Community-Informed Recommendations for Equitable Graduation Outcomes

Community-Informed Recommendations

for Equitable Graduation Outcomes

Senate Bill 744 Report

September 1, 2022

Equitable Graduation Outcomes

Contents

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 3

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 5

INTRODUCTION 7

BACKGROUND 11

CURRENT OREGON DIPLOMA REQUIREMENTS 14

High School Diploma Options 14

COMPARISON WITH OTHER STATES 27

Fifty-State Comparison 27

Notable Trends in Diploma Requirements 34

ENGAGEMENT PROCESS AND SUMMARY 44

Statewide and Targeted Engagement 44

Community Engagement Themes 48

Educator Engagement Themes 53

Workforce and Industry Valued Skills 56

Higher Education Valued Skills 58

Workforce and Industry and Higher Education Determination 59

GRADUATION DATA REVIEW 62

Overview of Oregon Graduation Rates Over Time 62

Postsecondary Profile by Diploma Type

Fifth-Year Graduation Profiles 79

Causes of Disparities 81

ASSESSMENT OF ESSENTIAL SKILLS ANALYSIS 91

How Students Demonstrate Proficiency in the Reading, Writing, and Math Essential Skills

How Students Navigating Poverty Demonstrate Proficiency in the Essential Skills

How Students Experiencing Disabilities Demonstrate Proficiency in the Essential Skills

How English Learners Demonstrate Proficiency in the Essential Skills

How Students Demonstrated Proficiency in the Essential Skills by Gender

How Students Experiencing Mobility Demonstrated Proficiency in the Essential Skills 100

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Analysis of Effectiveness of Reading, Writing, and Math Essential Skills Proficiency Requirements

101

Determinations 106

Recommendations 108

Realizing the Implementation of Recommendations 108

Recommendations for Changes to Diploma Requirements 109

CONCLUSION 120

BIBLIOGRAPHY 121

APPENDIX A: SENATE BILL 744 130

APPENDIX B: HISTORY OF OREGON DIPLOMA REQUIREMENTS 132

APPENDIX C: OREGON’S KITCHEN TABLE ENGAGEMENT REPORT 136

APPENDIX D: RESULTS FROM TARGETED EDUCATOR ENGAGEMENT AND SURVEYS 137

APPENDIX E: WORKFORCE AND TALENT BOARD SURVEY REPORT 149

APPENDIX F: HECC POSTSECONDARY PARTNER SURVEY REPORT 150

APPENDIX G: ON-TIME COHORT GRADUATION RATES FOR ADDITIONAL STUDENT GROUPS 151

APPENDIX H: HECC POSTSECONDARY OUTCOMES STUDY REPORT 154

APPENDIX I: RECOMMENDED POLICY CHANGES 155

APPENDIX J: A VISION FOR A FUTURE-READY GRADUATE 178

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The Oregon Department of Education (ODE) appreciates those who contributed to the

statewide engagement and who took time to participate in a conversation about what they

value in education and what a diploma means to them, their family, and their community. ODE

reached out to and heard from wonderfully diverse and representative groups of students,

caregivers, educators, families, and community members from across Oregon. Participants

reflected the voices that Senate Bill 744 positioned as central, including representatives and

students who experience disability, are from immigrant and refugee populations, are from

racial or ethnic groups that have historically experienced academic disparities, are identified as

English learners, or are members of federally recognized Indian Tribes in Oregon. The diversity

of ODE’s outreach and the focus on an equitable, transparent, and accessible process provided

a foundation for recommendations made in alignment with those voices. ODE appreciates

people’s willingness to share specific, poignant examples of their educational experiences, from

connections and learning experiences to barriers and hardships. Repeatedly, stories of people’s

hopes for the future of our educational system brought out a sense of radiance and possibility

that is reflected in the recommendations in this report.

Though a person who participated likely will not see their exact comments reflected, ODE

hopes that they see that this report tells the story of what we have learned from thoughtful

engagement, from reviewing Oregon’s graduation pathway and outcome data, and from

reviewing our own and other state diploma practices in order to develop recommendations

that align with the needs of the people of Oregon.

ODE contracted with Oregon’s Kitchen Table from Portland State University to manage many

elements of the statewide engagement due to their expertise in statewide engagement. Their

practice of using culturally specific and targeted outreach to support hearing from Oregonians

who have traditionally been left out of engagement processes was central to the effort.

Oregon’s Kitchen Table has been used at the state, local, and regional levels to gather feedback

from a wide variety of people living in Oregon on a range of topics, including state budgeting

priorities, kindergarten readiness, school boundaries, affordable and accessible housing, and

equitable education.

Partners at the Higher Education Coordinating Commission (HECC) supported the Senate Bill

744 effort in many ways, including participating on the review team, and analyzing data

available to speak to important questions; specifically, the question looking at past trends in

student success after high school used longitudinal data and was prepared by HECC’s Office of

Research and Data, including staff in both the Postsecondary Research and Data program and

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the interagency Oregon Longitudinal Data Collaborative program, supporting the engagement

process directly, and coordinating a survey of higher education partners.

ODE partnered with many state and local organizations and groups to conduct and complete

this process. These determinations and recommendations were based on a synthesis of the

data review and the national comparisons. They were also directly influenced by and consonant

with what we heard from the many community members who engaged in the process. The final

iterations were formed by policy experts at ODE.

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

In 2021, the Oregon Legislature passed Senate Bill 744 (See Appendix A) requiring review and

engagement investigating potential inequitable impacts of current diploma policy. SB 744

presented the Oregon Department of Education with a historic opportunity to connect with

community and education partners whose voices have not been meaningfully involved in prior

diploma policy development. The transparent process implemented was designed to be

equitable, accessible, and inclusive. SB 744 called for ODE to develop two specific

determinations and generate recommendations for the Legislature and State Board of

Education to consider in making Oregon’s graduation requirements mirror this same

commitment to equity, access, and inclusion.

The most recent period of substantial changes to high school diploma regulations in Oregon

was completed in 2008 and phased in through 2013. These changes made the pathway to a

diploma one of the most challenging and demanding in the nation, and unintentionally

exasperated and revealed inequities in our education system. Graduation rates have steadily

increased year-after-year since that time, yet lag behind other states partly due to differences

in systemic investments and, in some cases, due to differences in how the rates are calculated.

Although graduation rate trends are moving in a positive direction, substantial inequities

remain, such as experiences of systemic bias, limited access to adequate educational resources

and educational guidance, and support from practitioners, such as school counselors and

teachers. This is especially the case for students who identify as tribal citizens, Black/African

American, Pacific Islander, American Indian/Alaska Native, Latino/a/x, people who have

disabilities and/or are served through an Individualized Education Program (IEP), people who

are identified as English learners/Emerging bilinguals while in high school, and/or people

navigating poverty, houselessness, foster care and high mobility.

Current diploma requirements were developed through engagement by the State Board of

Education, but did not provide families and communities who have historically faced systemic

barriers to academic achievement deep opportunity for meaningful input. To synthesize the

determinations and recommendations, ODE conducted extensive statewide engagement,

involving more than 3,500 diverse students, community members, families, educators, and

representatives of higher education and workforce and industry. ODE also conducted an in-

depth review of Oregon graduation data by investigating inequities and disparities, exploring

diploma policies in other states, and comparing Oregon diploma policies with national trends.

The engagement process revealed that barriers to graduation arise across the entire K–12

education system, graduation requirements included.

Families and educators shared that their children and students experience inequitable

outcomes because they have inequitable access to high quality instructional programming

across their entire public education experience.

During this review process, the majority of Oregon’s graduation requirements have been

maintained, the legislation paused the Assessment of Essential Skills diploma graduation

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requirements while the review and engagement processes were conducted. The Assessment of

Essential Skills graduation requirements were popular at the time that Oregon adopted them.

Since then, most states have moved away from these types of redundant, and sometimes

biased, requirements. The review of statewide data shows the Assessment of Essential Skills

requirement was implemented inequitably and did not ensure anticipated benefits for students

in their preparation for postsecondary transition.

In Oregon, to allow all students the opportunity to learn, grow, and achieve, we must remove

all systemic barriers to lifelong success––including updating graduation requirements to reflect

the varied and diverse backgrounds, heritages, and life experiences of Oregonians.

ODE developed these recommendations to guide future work around graduation requirements

and the Oregon Diploma. It is important to note that while the recommendations are described

as discrete steps, there will be a need for a coordinated implementation:

• Research, develop, and implement specific graduation requirements across multiple

pathways toward a single Oregon Diploma.

• Build capacity so that students have access to all courses of instruction required to meet

graduation requirements.

• Generate deep understanding in students, families, and communities about the

meaning and value of an Oregon Diploma, options for achieving an Oregon Diploma, and

factors to consider in diploma pathway decision-making.

• Design and deliver education that supports students on their journey to earning an

Oregon Diploma and successfully transitioning to their next steps after graduation.

This legislative report starts with a review of Oregon’s current diploma requirements. Next,

there is a national scan of diploma policies, followed by a summary of ODE’s statewide

engagement approach and findings. Finally, an analysis of graduation data provides the lead-in

to the recommendations for proposed changes to diploma requirements. Representative

quotations from participants in the engagement process are provided in blue text boxes

throughout. Through synthesis of the information gathered during this process, ODE made two

determinations and developed eight recommendations for the Legislature and Oregon State

Board of Education to consider.

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INTRODUCTION

The 2021 Oregon Legislature adopted Senate Bill 744, which presents Oregonians with a unique

opportunity to pause, review, and discuss the inequitable impacts of current high school

diploma policy and make recommendations that incorporate equity, accessibility, and inclusion

for all of Oregon’s students. Specifically, Senate Bill 744 directs ODE to do the following:

SECTION 1.

(1) As used in this section, “high school diploma” means the high school diploma options

offered in this state under ORS 329.451, including a high school diploma, a modified

diploma, an extended diploma and an alternative certificate.

(2) The Department of Education shall:

(a) Review state requirements for high school diploma options offered in this

state, as those requirements are prescribed by ORS 329.451 and by rules adopted

by the State Board of Education.

(b) Review state requirements related to demonstrations of proficiency in skills or

academic content areas that are not related to career and technical education,

with an emphasis on demonstrations of proficiency in Essential Learning Skills.

this state to reduce disparities and to ensure that every student will be on track

to earn one of the high school diplomas.

(3) The review conducted under this section must include:

(a) An evaluation of the use of alternative certificates and how the requirements

for alternative certificates compare to the requirements for other high school

diplomas;

(b) An evaluation of the role of a school district or a public charter school when a

student who has the documented history described in ORS 329.451 (7)(b) or

(8)(b) seeks to pursue a high school diploma with more stringent requirements

than a modified diploma or an extended diploma, as provided by ORS 329.451

(1)(c);

school diploma requirements in other states;

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(d) The identification of the expectations of employers and postsecondary

institutions of education related to the skills and knowledge of persons who earn

high school diplomas in this state;

(e) The determination of whether the skills and knowledge expected to be

attained by persons who earn high school diplomas in this state, as identified in

paragraph (d) of this subsection, align with the requirements for high school

diplomas in this state;

(f) The identification of the causes of disparities that have resulted from the

requirements for high school diplomas in this state; and

(g) The determination of whether the requirements for high school diplomas in

this state have been applied inequitably to different student populations.

