrate that the applicant meets the eligibility criteria established by the State Board of Education by rule.

(1) As used in this section, “plan student” means a student enrolled in early childhood through post-secondary education who:

• (a) Is an American Indian or Alaskan Native; and
• (b) Has experienced disproportionate results in education due to historical practices, as identified by the State Board of Education by rule.

(2)

• (a) The Department of Education shall develop and implement a statewide education plan for plan students.
• (b) When developing the plan, the department shall consult with representatives from tribal governments and from executive branch agencies who have formed government-to-government relations to focus on education. Additionally, the department may receive input from an advisory group consisting of community members, education stakeholders and representatives of the Early Learning Division, the Youth Development Division and the Higher Education Coordinating Commission.
• (c) The department shall be responsible for:
• (A) Implementing the plan developed under this subsection;
• (B) Developing eligibility criteria, the applicant selection process and expectations for recipients of grant awards described in this section; and
• (C) Advising the State Board of Education on the adoption of rules under this section.

(3) The plan developed under this section must address:

• (a) The disparities experienced by plan students in every indicator of academic success, as documented by the department’s statewide report card and other relevant reports related to plan students;
• (b) The historical practices leading to disproportionate outcomes for plan students; and
• (c) The educational needs of plan students from early childhood through post-secondary education as determined by examining culturally appropriate best practices in this state and across the nation.

(4) The plan developed and implemented under this section must provide strategies to:

• (a) Address the disproportionate rate of disciplinary incidents involving plan students as compared to all students in the education system;
• (b) Increase parental engagement in the education of plan students;
• (c) Increase the engagement of plan students in educational activities before and after regular school hours;
• (d) Increase early childhood education and kindergarten readiness for plan students;
• (e) Improve literacy and numeracy levels among plan students between kindergarten and grade three;
• (f) Support plan student transitions to middle school and through the middle school and high school grades to maintain and improve academic performance;
• (g) Support culturally responsive pedagogy and practices from early childhood through post-secondary education;
• (h) Support the development of culturally responsive curricula from early childhood through post-secondary education;
• (i) Increase attendance of plan students in early childhood programs through postsecondary and professional certification programs; and
• (j) Increase attendance of plan students in four-year post-secondary institutions of education.

(5) The department shall submit a biennial report concerning the progress of the plan developed and implemented under this section to a committee of the Legislative Assembly related to education at each even-numbered year regular session of the Legislative Assembly.

(6) The department, in consultation with the advisory group, shall award grants to early learning hubs, providers of early learning services, school districts, education service districts, post-secondary institutions of education, tribal governments and community-based organizations to implement the strategies provided in the plan developed and implemented under this section.

(7) To qualify for and receive grants described in this section, an applicant must identify and demonstrate that the applicant meets the eligibility criteria adopted by the State Board of Education by rule.

(1) As used in this section, “plan student” means a student enrolled in early childhood through post-secondary education who:

• (a) Is Latino or Hispanic, including individuals of Mexican, Cuban, Puerto Rican, South American, Central American or Spanish descent; and
• (b) Has experienced disproportionate results in education due to historical practices, as identified by the State Board of Education by rule.

(2)

• (a) The Department of Education shall develop and implement a statewide education plan for plan students.
• (b) The department shall form an advisory group consisting of individuals representing:
• (A) Urban and rural communities;
• (B) Indigenous and immigrant populations;
• (C) English language learners;
• (D) Individuals with disabilities;
• (E) Parents and students;
• (F) Youth who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or another minority gender or sexual orientation;
• (G) Community-based organizations serving Latino or Hispanic youth and families; and
• (H) Education stakeholders, including representatives of the Early Learning Division, the Youth Development Division and the Higher Education Coordinating Commission.
• (c) The advisory group formed as provided in paragraph (b) of this subsection shall advise the department regarding:
• (A) Development and implementation of the plan;
• (B) Eligibility criteria, applicant selection processes and expectations for recipients of grant awards described in this section; and
• (C) Adoption of rules by the State Board of Education for the implementation of the plan.

(3) The plan developed under this section must address:

• (a) The disparities experienced by plan students in every indicator of academic success, as documented by the department’s statewide report card and other relevant reports related to plan students;
• (b) The historical practices leading to disproportionate outcomes for plan students; and
• (c) The educational needs of plan students from early childhood through post-secondary education as determined by examining culturally appropriate best practices in this state and across the nation.

(4) The plan developed and implemented under this section must provide strategies to:

• (a) Address the disproportionate rate of disciplinary incidents involving plan students compared to all students in the education system;
• (b) Increase parental engagement in the education of plan students;
• (c) Increase the engagement of plan students in educational activities before and after regular school hours;
• (d) Increase early childhood education and kindergarten readiness for plan students;
• (e) Improve literacy and numeracy levels among plan students between kindergarten and grade three;
• (f) Support plan student transitions to middle school and through the middle school and high school grades to maintain and improve academic performance;
• (g) Support culturally responsive pedagogy and practices from early childhood through post-secondary education;
• (h) Support the development of culturally responsive curricula from early childhood through post-secondary education;
• (i) Increase attendance of plan students in community colleges and professional certification programs; and
• (j) Increase attendance of plan students in four-year post-secondary institutions of education.

(5) The department shall submit a biennial report concerning the progress of the plan developed and implemented under this section to a committee of the Legislative Assembly related to education at each even-numbered year regular session of the Legislative Assembly.

(6) The department, in consultation with the advisory group, shall award grants to early learning hubs, providers of early learning services, school districts, post-secondary institutions of education and community-based organizations to implement the strategies provided in the plan developed and implemented under this section.

(7) To qualify for and receive a grant described in this section, an applicant must identify and demonstrate that the applicant meets the eligibility criteria established by the State Board of Education by rule.