(4) When conducting the review and developing recommendations under this section,

the department shall:

(a) Use a transparent process that is equitable, accessible and inclusive;

(b) Enable and encourage meaningful engagement with:

(A) Representatives from historically underserved students, including

students who:

(i) Have a disability;

(ii) Are from an immigrant or refugee population;

(iii) Are from racial or ethnic groups that have historically

experienced academic disparities;

(iv) Are English language learners; or

(v) Are from a federally recognized Indian tribe of this state;

(B) Youth-led organizations that engage and empower youth; and

diplomas:

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(A) Based on data and the engagement process described in paragraph

(b) of this subsection; and

(B) With the goal of ensuring that the processes and outcomes related to

the requirements for high school diplomas are equitable, accessible and

inclusive.

(5)(a) Not later than September 1, 2022, the department shall provide a report to:

(A) The interim committees of the Legislative Assembly related to

education; and

(B) The State Board of Education.

(b) The report required under paragraph (a) of this subsection shall:

(A) Include a summary of the components of the review conducted as

described in subsection (3) of this section, including information on the

comments gathered during the engagement process described in

subsection (4)(b) of this section.

(B) Recommend changes in legislation or administrative rules that will

reduce disparities and ensure that every student will be on track to earn

one of the high school diplomas offered in this state.

demonstrate proficiency in Essential Learning Skills and an explanation of

the reasons the department concludes that requirements related to

demonstrations of proficiency in Essential Learning Skills should be

retained, modified or eliminated. If the department concludes that

demonstrations of proficiency of Essential Learning Skills should be

retained, the department shall provide recommendations for alternative

methods for students to demonstrate proficiency in skills or academic

content areas that are not related to career and technical education.

SECTION 2.

Section 1 of this 2021 Act is repealed on June 30, 2023.

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SECTION 3.

Notwithstanding any rules adopted by the State Board of Education, a student may not

be required to show proficiency in Essential Learning Skills as a condition of receiving a

high school diploma during the 2021-2022, 2022-2023 or 2023-2024 school year.

SECTION 4.

This 2021 Act being necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health

and safety, an emergency is declared to exist, and this 2021 Act takes effect on its

passage.

This report summarizes the process followed by ODE in reviewing diploma data and

information, including comparisons with other states, as well as the design, methodology, and

findings of the engagement process and ODE’s resulting determinations and recommendations.

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BACKGROUND

Oregon’s diploma requirements have remained relatively unchanged since 2013 (see Appendix

B for additional information). Figure 1 below provides a timeline for the primary events in

Oregon’s diploma policy history since 1991, followed by elaboration of those major policy

benchmarks.

Figure 1

Recent Diploma Policy History Highlights

Note: Abbreviations mean the following: CIM = Certificate of Initial Mastery; CAM = Certificate of Advanced Mastery; CRLS =

Career Related Learning Standards; CRLE = Career Related Learning Experiences; HS = High School.

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Between academic years 2008–09 and 2019–20, 4-year cohort graduation rates

increased

incrementally and substantially. With modified Oregon Diplomas factored in, which were

counted as graduates beginning in 2013–14, the overall graduation rate for 2019–20 was 83%.

This slow and steady increase in graduation rates also corresponded with a substantial

reduction in differences in on-time graduation rates by race/ethnicity, driven primarily by

increases in Black/African American and Hispanic/Latino/a/x graduation rates. In 2008–09, the

overall graduation rate was 14.5 percentage points higher than the graduation rate for students

of historically underserved race/ethnicity groups; by 2019–20, this gap had been reduced to 4.1

percentage points.

Although graduation rate trends are moving in a positive direction, substantial inequities

remain, such as experiences of systemic bias, limited access to adequate educational resources

and educational guidance support from practitioners, such as school counselors and teachers.

This is especially the case for students who identify as:

● American Indian/Alaska Native tribal citizens;

● Black/African American;

● Latino/a/x;

● People who experience disabilities and/or are served through an Individualized

Education Program (IEP); and/or

● People who are identified as English learners/Emerging bilinguals while in high school.

As will be shown in the graduation data section, additional disparities are present in the

methods students use to demonstrate proficiency in reading, writing, and math in relation to

the Assessment of Essential Skills requirements, with students from disadvantaged groups more

likely to use time-intensive methods that may result in reduced course and classroom learning

opportunities. Finally, disparities are present both in the award rates of Oregon modified

diplomas and in the postsecondary enrollment and employment rates for students who are

awarded these diplomas

. There are also concerns about the process used to generate

Oregon’s graduation requirements, which centered in white dominant cultural values.

In addition to requiring a review and recommendations regarding diploma requirements,

Senate Bill 744 established an immediate pause on the diploma requirement that students

The percentage of students who earned an Oregon diploma within four years of beginning high school, adjusted

for transfers into and out of Oregon public K-12 education.

Oregon Department of Education. (Accessed August 2, 2022). Cohort graduation rate.

(https://www.oregon.gov/ode/reports-and-data/students/Pages/Cohort-Graduation-Rate.aspx)

Oregon Department of Education. (Accessed August 2, 2022). Cohort graduation rate.

(https://www.oregon.gov/ode/reports-and-data/students/Pages/Cohort-Graduation-Rate.aspx)

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demonstrate proficiency in reading, writing, and math in relation to the Assessment of Essential

Skills requirements during the 2021–2022, 2022–2023 or 2023–2024 school years.

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CURRENT OREGON DIPLOMA REQUIREMENTS

This section is written in response to the following

text from Senate Bill 744:

(1) As used in this section, “high school

diploma” means the high school diploma

options offered in this state under ORS

329.451, including a high school diploma, a

modified diploma, an extended diploma and

an alternative certificate

(2) The Department of Education shall:

(a) Review state requirements for

high school diploma options offered in

this state, as those requirements are

prescribed by ORS 329.451 and by

rules adopted by the State Board of

Education

High school diploma options

Currently, Oregon has three state-defined K-12

diplomas: 1) Oregon Diploma; 2) Modified Oregon

Diploma; and 3) Extended Oregon Diploma. The

state also issues an Alternative Certificate. Both the

Oregon Diploma and the Modified Oregon Diploma

count towards the official graduation rate calculations.

According to ORS 329.451, the Modified and Extended Oregon Diplomas

are only offered to

students who have, “demonstrated the inability to meet the full set of academic content

standards for a high school diploma with reasonable modifications and accommodations.” To

Oregon Department of Education. (Accessed August 2, 2022). Cohort graduation rate.

(https://www.oregon.gov/ode/reports-and-data/students/Pages/Cohort-Graduation-Rate.aspx)

Decisions about whether to pursue a modified Oregon Diploma must be made between grade 6 and 2 years

before the student’s anticipated exit from high school (OAR 581-022-2010(4)(c)), unless their documented history

has changed. The decision to pursue an extended Oregon Diploma may be made at any time, so long as it can be

achieved within the timeframe for which a student is entitled to a public education and parent consent is received

(OAR 581-022-2015).

“Being able to read, listen, speak in

order to communicate and

everyday needs―being able to

understand math. Learning how to

cope and handle failure along with

success. Students need to be able to

use reason and logic as well as

develop care, kindness, and

empathy for others. The common

factor is being educated well and

creating a caring community

environment where students can

share their lived experiences. Being

trauma informed is important―but

it is just as critical that students

know how to cope with the hard

stuff life throws at them.”

―Oregon Workforce

Representative

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be eligible to pursue a Modified Oregon Diploma, a student must, “have a documented history

of an inability to maintain grade level achievement due to significant learning and instructional

barriers or have a documented history of a medical condition that creates a barrier to

achievement” (ORS 329.451(7)(b)). To be eligible to pursue an Extended Oregon Diploma, a

student must, “have a documented history of: (A) an inability to maintain grade level

achievement due to significant learning and instructional barriers; (B) a medical condition that

creates a barrier to achievement; or (C) a change in the student’s ability to participate in grade

level activities as a result of a serious illness or injury that occurred after grade eight” (ORS

329.451(8)(b)).

The Alternative Certificate is not a diploma but rather a high school completion document. It

may be earned by a student who does not satisfy the requirements for the Oregon Diploma,

Modified Oregon Diploma or Extended Oregon Diploma. To be eligible for an Alternative

Certificate, a student must have met the criteria requirements as specified in school district

board policies. Students who earn an Alternative Certificate or a Graduation Equivalency

Diploma (GED) are not counted as graduates in Oregon’s cohort graduation rates but are

instead considered completers.

Oregon Diploma and the Modified Oregon Diploma

requirements

Districts are responsible for recording a student's

progress towards graduation and keeping detailed

records of a student's credit attainment and progress

towards graduation requirements in accordance with

OAR 166-400-0060 (32), OAR 581-021-0220, OAR 581-

022-2260, OAR 581-022-2270, and OAR 581-022-0103.

Districts and charter schools maintain these records in greater detail than is contained in ODE

reports. Districts and charter schools report to ODE each year on which students have been

awarded each type of credential, the date the credential was awarded, and the method and

date used to demonstrate proficiency in any assessed Essential Skills.

ODE only collects one indicator about a student's progress towards graduation--district

reporting whether the student's credit attainment placed them on-track to graduate at the end

of 9th grade. All other information about a student’s progress towards graduation, including

which credits have been attained, status of completing Career-Related Learning Experiences,

and other elements are maintained by the district and not collected at the state level.

“I believe that all students can

reach the graduation

requirements. The question

should be do these

requirements seem meaningful

to all students.”

- Oregon Administrator

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Credit requirements

Students can graduate from Oregon schools through multiple diploma pathways. If students do

not meet minimum diploma standards, but do meet local requirements, they can receive an

Alternative Certificate (OAR 581-022-2020). Students who do not meet any established

requirements leave high school without earning a diploma or certificate. Table 1 compares the

requirements for each of these exit options.

Table 1

Summary of Diploma Requirements

Credential

Credit Requirement

Assessment of

Essential Skills

Personalized Learning

Oregon Diploma

Yes

Modified Oregon Diploma

Yes

Extended Oregon Diploma

Alternative Certificate

Per local policy

Note:

Modified methods of demonstrating proficiency are permitted for the Modified Oregon

Diploma, but not for the Oregon Diploma.

Table 2 shows the credit requirements that apply to each of Oregon’s diplomas.

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Table 2

Credit Requirements

across Diploma

Types

Subject Area

Oregon Diploma

Modified Oregon Diploma

Extended

Oregon

Diploma

Language Arts

Mathematics

Science

†

Second Language

The Arts

Career and Technical

Education

Health

Physical Education

Electives

May include additional core credits,

career technical education,

electives, career development

―

Social Sciences

‡

May earn credit for

demonstrating

proficiency

May earn credit for demonstrating

proficiency

―

May earn credit through regular

education with or without

accommodations or modifications

―

Total Credits 24 24 12

Note:

Algebra 1 or higher;

†

Scientific inquiry and lab experience;

‡

2.5 credits in U.S. history,

world history, geography, economics, and financial literacy, and .5 credit in civics beginning

with the class of 2026; and

history, geography, economics, or civics.

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These minimum credit requirements are set by the state to ensure that every Oregon student

has the opportunity to engage with high quality curriculum across content areas and has the

room to explore areas of personal strength and interest during their high school career. The

credit requirements of an Oregon Diploma signal to colleges, universities, and employers that

the student has mastered a body of academic content that has prepared them for their next

step, whether that step is entering the workforce, pursuing an industry credential, joining the

military, or continuing academic study at a college or university.

Essential Skills

The Essential Skills (OAR 581-022-2115) are process skills that cross academic disciplines; the

skills are not content specific and can be applied in a variety of courses, subjects, and settings.

Demonstrating proficiency in the Essential Skills were intended to indicate that the student has

achieved mastery of these important cross-content skills and is ready for their next step after

graduation. Students are required to demonstrate proficiency for three of the nine essential

skills as one of the non-credit graduation requirements; however, that requirement was

suspended by the legislature as part of Senate Bill 744 through at least the 2023-24 school year.

Instruction in the Essential Skills is intended to be embedded across content areas, as these

skills represent processes and behaviors that transfer across content areas and are skills that

students will need to pursue their postsecondary goals. The nine Essential Skills follow:

● Read and comprehend a variety of text*

● Write clearly and accurately*

● Apply mathematics in a variety of settings*

● Listen actively and speak clearly and coherently

● Think critically and analytically

● Use technology to learn, live, and work

● Demonstrate civic and community engagement

● Demonstrate global literacy

● Demonstrate personal management and teamwork skills

Note that between 2013–14 and 2018–19, students were required to pass an assessment to

demonstrate proficiency in three of the nine Essential Skills (marked with an * above) as a

requirement for earning an Oregon Diploma and a Modified Oregon Diploma.

Taken together, the nine Essential Skills were considered essential to success, whether that

included entering the workforce, pursuing an industry credential, joining the military, or

continuing academic study at a college or university. Demonstrating proficiency in these skills

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through a state-approved assessment option was intended to demonstrate student readiness

for their next step after high school.

Oregon provided four ways for students to demonstrate proficiency in reading, writing, and

mathematics. Students could show their proficiency in each area using one of the following:

1. A proficient score on the state summative assessments;

2. A work sample scored against an official state scoring rubric;

3. Another state-approved standardized assessment; or,

4. A district-developed assessment.

The third option in this list, using another state-

approved standardized assessment, included common

assessments provided by third-party vendors (e.g.,

SAT, ACT, WorkKeys) that were reviewed by ODE and

the Assessment of Essential Skills Review Panel for

comparability to the other forms of assessment being

used. The Assessment of Essential Skills Review Panel

made recommendations to the State Board of

Education regarding assessments that met

comparability, accessibility, and general technical

adequacy requirements, which the board officially

approved or rejected. All proficiency scores for those

assessments that are selected were established by

equating studies, which maintained the original

Oregon Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (OAKS)

proficiency requirements in the areas of reading,

writing, and math.

As a part of Senate Bill 744, the requirement to demonstrate proficiency via a separate

assessment in the reading, writing, and math Essentials Skills was suspended as a graduation

requirement for students earning a standard or modified Oregon Diploma during the 2021–

2022, 2022–2023 or 2023–2024 school years.

OAKS was Oregon’s official statewide summative assessment when the Assessment of Essential Skills

requirements were first introduced. It was later replaced by Smarter Balanced, but proficiency in the Essential

Skills remains tied to the original scores on OAKS at the time the policy was phased in.

“I do not feel that there needs to

be an additional form of

validation for students to earn

their standard diploma. If

students can show that they can

put in the work and successfully

complete the credit requirements

set forth by the state and/or

their district that should be

enough. The completion of

essential skills only reaffirms

what we already know with

students in our buildings.”

―Oregon Counselor

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Education Plan and Profile

The Education Plan and Profile (OAR 581-022-2000) is a non-credit graduation requirement and

is a document that serves as a road map to guide

student learning throughout school, to help ensure

that they are prepared for next steps after high

school.

Schools use the Education Plan and Profile as a formal

process for documenting a student’s academic

achievement and progress toward their diploma

requirements, post-high school goals, and other

personal accomplishments identified. The plan should

be used by the school to design, monitor, and adjust a course of study that meets the interest

and goals of the student.

Implementation of the Education Plan and Profile varies greatly across districts, but each

district is required to provide each student the

opportunity, with adult guidance, to develop an

education plan and build an education profile in

grades seven through 12. The plan and profile must

be reviewed and updated periodically (at least

annually) and must do the following:

● Identify student’s personal and career

interests;

● Identify student’s tentative educational and

career goals, and post-high school next

steps;

● Plan steps to prepare for those goals;

● Design, monitor, and adjust a course of

study that meets those interests and goals,

including coursework and learning

experiences, career-related learning

experiences, and extended application

opportunities;

● Document other student achievements as

defined by the district or the student.

“When I graduated I didn't feel

that teachers were involved

with my graduation, but only

with my grades. It was hard for

me to find the right classes and

opportunities.”

―Oregon Resident

“One of my children received a

standard diploma a year early by

taking advantage of district

opportunities to add graduation

credits to his transcript beyond

the regular school day…he was

able to enter college a year ahead

of schedule and was prepared to

work hard. The school counselor

helped him map out a plan to

meet his own goal that he could

execute over the course of two

years. It was an exceptional

example of a public school

helping a student realize their

self-described educational path.”

―Oregon Resident

Equitable Graduation Outcomes

Career-Related Learning Experiences

Career-Related Learning Experiences are a non-credit graduation requirement and are

structured educational experiences that connect learning to the world beyond the classroom

(OAR 581-022-2000 outlines this requirement, which is defined in OAR 581-022-0102).

The Career-Related Learning Experiences are planned

in the student’s Education Plan and Profile in relation

to their career interests and post-high school goals.

These experiences provide opportunities for students

to apply academic, career-related, and technical

knowledge and skills, and may also help students to

clarify career goals. These experiences include, but

are not limited to, work-based learning opportunities

and span a continuum of career awareness, career

exploration, career preparation, and career training

activities in what is now called career connected

learning. Career-Related Learning Experiences were initially tied to career-related learning

standards. The career-related learning standards were replaced with the Essential Skills for

students graduating in 2012, and the Career-Related Learning Experiences are no longer tied to

specific learning standards.

Extended Application

The Extended Application experience is a non-credit graduation requirement that is designed to

be a bridge between a student’s high school learning experience and their personal interests,

goals, and future career plans (OAR 581-022-0102).

The Extended Application is defined as the application and extension of knowledge and skills in

the new and complex situations related to the student’s personal career interests and post-high

school goals. Each student is expected to build a collection of evidence regarding their work.

The way this requirement has been implemented and offered to students varies widely across

districts. Some examples of excellent Extended Application projects include a student

interested in sound design upgrading the gymnasium sound system after raising the funds for

the project themselves and a student interested in woodworking spending more than 350

hours building a table from a juniper tree and raffling it off as a fundraiser.

Oregon Department of Education. (2010). Career related learning standards become part of essential skills.

(https://www.crisoregon.org/cms/lib/OR01928264/Centricity/Domain/45/Documents/cl.pdf)

“The problem is that ultimately

the job skills that are most

important can't really be

taught―work ethic, honesty,

integrity, being professional,

reliability, dependability.”

―Oregon Workforce

Representative

Equitable Graduation Outcomes

Review of Alternative Certificate

This section is written in response to the following

text from Senate Bill 744:

3) The review conducted under this section

must include:

(a) An evaluation of the use of

alternative certificates and how the

requirements for alternative

certificates compare to the

requirements for other high school

diplomas

Alternative Certificate use varies widely, as state rule leaves discretion for awarding Alternative

Certificates to local board policy. Alternative Certificate award rates have remained steady

statewide for the last decade, with an average of 0.6% of the four-year adjusted cohort earning

an Alternative Certificate in each of the last 10 years.

Regarding Alternative Certificates, OAR 581-022-2020(2)(e) requires the following:

(A) A School district or public charter school shall award an alternative certificate to a

student who does not satisfy the requirements for a high school diploma, a modified

diploma or an extended diploma.

(B) Each district school board or public charter school governing board with jurisdiction

over high school programs shall define criteria for an alternative certificate and shall

award an alternative certificate to those students who have met the criteria

requirements as described in district school board policies.

Many school districts in Oregon adopt local policy based on the Oregon School Boards

Association sample policies. Regarding Alternative Certificates, Oregon School Boards

Association sample policy notes the following about Alternative Certificates:

Alternative certificates will be awarded to students who do not satisfy the requirements

for a diploma, a modified Oregon Diploma or an extended Oregon diploma if the

students meet minimum credit requirements established by the district. Alternative

certificates will be awarded based on individual student needs and achievement. A

student who receives a modified Oregon Diploma, an extended Oregon Diploma or an

“[My district] currently requires a

senior project that implements

the essential skills, which is

presented to their peers and an

evaluation committee. I think this

is a great validation of skill level.”

―Oregon Superintendent

Equitable Graduation Outcomes

alternative certificate will have the option of participating in a high school graduation

ceremony with the student’s class.

Districts may revise this policy as appropriate for their local context. Eugene School District 4J’s

policy adds more specificity to their requirements for an Alternative Certificate; for example,

they include a requirement that the student complete the Work Keys Assessment in both

reading and math, along with other requirements.

Regardless of the specifics of the policy adopted by local school boards, Oregon Administrative

Rule requires that school districts provide, “on-site access to the appropriate resources to

achieve an Alternative Certificate at each high school in the school district or at the public

charter school” (OAR 581-022-2020(5)(a)).

Award rates for Alternative Certificates vary widely, with some districts awarding them to an

average of more than 2% of their cohort, while other districts have not awarded any Alternative

Certificates in the last five years.

Evaluation of Modified and Extended Oregon Diploma use

This section is written in response to the following text from Senate Bill 744:

3) The review conducted under this section must include:

(b) An evaluation of the role of a school district or a public charter school when a

student who has the documented history described in ORS 329.451 (7)(b) or

(8)(b) seeks to pursue a high school diploma with more stringent requirements

than a modified diploma or an extended diploma, as provided by ORS 329.451

(1)(c)

Oregon School Boards Association. (Accessed August 2, 2022). Selected sample policy - IKF.

(http://www.osba.org/~/media/Files/Resources/Board%20Operations/Sample%20policies/IKF%20G1-pdf.pdf)

Eugene School District 4J. (Accessed August 2, 2022). Modified diplomas & alternate certificates.

(https://www.4j.lane.edu/instruction/secondary/graduation/requirements/modifieddiploma/)

Equitable Graduation Outcomes

ODE began reviewing this topic by analyzing the

rates of usage of Modified Oregon Diplomas and

Extended Oregon Diplomas across school districts

and public charter schools. From that analysis, ODE

identified a group of districts and public charter

schools that had a relatively high percentage of

students pursuing a Modified Oregon Diploma. ODE

sought input from those districts and used that input

to inform the discussion that follows.

School districts generally use existing guidance and

policy to identify the potential need for a Modified

Oregon Diploma or Extended Oregon Diploma.

Except in the case of students who are being served

by an Individualized Education Program (IEP),

districts generally flag students who are falling

behind in classes, showing signs of struggling to

access course curriculum, or are credit deficient to

begin having a conversation about whether there is

a need for one of the diplomas. Initial conversations

typically begin in student assistance teams, during

parent conference nights, or within student advisory

meetings.

For students experiencing disabilities who are served through an IEP or who have a plan written

under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act (i.e., a 504 Plan), districts often address the

students’ progress toward graduation at required meetings that can occur as early as fifth grade

or during the high school years. Discussions cover student and family preferences as well as the

school system’s assessment of the student’s academic readiness, individual capacity, and

credits needed for an Oregon diploma.

Diploma options process analysis

Input from ODE’s public engagement efforts suggests that, after a student begins to pursue a

Modified Oregon Diploma or Extended Oregon Diploma, it is unlikely that their path will

change, unless a family, student, or student advocate requests a meeting to discuss options for

achieving an Oregon diploma. One school district noted that, while they inform parents and

students of the option to return to the Oregon Diploma, “It’s been a one-way path.”

“I had one student that received

a modified diploma, and for him

that is exactly what he needed

and what he could achieve. I

appreciated that the staff at his

high school made him feel like

everyone else.”

―Oregon Resident

“They want to give my son a

modified diploma but they

haven't given me enough

information about what it means

and that my son will have

barriers if he receives the

certificate or what will he be

allowed to study”

―Oregon Parent

(translated from Spanish)

Equitable Graduation Outcomes

Modified Oregon Diplomas and Extended Oregon Diplomas represent a small percentage of the

overall number of diplomas awarded across Oregon. Public input suggests that if districts do

not sufficiently consider the individual needs, interests, and abilities of the student and provide

appropriate accommodations for the student to fulfill the Oregon Diploma requirements,

students may never be afforded full access to the most rigorous diploma they have the

potential to earn. Input suggested that, often, conversations about diploma options begin too

late, after a student has already completed most of their high school credits with modified

courses. When this is the case, students are left needing to choose between graduating on time

with their four-year cohort with a Modified Oregon Diploma or delaying graduation to work

towards an Oregon Diploma. Adhering to consistent processes and understanding how to use

accommodations to provide equitable access to an Oregon Diploma can serve to mitigate many

of the barriers that follow.

Diploma path barriers

Districts, parents, and students have shared a variety of barriers to altering the diploma path.

Some of these barriers include the time it takes to recover credits given the standard four-year

graduation timeline, the inability to pass specific courses (primarily advanced math), and the

lack of courses, accommodations, or proficiency assessments based on a student’s strengths

and assets.

Districts also reported a lack of capacity to operationalize alternative pathways to meeting the

Oregon Diploma graduation requirements (e.g., alternate classes to meet advanced math

“The extended application and career requirement (at least how it's implemented at our

school) often feels like it creates a barrier for poorer and less well-resource[d] students

who struggle to figure out what they're going to do for their project as they have less

access to people and organizations within our community to work with.”

- Oregon Counselor

“The 'system' can sometimes be seen as inflexible, impersonal and a barrier to many

students, especially those not interested in pursuing the college pathway. The country

needs skilled workers, creators and entrepreneurs. Lots of students think outside the box

but that creative energy doesn't always translate or fit in the current graduation

requirements.”

- Oregon Superintendent

Equitable Graduation Outcomes

credits, proficiency-based credits). Without alternative pathways to meeting the regular Oregon

Diploma graduation requirements, Modified and Extended Oregon Diplomas may be treated as

the default option.

Equitable Graduation Outcomes

COMPARISON WITH OTHER STATES

This section is written in response to the following text from Senate Bill 744:

(3) The review conducted under this section must include…

school diploma requirements in other states

The comparison of Oregon’s Diploma to other states began with a 50-state survey to determine

how Oregon compares to common practices across the United States. While this comparison

does help show how Oregon’s diploma policies and practices are situated in the national

landscape, policy differences across the states make direct comparisons challenging. For

example, a credit-to-credit comparison is complicated by the fact that the definition of credit,

the authority for granting credits, and the unit of learning contained in a credit can vary across

states. However, the comparison does allow for a general understanding of how Oregon’s

diploma requirements are situated in relation to other states.

Of the 50 states, 21 have state-wide high school diploma requirements. In 28 states, including

Oregon, the state sets minimum diploma requirements, but local school boards can define

some of those requirements and adopt additional requirements. For example, in Alaska, where

local control is a significant factor, only 13 of the overall required 21 credits are set by the state

and the rest are determined locally. On the other end of the spectrum of shared control are

states like North Dakota and New Hampshire, which dictate 20-plus credits but allow districts to

define additional diploma requirements.

The next section, titled “Fifty-State Comparison,” discusses the results of the 50-state survey.

During this analysis, the review team noted several themes across the United States embedded

in recent efforts to improve equitable diploma granting. These themes are identified and

annotated in the second part of this section titled, “Notable Trends in Diploma Requirements.”

Fifty-State Comparison

The 50-state comparison showed that a number of states are currently somewhere in the

process of reviewing and adapting their diploma requirements. While reviewing these efforts,

several notable trends emerged across states in the types of requirements being explored and

implemented. The following is a review and brief summary of these themes, some of which will

also be addressed in the recommendations section.

Equitable Graduation Outcomes

Comparison of credit requirements for diploma

The most recent update to the Education Commission of the States’ High School Graduation

Requirements 50-State Comparison was completed in 2019. The comparison provides

information on course requirements, non-course requirements, total course units and diploma

types. It notably does not include information on exit exams or naturalization exams, also

known as the citizenship test, required for immigrants applying for US citizenship, as

requirements for high school graduation. The comparison found:

● 47 states, including Oregon and the District of Columbia have minimum statewide high

school diploma requirements.

● Three states allow local districts to decide diploma requirements: Colorado,

Massachusetts, and Pennsylvania, but all three have a statewide assessment or

recommended diploma requirements.

● 16 states offer diploma options other than the standard diploma type, and six states

offer multiple standard diploma options.

● 17 states, including Oregon, specify non-course requirements as a condition of

graduation in state policy

Oregon currently requires 24 credits for a diploma, along with 13 other states. Twenty-four is

the highest number of credits required for a diploma by any state for the class of 2022. Of the

37 states requiring fewer credits than Oregon for a diploma, 28 states require between 20 and

23.5 credits, six require less than 20, and three have no statewide credit requirement. See

Figure 2 for specific details; note that some states also allow or require districts to identify their

own graduation requirements. Figure 2 below shows how Oregon compares to other states in

required credits per subject area.

Mcdonald, et al., “50-State Comparison.” (https://www.ecs.org/high-school-graduation-requirements/)

Equitable Graduation Outcomes

Figure 2

Number of States with Different Number of Credits Required to Graduate

Note: Connecticut will require 25 credits beginning with graduates in 2023; Department of

Defense requires 26 credits; three states allow districts to determine credit requirements with

no statewide minimum. The darker bar shows the group including Oregon, 23-24 credits

required.

When credit requirements for earning a diploma are compared across subject areas, there are

many areas where Oregon’s requirements are very much in line with most other states, such as

in language arts. In other credit areas, such as physical education/health, Oregon’s

requirements are more extensive when compared to many other states (see Figures 3 and 4

below).

Equitable Graduation Outcomes

Figure 3

Number of States with Credit Requirements by Subject Area

Figure 4

Number of States with Additional Credit Requirements by Subject Area.

Note: A yellow border indicates the group including Oregon’s current requirements, based on

the 50-State Comparison from Mcdonald, et al.

Comparison of non-credit requirements

Currently, Oregon also requires students to work with school staff to meet several additional

requirements, beyond earning credits, to earn a diploma. These include the Education Plan and

Equitable Graduation Outcomes

Profile, Career-Related Learning Experiences, and the Extended Application and showing

proficiency in the first three of the nine Essential Skills (reading, writing, and math). The

requirement that students test proficient in the Essential Skills in reading, writing, and math

was suspended during the pandemic, and remains suspended to allow for this review.

In other states, non-credit requirements for graduation include community service

requirements, the creation of education plans, and demonstrating critical thinking skills through

application projects or performance-based assessments. Assessments, such as end-of-course

exams and passing scores on high school exit exams, are all non-credit requirements.

Oregon is not alone in having non-credit requirements as part of their diploma. According to a

2019 report the majority of states included ‘personalized learning’ in their planning for the

federal Every Student Succeeds Act

Notable non-credit trends included growth in requirements that districts support students and

families in completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), developing

resumes, and demonstrating financial literacy or media/technology literacy. Exit examination

use is trending down, with several states working with districts to issue diplomas retroactively

to students who did not graduate exclusively because they could not pass the state’s high

school exit examination.

Diploma-Related Considerations

According to the 2022 report Condition of Career

Readiness in the United States from the Coalition

for Career Development, many states are

currently working on ways to create more robust

career-related offerings for their public school

students.

The Coalition for Career

Development also released, in 2022, an

interactive map highlighting the current state of

Personalized Education Plan requirements

across the country.

Data Quality Campaign. (2019, November). Making data work for personalized learning: Lessons learned.

(https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED607216.pdf)

Solberg, V. S. H., Donnelly, H. K., Kroyer-Kubicek, R., Basha, R., Curtis, G., Jaques, E., Schreiber, K. (2022).

Condition of Career Readiness in the United States. Alexandria, VA: Coalition for Career Development Center and

the BU Center for Future Readiness.

Coalition for Career Development Center. (2022). Condition of career readiness in the United States.

(https://www.ccd-center.org/condition-of-career-readiness-report)

“Our graduates need to be able to

show up to work consistently, be

reliable, and be computer and

technology literate. They are

proficient on their phones for

recreational purposes, but often have

no clue on how to use technology to

accomplish professional tasks.”

- Oregon Educator

Equitable Graduation Outcomes

Perkins V, a federal source of funding for state college-and-career readiness programs, also now

supports work-based learning through the new secondary program quality indicator. Thirty-four

states chose work-based learning as their quality performance metric for career technical

education, including Oregon.

Many states’ high school diplomas also include opportunities for students to do meaningful

capstone projects similar to Oregon’s Extended Application. For some states, this is a stand-

alone requirement, such as Ohio’s capstone requirement.

In other states, this requirement is

woven into the Personalized Learning plan alongside a detailed Learner Profile, ensuring that

work is aligned with each student’s interests, talents, and postsecondary goals.

Assessment Requirements

Assessment requirements for graduation most often come in the form of end-of-course

assessments, or a requirement to pass an “exit” exam that measures students’ level of

proficiency in certain areas, sometimes including a naturalization exam. In Oregon, these

assessment requirements are based on showing proficiency in three of the nine Essential Skills:

reading, writing, and mathematics.

In the 2017–18 school year, according to the Education Commission of the States:

● 25 states were administering end-of-course assessments in one or more subject areas.

● 11 states were using one or more end-of-course assessments as exit exams. One

example is Ohio, which allowed students to use end-of-course assessments as one of

three options to complete an exit exam requirement.

● Six states required that end-of-course exam scores be factored into a student’s final

course grade, with two more states adding this requirement in the 2018-19 school year.

● Three states were scheduled to discontinue using end-of-course exams as exit exams

after the Class of 2019, while two states were scheduled to begin using end-of-course

exams as exit exams with the Class of 2019.

Education Commission of the States. (2021, January 27). The state of CTE: Work-based learning in Perkins V state

plans. Ed Note. (https://ednote.ecs.org/the-state-of-cte-work-based-learning-in-perkins-v-state-plans/)

Ohio Department of Education. (2019, May). Is a senior capstone project right for you?

(https://education.ohio.gov/getattachment/Topics/Ohio-s-Graduation-Requirements/Earning-an-Ohio-High-

School-Diploma-for-the-Cl-1/Work-and-Community-Service-Experience-and-Capstone/CapstoneToolkit.pdf)

National Forum on Education Statistics. (2019, August). Forum guide to personalized learning data.

(https://nces.ed.gov/forum/pdf/Personalized_Learning_Data.pdf)

Education Commission of the States. (2017, December 20). Response to information request.

(https://www.ecs.org/wp-content/uploads/State-Information-Request_End-of-Course-Exams.pdf)

Equitable Graduation Outcomes

For the class of 2017, 15 states—Florida, Idaho, Indiana, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts,

New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas, Virginia, and

Washington—required students to pass exit exams, primarily in English language arts and math,

but sometimes in science or social sciences, to graduate from high school.

The number of

states employing high school exit exams has been trending downward over the past decade. A

general overview of exit examination requirements for the class of 2020 is provided below:

• Only 11 states had graduation exit examinations in place for English Language Arts and

math in 2020 (FL, LA, MA, MD, MI, NJ, NM, NY, OH, TX, and VA)

• 12 states recently ended graduation exit examinations (AR, AZ, CA, GA, ID, IN, MN, NV,

OK, RI, SC, and WA)

• 1 state placed an exit examination moratorium (PA)

• 7 states delivered retroactive diplomas (AK, AZ, CA, GA, NV, SC, and TX)

• 1 state was planning a new series of graduation examinations (CO)

In 2015 there was a push to include testing of citizenship and civics in diploma requirements.

Several states have various requirements around citizenship and civics; most recently,

Oklahoma passed a bill in March 2021, mandating that high school students take and pass a

naturalization test before graduation.

The following examples show how two states have adapted, adopted, or changed their exit

exam policies in recent years:

● California postponed its exit exam program for the Classes of 2016 through 2018 and

convened an advisory panel to determine the continuation of the exam beyond these

dates. The test is no longer required but is still offered: if a student passed both sections

of the California High School Proficiency Examination, the California State Board of

Education will award them a Certificate of Proficiency, which by state law is equivalent

to a high school diploma. As noted above, California also made retroactive diplomas

available for students who did not graduate exclusively because of the exit examination

requirement, while it was in place.

Education Commission of the States. (2016, July 26). Response to information request. (https://www.ecs.org/wp-

content/uploads/Exit-Exam-Requirements-for-Class-of-2017_07.26.16.pdf)

FairTest. (2019, May). Graduation test update: States that recently eliminated or scaled back high school exit

exams (updated May 2019). (https://www.fairtest.org/graduation-test-update-states-recently-eliminated)

Education Commission of the States. (2015, June). The civics education initiative of 2015.

(https://www.ecs.org/clearinghouse/01/19/46/11946.pdf)

Sacramento County Office of Education. (n.d.). About the CHSPE. California High School Proficiency Examination.

(https://www.chspe.org/about)

Equitable Graduation Outcomes

● Alaska had an exit exam from 2004–2014. During the 2014 legislative session ending in

April, the Alaska State Legislature passed HB278, which allows school districts to

retroactively award diplomas to students who passed all required coursework and

earned the needed credits but had not yet passed all three portions of the High School

Graduation Qualifying Exam.

● Nevada has a long history of requiring various high school proficiency exams, beginning

in 1977. Students were recently required to participate in an end-of-course examination

in order to support standard setting. During this period where the exit examination was

suspended, graduation rates increased dramatically, particularly for students with

disabilities, students who are identified as English learners, students who are migrant,

students who identify as Black/African American, Native American/Indigenous, and

Latino/a/x.

Many states have recently suspended or changed exit exam requirements as a result of COVID-

19, so it is difficult to provide an accurate accounting of the current landscape of assessments

required for a diploma.

Notable National Trends in Diploma Requirements

Diploma requirements and postsecondary preparation

Aligning graduation requirements with college admission requirements appears to produce

both benefits and barriers. In the San Diego Unified School district, a comparison of classes

before and after the graduation requirements were changed to match college admissions

requirements revealed, “roughly 10 percent more … may become eligible to apply to the

California State University and University of California systems, but 16 percent more may fail to

graduate.”

Though the increase in graduation rates overall

is a positive change, a 2016 study of efforts to

align high school graduation requirements to postsecondary admissions criteria found that,

“Among recent graduates, fewer than 1 in 10 have taken a foundational set of courses they’d

need to be both college-and career-ready. And almost half completed neither a college-prep

Retzl, K. J. (2018, August). Nevada graduation rates and the high school proficiency exam. Guinn Center.

(https://guinncenter.org/nevada-graduation-rates-and-the-high-school-proficiency-exam/)

Betts, J. et al. (2016, April). College prep for all: Will San Diego students meet challenging new graduation

requirements? Public Policy Institute of California. Page 3. (https://www.ppic.org/publication/college-prep-for-all-

will-san-diego-students-meet-challenging-new-graduation-requirements/)

National Center for Education Statistics. (n.d.). High school graduation rates. Retrieved June 30, 2022, from

(https://nces.ed.gov/FastFacts/display.asp?id=805)

Equitable Graduation Outcomes

nor a career-prep course sequence.”

There was

remarkably little change in the immediate enrollment rate

over the past decade,

[2006-2016] and, more recently,

sharp declines in college enrollment occurred during the

pandemic, since 2020.

Currently, the major trend in these ongoing alignment

efforts is an attempt to treat, “college and career” as a

both/and,

ensuring that all students are on a permeable,

rather than rigid, pathway that leads to positive

postsecondary outcomes.

For the last two decades policymakers have attempted to

align high school requirements with the requirements of

postsecondary entry, whether for a technical certification,

an associate’s degree, or a 4-year degree.

A 2007 report

from the Pathways to College Network claimed the,

“critical first step toward academic alignment is to ground

high school standards in college requirements and

workplace expectations.”

The reasoning from this report

is remarkably similar to what we see in today’s discussion

of aligning graduation requirements with postsecondary

The Education Trust. (2016, April). Meandering toward graduation: Transcript outcomes of high school

graduates. (https://edtrust.org/wp-

content/uploads/2014/09/MeanderingTowardGraduation_EdTrust_April2016.pdf)

National Center for Education Statistics. (n.d.). High school graduation rates. Retrieved June 30, 2022, from

(https://nces.ed.gov/fastfacts/display.asp?id=51)

Semak, T. (2022, January 13). Fall 2021 undergraduate enrollment declines 465,300 students compared to Fall

2020. National Student Clearinghouse. (https://www.studentclearinghouse.org/blog/fall-2021-undergraduate-

enrollment-declines-465300-students-compared-to-fall-2020/)

Green, C. (2022, January 13). College and career preparation: A ‘both/and’ approach for today’s youth. Jobs for

the Future. (https://www.jff.org/what-we-do/impact-stories/policy-leadership-trust/college-and-career-

preparation-a-bothand-approach-for-todays-youth/)

Loyd, A. (2022, May 24). Growing pathways to success for all students. Homeroom.

(https://blog.ed.gov/2022/05/growing-pathways-to-success-for-all-students/)

Dounay, J. (2006, April). Alignment of high school graduation requirements and state-set college admissions

requirements. Education Commission of the States. (https://www.ecs.org/clearinghouse/68/60/6860.pdf)

Pathways to College Network. (2007). Aligning P-12 and Postsecondary Education: Toward a seamless P-16

education system. (https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED509542.pdf)

“We should stop producing

'college bound' graduates

or 'employment bound'

graduates. A high school

graduate should have the

foundation to choose a

path and change their

mind. All students should

leave high school with the

skills and experience to

obtain a living wage job and

go to college. They are best

served if they can choose

to work or go to college

immediately and then

change their mind as they

discover their path.”

- Oregon

Postsecondary

Administrator

Equitable Graduation Outcomes

goals, with one major difference: at that time, less than 70% of high school students graduated

from high school.

Graduation pathways

Reviewing graduation requirements such that they

generate more equitable outcomes is an emerging

trend across the country, including here in Oregon.

Relatedly, several states have been exploring how

to create more equitable and inclusive graduation

pathways.

Twenty-nine states, including Oregon, currently

offer multiple options for earning a high school

diploma. Students in thirteen states choose

between a college-preparatory diploma and a

career diploma. The intent of the multiple

pathways is to provide students with options

regarding the high school experiences they will

have and, often, the postsecondary experiences

for which they will be prepared. The pathways

approach has enough interest across the states that the U.S. Department of Education recently

launched an effort to “grow pathways to success” for all high school students.

The positive outcomes of participation in a high-quality pathway are well-documented in a

recent study of California’s Linked Learning pathways program. It showed that students who

had low achievement scores in earlier grades made significantly better academic progress when

they participated in pathways in high school. They were better prepared to succeed in college,

career, and life, earned more credits in high school, were less likely to drop out and more likely

to graduate on time, had greater confidence in their life and career skills, and reported

experiencing more rigorous, integrated, and relevant instruction.

One example of more

equitable implementation comes from a report on Louisiana’s pathways system which has

recommended that schools put additional resources into counseling and clear communication

Loyd, A. (2022, May 24). Growing pathways to success for all students. Homeroom.

(https://blog.ed.gov/2022/05/growing-pathways-to-success-for-all-students/)

Almond, et al. (2017, July). Paper Thin? Why All High School Diplomas Are Not Created Equal. Alliance for

Excellent Education. (https://all4ed.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Diploma_Paper-UPDATE-10-17.pdf)

“After graduating just this past

June, although I feel prepared for

my life in college, if I had chosen to

go straight into the workforce. I do

not think I would feel prepared,

and I do not feel ready for my life

after college. I do not know much

of anything about many very

important tasks in our adult lives,

such as filing taxes, paying bills,

building up credit in order to buy a

car or house, how to properly

construct a resume, etc.”

- Oregon Resident

Equitable Graduation Outcomes

about pathways for students and parents, in particular communication about how difficult it

would be for a student to change pathways.

A recent Learning Policy Institute reviewed New Mexico’s graduation policies, specifically “high

school pathways that integrate college and career preparation and combine classroom and

work-based learning to make high school more engaging and relevant, while also advancing

opportunities to develop high-level cognitive skills in the core academic disciplines.” This work

involves creating a state framework and defining quality standards for career and college

pathways that are used by districts and their industry partners to develop local graduation

pathways that are responsive to and respectful of local needs and contexts.

This review of

New Mexico’s system of college and career pathways recommended making career and

technical education an integral part of secondary and postsecondary education by creating a

system of integrating career technical education (CTE) with core academic curriculum, combine

classroom and work-based learning, and align secondary and postsecondary programs to

prepare all students for postsecondary education and career success, rather than choosing one

or the other. This alignment is, in part, achieved through the use of an individualized student

plan, comparable to Oregon’s Education Plan and Profile that connects students’ coursework

with their interests and plans beyond high school. This report documented that students in

high-quality career and college pathways experienced a range of positive outcomes compared

to peers in traditional high school programs; however, the report also concluded that these

positive outcomes occur only when many specific conditions have been planned for and

achieved.

Research on graduation pathways emphasizes the importance of using an equity lens during

implementation of such a program. One report cautions that, “In many states, multiple

graduation pathways have created a bifurcated system of diploma requirements, forcing

students into decisions that may limit their choices for life after high school—sometimes

without students even realizing these decisions would have such a long-lasting impact.”

The

report echoes this concern for the 2014 graduating cohort for the nine states that 1) offer

pathways to a diploma, 2) separate CTE and college-readiness, and 3) keep records on which

Culbertson, et al. (2019). Raising the Bar for Graduation Pathways to College and Work. Rand Corporation.

(https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RR2303z4.html)

Hoachlander, G. (2021, February 19). Building a system of college and career pathways in New Mexico. Learning

Policy Institute. Page V. (https://learningpolicyinstitute.org/product/new-mexico-college-career-pathways-report)

Hoachlander, G. (2021, February 19). Building a system of college and career pathways in New Mexico. Learning

Policy Institute. Page 9. (https://learningpolicyinstitute.org/product/new-mexico-college-career-pathways-report)

Sattem and Hyslop, Ready for What?

Equitable Graduation Outcomes

students receive which type of diploma. The report found that these kinds of pathways

maintained or increased inequitable access.

State/District Profile of a Successful Graduate

Another practice that the review team saw across multiple states’ current efforts to improve

graduation was the use of a profile of a successful graduate. According to the Aurora Institute,

“Graduate profiles articulate the knowledge, skills, and dispositions students should have upon

graduating from K-12 education to be prepared for college, careers, and civic life.”

South Carolina adopted their Profile of a South Carolina Graduate in 2015. The Profile of the

South Carolina Graduate was a cross-agency effort that identified the knowledge, skills, and

characteristics a high school graduate should possess to be prepared for success as they enter

college or pursue a career.

The profile was extended in 2021 with the identification of

“Competencies.”

These competencies are similar to Oregon’s Essential Skills, including items

such as “read critically,” “express ideas,” and “maintain wellness.”

Indiana is in the process of reviewing high school diploma requirements, and the department of

education wants to add qualities such as communication and collaboration, grit and resilience,

and civic, financial, and digital literacy to a student success dashboard currently under

development.

While some experts see graduate profiles as a way to create an education system that better

considers the whole child and encourages a well-rounded education, others wonder if the

profiles accurately portray the needs of the community.

While profiles of a graduate are

becoming more common, little research about their effectiveness is available given their recent

implementation. In 2016, the State of Kansas adopted the following definition of a successful

graduate, “[a] successful Kansas high school graduate has the academic preparation, cognitive

Almond, et al. (2017, July). Paper Thin? Why All High School Diplomas Are Not Created Equal. Alliance for

Excellent Education. Page 1. (https://all4ed.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Diploma_Paper-UPDATE-10-17.pdf)

Chambers, A., & Truong, N. (2020, May 4). Profile of a graduate to redefine student success for the future. Aurora

Institute. (https://aurora-institute.org/blog/profile-of-a-graduate-to-redefine-student-success-for-the-future/)

SC Education Oversight Committee. (2015). Profile of the SC Graduate: Building the foundation for student

success, birth to 5.

(https://www.scstatehouse.gov/reports/EducationOversightComm/March12015ReportToGeneralAssembly.pdf)

South Carolina Department of Education. (2021, August). Profile of a South Carolina graduate competency

framework.

(https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/17bTvodxwodNhpLiIZqjY7su_jU9PHssSCtbMndahnRM/edit#slide=id.ged

35865c9e_0_773)

Indiana Department of Education. (2021). Indiana graduates prepared to succeed (Indiana GPS).

(https://www.in.gov/doe/home/indiana-graduates-prepared-to-succeed-indiana-gps/)

Duffy, A. (2019, July 4). Portrait of a graduate: 5 things to keep in mind. Getting Smart.

(https://www.gettingsmart.com/2019/07/04/portrait-of-a-graduate-5-things-to-keep-in-mind/)

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preparation, technical skills, employability skills and civic engagement to be successful in

postsecondary education, in the attainment of an industry recognized certification or in the

workforce, without the need for remediation.”

While it is important to be mindful that what

“success” means should be determined in a culturally responsive manner that should not afford

a hierarchy among the pathways offered, it is also important to acknowledge the importance of

having a shared understanding of what graduation should signify. While some Oregon districts

have developed graduate profiles locally, there is currently not a statewide graduate profile;

Oregon last adopted a definition of college and career readiness in 2014.

Multiple Diplomas

Twenty states, including Oregon, offer at least three diploma options; another 23 states offer

two diploma options, and seven states offer one diploma.

These diploma types range from the standard and honors diplomas to vocational and career-

based diplomas. Some of these diploma and certificate options are only for students with

disabilities and those who are receiving special education services. For example, a number of

states offer modified diplomas, IEP-based diplomas and certificates of completion as well as

alternate standards diplomas associated with alternate assessments.

As an example of multiple diploma types within one state, Virginia offers at least four types of

high school diplomas, including the advanced studies diploma and standard diploma. This is in

addition to the applied studies diploma for students with disabilities and the adult high school

diploma for those over 18. Some of the more interesting trends in diversified diploma options

include multiple pathways to achieve a standard diploma as well as occupational/vocational-

based diplomas. Louisiana and North Carolina are two examples. Louisiana offers a standard

diploma as well as a “Jump Start TOPS Technical Career” diploma. The Louisiana Department of

Education states this diploma helps students 1) attain industry credentials that employers value

when deciding who to hire for entry-level positions, 2) master workplace “soft skills” that help

them find good jobs and succeed when they report to their first jobs, and 3) at the same time,

enable students to continue their education through employer training, technical college

courses and, eventually, (if students choose) at a four-year university.

North Carolina is another example of a state with similar diploma options. All public high

school students in North Carolina must meet minimum state graduation requirements to earn a

“Future Ready” diploma and graduate “prepared for life and whatever pathway they choose

Kansas State Department of Education, “KESA Board Outcomes.” (https://www.ksde.org/Agency/Division-of-

Learning-Services/Teacher-Licensure-TL/KESA/Resources/Board-Outcome)

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after they graduate, workplace,

colleges/university or the military.

”

Additionally, North Carolina high schools also

offer the “Occupational Course of Study” which is

available for those students with disabilities who

are specifically identified for the program. The

program has adapted course requirements and

the same credit requirements as a Future Ready

diploma. This occupational-related diploma is

designed for students to embark on a different

route to earning a high school diploma; the

program has academically relevant and rigorous

courses, but the courses are designed to be

immediately applicable to employment and

independent living after high school. These are

just two examples of states offering different diploma types rather than a singular diploma.

Skill specific credit requirements

Several states have also included specific credit requirements from courses outside of the

traditional content areas in their graduation requirements. These credits are intended to

ensure that students have proficiency in a particular skill or body of knowledge that will be

needed later in life or to assist students in planning for the transition to postsecondary

education.

For example, Arkansas requires that students complete a half-credit class in oral

communication. They also require that students complete at least one digital/online course for

credit and earn credit in a course that includes personal and family finance while in grades 9–

12. Beginning with the entering 9th grade class of 2022/23, students will also be required to

take one credit of computer science before graduation.

Computer science classes have been added to some states credit requirements, although not

always outside of traditional content-area credit requirements. Mississippi and South Carolina

North Carolina Department of Public Instruction, “High School Graduation Requirements.”

(https://www.dpi.nc.gov/districts-schools/high-school-graduation-requirements)

Arkansas Department of Education. (2021). Arkansas graduation requirements. Retrieved June 30, 2022 from

(https://dese.ade.arkansas.gov/Offices/learning-services/curriculum-support/arkansas-graduation-requirements)

“From the teacher perspective, the

alternate diploma meets the needs

of students who are not able to

meet regular high school

requirements. Done with integrity

and appropriate rigor, this diploma

has academic meaning as well as

the acknowledgment that the

student has worked just as hard to

earn an alternate diploma as a

student earning a regular diploma.”

- Oregon Teacher

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also require a computer science class, and ten other states allow computer science to fill a

credit requirement in another content area, typically math or science.

Hawaii requires students to earn half a credit in a course called Personal Transition Plan that

focuses on helping students plan for their transition out of high school and into the

postsecondary world of college and career.

Personal finance or financial literacy is also a topic of interest for many states. Alabama requires

students to take at least one semester of a personal finance course before graduation. Iowa is

currently implementing the requirement and four states (Florida, Nebraska, Ohio, and Rhode

Island) are planning to implement a credit requirement for personal finance. About 25 states

mandate at least some financial training, sometimes as part of an existing course. This year,

roughly 20 states have considered setting or expanding similar rules.

Education Commission of the States. (2020, February 18). Response to information request.

(https://www.ecs.org/wp-content/uploads/State-Info-Request-Computer-Science-Requirements-for-High-School-

Graduation.pdf)

Hawai’i State Department of Education. (2007, March). Personal/transition plan regulations.

(https://www.hawaiipublicschools.org/DOE%20Forms/Graduation%20Brochures/PTP.pdf)

Povich, E. S. (2022, April 27). COVID woes prompt more states to require financial literacy classes. The Pew

Charitable Trusts. (https://www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-and-analysis/blogs/stateline/2022/04/27/covid-woes-

prompt-more-states-to-require-financial-literacy-classes)

“My high school did not prepare students for the real world. They didn't even teach students

how to write a proper resume. They didn't offer or point students in the direction of

internships…The school just wanted to get kids to graduate; they were not focused on what

happened after.”

- Oregon Resident

“[High School Diplomas should include] foundations to financial literacy, how to access

community resources (like housing, food, disability & job support), digital/computer literacy,

how to self-advocate and seek out help, time management tools (students are responsible

for managing their OWN time after high school, and they don't know how).”

- Oregon Postsecondary Educator

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Civics

According to the American Bar Association, civics

education is a common graduation requirement,

but one that takes many different forms across the

states, including both credit-bearing requirements

and assessment requirements. Thirty-eight states

and D.C. require a high school civics course, but

only seven states require it for a full year; eight

others require civics instruction, but not in the

context of a stand-alone course; and seven states

have no high school civics requirement. Civics is not

officially assessed in 23 states or in D.C., but is

assessed in the remaining 27 states, with the U.S.

Naturalization Test as the most frequent

assessment tool.

On the other hand, seals

awarded to students for education in civics have

surfaced in at least nine states as complementary

“carrots” to incentivize civics accountability.

The landscape around civics education is rapidly changing, consequently, overall summaries are

difficult to compile. CivXNow tracked 88 bills in 34 states affecting K–12 civic education in the

spring 2021 legislative sessions. During this time, Oregon and Rhode Island became the 37th

and 38th states, respectively, to require at least one semester of civics for high school

graduation. Indiana joined Colorado and Nevada in strengthening state civics standards and/or

requirements. Indiana’s law creates a permanent state commission of civic education, and

Georgia is seeking to do the same with their State Department of Education.

Non-credit requirements across the states

Some states have implemented non-credit graduation requirements intended to ensure that

students are prepared for their postsecondary education, training, and work after high school.

These requirements can include passing an exam or completing a specific project or task. The

Healy, S. (2022, January 4). Momentum grows for stronger civic education across states. American Bar

Association. (https://www.americanbar.org/groups/crsj/publications/human_rights_magazine_home/the-state-of-

civic-education-in-america/momentum-grows-for-stronger-civic-education-across-states/)

Virginia Department of Education. (2022). Diploma seals of achievement.

(https://www.doe.virginia.gov/instruction/graduation/diploma_seals/index.shtml)

California Department of Education. (2022, March 15). State seal of civic engagement.

(https://www.cde.ca.gov/pd/ca/hs/hssstateseal.asp)

CivXNow. (2022). CivXNow Homepage. (https://civxnow.org/)

“Both of my sons were

academically prepared for college;

they did not, however, receive the

comprehensive financial literacy

or civics education that I think

they needed to be successful

adults and citizens.”

- Oregon Parent

“K-12 education needs to be

transformative, preparing children

to become cooperative members

of their communities.”

- Oregon Resident

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requirements under this category include some skills and knowledge that prepare students for

college and careers and those that can be grouped under the broad category of life skills.

For example, Arkansas requires that students complete CPR training and pass a civics exam

before graduating.

Illinois requires that students pass an exam on the Illinois and US

Constitutions and complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

Completing a FAFSA is a requirement that has been added in many states in recent years.

According to the National College Attainment Network, eight states have FAFSA mandates:

Louisiana, Texas, Illinois, California, Alabama, Colorado, New Hampshire, Maryland.

A recent

study found that the FAFSA requirement did act as a barrier to graduation for students, even

for those who face other barriers.

According to a count by the National Conference of State

Legislatures, seven states are considering adding one: Florida, Hawaii, Indiana, Kentucky,

Nebraska, New York, and South Carolina.

Accelerated learning and graduation

A final trend the review team noted in their 50-state scan is the flexible integration of

accelerated learning, also called advanced coursework, including opportunities for students to

earn college-credit in high school, through courses such as dual credit, advanced placement,

and international baccalaureate. These opportunities may be included in diploma

requirements. For example, in Washington State, students who complete the International

Baccalaureate diploma are also considered to have met the requirements for a regular diploma.

Arkansas Department of Education. (2021). Arkansas graduation requirements. Retrieved June 30, 2022 from

(https://dese.ade.arkansas.gov/Offices/learning-services/curriculum-support/arkansas-graduation-requirements)

Illinois State Board of Education. (2022, January). Illinois graduation requirements.

(https://www.isbe.net/Documents/grad_require.pdf#search=Graduation%20Requirements)

National College Attainment Network. (2020). Universal FAFSA completion with supports.

(https://www.ncan.org/page/UniversalFAFSA)

Urban et al. (2015). State-Mandated Financial Education.

(https://www.montana.edu/urban/FINRA_Issue_Brief.pdf)

Smalley, Andrew. (2019). States Looking at Ways to Promote FAFSA Completion. The NCSL Blog. National

Conference of State Legislatures. (https://www.ncsl.org/blog/2019/12/10/states-looking-at-ways-to-promote-

fafsa-completion.aspx)

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ENGAGEMENT PROCESS AND SUMMARY

This section is written in response to the following text from Senate Bill 744:

(4) When conducting the review and developing recommendations under this section,

the department shall:

(a) Use a transparent process that is equitable, accessible and inclusive;

(b) Enable and encourage meaningful engagement with:

(A) Representatives from historically underserved students, including

students who:

(i) Have a disability;

(ii) Are from an immigrant or refugee population;

(iii) Are from racial or ethnic groups that have historically

experienced academic disparities;

(iv) Are English language learners; or

(v) Are from a federally recognized Indian tribe of this state;

(B) Youth-led organizations that engage and empower youth; and

Statewide and Targeted Engagement

Overview of engagement

ODE contracted with Oregon’s Kitchen Table to conduct community partner engagements with

Oregonians from December 2021 through April 2022, specifically with youth and community

organizations identified by Senate Bill 744 as central to the effort. ODE and Oregon’s Kitchen

Table designed and conducted a multi-faceted engagement process that included many ways

for Oregonians to share their respective visions for high school diploma requirements, including

an online statewide survey that was available to Oregonians in seven languages, regional

community conversations that were organized by Education Service District (ESD) regions that

were accessible across the state, and events designed to create safe and welcoming spaces for

input from long underserved communities. These were targeted engagements with specific

youth and community groups called “community connector” conversations. A summary of

these engagements is provided below. A complete accounting of Oregon’s Kitchen Table’s

engagement process, including an analysis of survey responses, is linked in Appendix C.

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● 3,114 statewide survey responses, including approximately 300 paper surveys.

● 19 Zoom community conversations, one in each of the ESD regions. Oregon’s Kitchen

Table and ODE primarily worked with the ESDs to conduct outreach through their school

districts to invite people to join the Zoom conversations.

● 25 community connector interviews with community leaders and connectors (a range of

individuals who are respected and trusted within particular communities and have

relationships inside and outside their own communities).

● 19 additional community conversations specifically with families, parents, and youth

from among the focused community groups the legislature identified. Oregon’s Kitchen

Table worked directly with community organizers from several communities and with

community-based organizations directly serving families to do culturally specific

outreach and engagement.

Engagement strategies by population

All populations were invited to the virtual regional community conversations and to participate

in the online statewide survey. Additionally, the targeted engagement strategies for each

population are summarized below:

Historically underserved students, including students who:

● have a disability

o Community organizing

o Specific listening session

o Individual interviews

o Present engagement session at a statewide conference

● are from an immigrant or refugee population

o Community organizing

o Specific listening session

o Individual interviews

● are from racial or ethnic groups that have historically experienced academic disparities

o Community organizing

o Specific listening session

o Individual interviews

o Discussions with standing groups

● are English language learners

o Community organizing

o Specific listening session

o Individual interviews

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o Discussions with standing groups

● are from a federally recognized Indian tribe of this state

o Government-to-government engagement with Oregon’s nine federally

recognized tribes

o Discussions with standing groups

o Individual interviews

o Specific listening sessions

● are part of youth-led organizations that engage and empower youth

o Present engagement session at a statewide conference

o Discussions with standing groups

o Community organizing

o Specific listening sessions

Make-up of respondents

Statewide survey respondents’ connection to Oregon high schools can be summarized as

follows:

● 33% identified as parents or guardians of Oregon high school graduates;

● 22% identified as working in or having worked in an Oregon school;

● 18% identified as being a parent of a student who will be in high school in the next few

years; and

● 11% identified as either current or recent high school graduates.

Other common respondents included retired college teachers, academic tutors, foster parents,

grandparents of current students or recent graduates, school volunteers, healthcare providers

for youth, mental or behavioral health providers, court appointed special advocates for

students, school or ESD board members, people who work for an organization that supports

school age youth, youth outreach workers, former or retired employers, and taxpayers.

Just over half (53%) of survey participants said that they are between the ages of 35 and 54

years, and 19% said they are under the age of 35. Overall student population demographics

who participated in the survey were:

● 4% American Indian/Alaska Native;

● 4% Asian;

● 4% Black/African American;

● 10% Hispanic or Latino/a/x;

● 7% Multi-racial;

● 1% Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander; and

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● 70% White, Caucasian

The ODE 2021–22 Fall Student Membership Report

shows that Oregon’s current student

demographics are largely consonant with this make-up, though participants identifying as

Hispanic or Latino/a/x were somewhat underrepresented and those identifying as White were

overrepresented among survey participants. It is also important to note that students

identifying as American Indian/Alaska Native and Black/African American participated at rates

beyond what would be predicted by current student race/ethnicity demographics, which are as

follows:

● 1% American Indian/Alaska Native

● 4% Asian

● 2% Black/African American

● 25% Hispanic or Latino/a/x

● 7% Multi-racial

● 1% Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander

● 60% White, Caucasian

Over half of the participants in the survey (56%) identified as either belonging themselves or

having a student who belongs to at least one of the following communities:

● Tribal members;

● LGBTQ2SIA+ people;

● English learners;

● People with a disability;

● People who have been or are without a house;

● Immigrants or refugees;

● Migrant workers or migrant student;

● Child in foster care; and/or

● Student who has changed high schools.

The vast majority of community connector engagements were with members of the

communities identified in SB 744. About half of the community connector engagements were

conducted in a language other than English (Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese, Somali, and

Oregon Department of Education. (Accessed August 2, 2022). Student Enrollment Reports.

(https://www.oregon.gov/ode/pages/default.aspx)

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Russian). Most statewide survey participants (93%) said they prefer to receive information in

English with 3% selecting Spanish, about 2% selecting “other” and 1% selecting Russian. All 36

of Oregon’s counties were represented to varying degrees across the different forms of

engagement. While Multnomah, Washington, and Clackamas counties include 44% of Oregon’s

population, over half (54%) of survey participants came from Clackamas County, Multnomah

County, and Washington County. This does not undermine trust in the process, as those

counties also include higher relative percentages of families of color whom the engagement

process intentionally centered.

Additional engagements

ODE also conducted an additional five community conversations with groups of educators,

including high school administrators, high school counselors, special education directors,

migrant education coordinators, English language development coordinators, and classroom

educators. ODE and the HECC engaged with postsecondary educational institutions and

employers, through business and industry groups, and via additional surveys. ODE’s Office of

Indian Education conducted government-to-government education cluster engagements with

Oregon’s nine federally recognized tribes.

In sum, over 3,500 people participated in the various Oregon’s Kitchen Table and ODE

engagement opportunities from December 2021 to April 2022. As noted above, 3,114

participants responded to the statewide survey―either online or on paper. Approximately 350

people participated in 54 different community connector conversations, including culturally-

specific and educator-specific conversations, as well as the 19 regional community

conversations. Another 50 people participated through individual and small group interviews as

part of 19 additional community conversations. The higher education input survey included 148

respondents.

Community Engagement Themes

This section is written in response to the following text from Senate Bill 744:

5(b)(A) Include a summary of the components of the review conducted as described in

subsection (3) of this section, including information on the comments gathered during

the engagement process described in subsection (4)(b) of this section.

Several consistent themes emerged from the Oregon’s Kitchen Table engagement process.

They are as follows:

● Flexibility is a shared value among many Oregonians.

Equitable Graduation Outcomes

● It is important to acknowledge that inequities in educational outcomes are caused by

many factors beyond high school diploma requirements themselves.

● People recognize and appreciate students’ individual strengths, different learning styles,

and the variety of environments that students are in, both in and outside of school. This

theme was especially prevalent in discussions with families with students with

disabilities, students who are English learners, students who are from immigrant and

refugee communities, and students who change schools or are in a variety of systems

such as foster care or juvenile justice.

● Culturally appropriate supports throughout school environments are key for helping

students meet diploma requirements, particularly for families who identify as Black,

Indigenous or Native and for families from immigrant and refugee communities.

Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, 2 Spirit, Intersex, Asexual, plus other non-

heterosexual orientations or genders (LGBTQ2SIA+) students pointed to supports like

affinity groups and school social workers as critical to helping them meet requirements.

● While people generally view subjects like math, reading, and writing as core to learning,

there is a desire to further explore how Oregon currently considers both the required

credits in those subjects as well as how proficiency in those subjects is assessed.

● Many people viewed math requirements in particular as a barrier for students and are

interested in seeing math diploma requirements reflect students’ interests and have

direct, practical applications for careers, education, and other paths in life after

graduation.

● There is also interest in further examining whether Oregon’s current system of multiple

diploma options is serving students well, particularly for students with disabilities.

Additionally, clear and early communication in multiple languages about what these

options are and their implications beyond high school is very important to families.

● There are particular skills and knowledge that many people would like to see students

attain in order to be successful after high school. The ones that came up most

frequently are financial literacy, critical thinking, civics, and various types of

communication including workplace, social, and interpersonal skills.

Oregon’s Kitchen Table also named two areas requiring further engagement and study, as their

impact on the community required more engagement, time, and discussion about the need to

commit additional resources. These two areas include the following:

● Decisions related to changes that will directly impact specific populations of students,

such as changes related to diploma options and students with disabilities.

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● Implementing any changes that might be made, with a particular focus on ensuring that

schools have the capacity and resources to support students in meeting the new

requirements.

Valued skills

During the community engagements summarized above, participants were asked about skills

that could help prepare students for their lives after high school, with a particular focus on skills

that may be most helpful in supporting students who have not been well served by education

systems. Answers to these questions fell into the six broad categories of community-valued

skills below:

▪ Foundational skills: Respondents commonly indicated that reading, writing, and math

continue to form an essential core of learning. All students need a minimum (or

foundational) proficiency in these three core subjects. There was not universal

agreement on what constitutes a basic proficiency (for example, some feel that the

foundational threshold is satisfied by algebra I or geometry rather than algebra 2). Some

respondents feel that foundational means skills that are clearly relevant to students and

directly applicable outside the classroom.

“Adequate staff support and commitment to scaffolding support in general education

classrooms to meet the needs of diverse learners. Simply not having this staff support is

unacceptable. Separate is not equal. My daughter on an IEP deserves equitable access to

curriculum and general education content with her peers. The classes for [which] she has

had this support have been 1000% better than the classes in which planning and care were

not evident.”

- Oregon Parent

“Because the location of my school is rural, I think we need to remember not all students

and their families have the same access to new technologies or exposure to shifting

employability skills. Additionally, many students wish to remain rural as they move beyond

high school. I think the knowledge and skills that are the most important are the ones that

cross location and socio-economic boundaries: personal responsibility, being on time,

maintaining an ethical demeanor, respecting others, and collaborating.”

- Oregon School Administrator

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▪ Financial literacy: While several different labels were used, this category includes

handling one’s own money and finances, including skills such as budgeting,

understanding and appropriate use of credit, and applying for a mortgage. This was the

most frequently cited subject that respondents across groups said students should have,

or that respondents wished they themselves had. Respondents indicated this could be a

stand-alone requirement or an ingredient of existing coursework.

▪ Life skills: This category includes a range of non-academic skills needed to navigate daily

life and fully participate in society (such as getting a job, voting, paying taxes, and

cooking meals). A selection of these skills is currently taught in special education courses

sometimes called “life skills.” Some respondents (including those with special education

experience) felt that similar learning would be useful to a broader spectrum of students

(with or without disabilities).

▪ Languages and language arts: Feedback falling into this category was wide-ranging.

Respondents felt it was valuable that students learn and know multiple languages, yet

not face requirements so strict as to place barriers in the way of students with English

learner status or students with disabilities. Respondents were also interested in

expanding what is considered language arts (for example, counting literacy in

Indigenous languages).

▪ Careers and trades: Some respondents indicated that the educational system is overly

focused on preparing students for college or university. Some respondents, but not a

majority, felt that increased career training during high school would help restore a

balanced approach.

▪ Employability skills and miscellaneous: This

category includes communication skills (such as

how to write a formal letter or email),

interpersonal skills (such as collaboration,

group dynamics, and how to communicate with

others with differing opinions or backgrounds),

and other social and emotional skills (such as

flexibility, resilience, and empathy).

Additionally, respondents mentioned a few

skills that don’t fit neatly into other categories,

such as critical thinking, computer and

technology, and knowledge of civics.

“Time management, team

player, show up on time,

willingness to take

direction...basic soft skills.

We've seen this play out in our

employers who are desperate

for workers who show up, work

hard, persevere and feel good

about overcoming a

challenge.”

- Oregon Educator

Equitable Graduation Outcomes

Though the focus of attention during

these community engagements was on

making Oregon’s graduation requirements

more equitable, the report from Oregon’s

Kitchen Table also revealed that Oregon

communities have concerns about

educational equity that go well beyond

graduation requirements. Systemic

concerns across K-12 systems were noted,

many of which affect students in rural

settings inequitably, such as having more

limited resources, more difficulty

maintaining staff, and a lack of staff who

might provide access to instruction in

foreign languages or other areas.

Families also emphasized the importance

of ambitious expectations for learning on the part of educators, as well as having a

welcoming school environment where student identities are reflected in the curriculum

and in the staff. These themes were most prevalent from community members who

identified as Black/African American, Native American/Alaska Native, and LGBTQ2SIA+.

Community members wanted the flexibility included in new graduation requirements to

address time. Families wanted students to be able to pursue learning outside of typical

school hours, for example, but also mentioned the limitations of conceiving of high

school as a four-year program. Some students need more time to meet graduation

requirements due to mobility, language learning, etc. Others almost met requirements

in three years and had difficulty maintaining motivation during the fourth year.

Finally, both students and families acknowledged the need for a better understanding of

Oregon’s graduation requirements and how they can meet them. Respondents

suggested that cultural liaisons may support additional engagement with families and

help them understand high school graduation requirements early enough in the process

that the information is actionable and students and families understand the potential

consequences of the choices they are asked to make or support.

“A command of mathematics

through algebra and geometry and

the ability to read and comprehend

English has served me and everyone

else I know well.”

- Oregon Resident

“All students should receive a good

foundation in the basics to the best

of their capabilities, but the most

important part of attending high

school is to discover inspiration to

pursue what interests them.”

- Oregon Resident

Equitable Graduation Outcomes

Educator Engagement Themes

In addition to the targeted engagement process conducted by Oregon’s Kitchen Table described

above, three statewide surveys were conducted between November 2021 and May 2022. The

following sections highlight the responses to open-ended questions regarding the skills and

knowledge that high school graduates should have.

Educators in grades K–12 addressed the question: “As you think about the rate of societal

change, new technologies shifting employability skills, and the role of education, what

knowledge and skills would you say are the most important for Oregon graduates to have as

they leave our K−12 system and transition to their next steps?”

Educator views on important knowledge and skills

Content analysis of the open-ended responses distilled the recommendations into categories of

important knowledge and skills. The five categories most often cited by the K–12 educators are

listed below. The complete list of the skill and knowledge categories are provided in Appendix

D, along with a complete description of the content analysis methods used.

Top five most often cited K-12 educator-

valued knowledge and skills for Oregon

graduates:

● Life skills: financial literacy,

foundational understanding of

government and civics, knowledge of

how to self-advocate and seek help,

knowledge of how to access

community resources.

● Career-related learning skills:

employability skills, community-based

experiential learning, knowledge of

career opportunities and how to get

there.

● Communication skills: listen and

speak to others effectively,

communicate in a variety of mediums,

read critically, write for authentic

purposes.

● Collaboration: knowledge of how to engage effectively with a team, good interpersonal

communication skills, conflict resolution.

“Critical reading & thinking skills, the

ability to collaborate & communicate in

writing and orally, scientific literacy,

mathematical literacy (which can be

attained [without] taking math beyond

algebra but must include strong

statistics and personal finance

coursework), understanding of history,

technological skills, and an appreciation

for all arts. In addition, they should

have executive functioning skills--the

ability to effectively plan, manage their

time, and organize their work.”

- Oregon Administrator (what

skills are most important for

graduates to have)

Equitable Graduation Outcomes

● Critical thinking and information literacy: analyze problems and explore alternatives,

independently access and evaluate the validity of information, articulate and support

ideas coherently, focus on thinking, not rote regurgitation of facts.

Educator beliefs on diploma pathways

Across multiple engagement sessions, ODE sought to determine educators’ hopes for the future

of Oregon’s graduation requirements. Three primary themes emerged from this discussion: 1)

the potential for harm that results from multiple diploma options; 2) the desire for a single

diploma with flexible, personalized pathways guided by student voice and agency; and 3) the

need for a thoughtful, careful planning and implementation of a single diploma with multiple

pathways.

Potential for harm and stigma of Modified and Extended Oregon Diplomas. Each engagement

session yielded responses that showed educators are well aware of a stigma associated with

receiving a Modified Oregon Diploma: students are, at times, placed on a Modified Oregon

Diploma for questionable reasons and receipt of such a diploma has the effect of limiting a

student’s postsecondary opportunities.

Educators shared that they “struggle” with the idea of Modified Oregon Diplomas because

pursuing a Modified Oregon Diploma sends “bad messages to students, families, and educators

working with those students.” They described the Modified and Extended Diplomas as

“marginalized diplomas.” Stories from educators also revealed that students can end up

pursuing Modified Oregon Diplomas for questionable reasons, such as students who are

emergent bilinguals pursuing the Modified Oregon Diploma to gain space in their schedule for

elective courses that―if they were pursuing a standard Oregon Diploma―would be taken up

by courses providing support for language development.

The most significant concerns raised by educators were related to the limiting effect a Modified

or Extended Oregon Diploma has on a student’s postsecondary opportunities. Educators

discussed that college and career options may not be available to students who do not earn a

standard Oregon Diploma. Oregon has previously worked to address this concern, with the

legislature ensuring access to financial aid for students who earn a Modified Oregon Diploma

(ORS 348.007); however, educators shared that financial aid can only be provided for credit-

bearing college level courses that are not immediately available to students who have not taken

the courses required for the Oregon Diploma. Even with that legislative fix, educators felt the

unintended effect of this diploma is that it may limit options for education and training after

high school. This effect is exacerbated for Extended Diplomas, where postsecondary financial

aid is largely unavailable.

Equitable Graduation Outcomes

It was clear from these engagement sessions and feedback gathered from higher education

partners that, although the option to place a student on a Modified Oregon Diploma sometimes

“feels like a relief” and “can be a value” when a standard Oregon Diploma seems unattainable,

educators believe the potential for harm from this option is significant, because of the courses

a student would take on this path. Relatedly, educators expressed a strong desire for a single

Oregon Diploma option.

A flexible, attainable, meaningful single Oregon diploma. These sessions revealed that, while

it made sense at the time for Oregon to establish a Modified and Extended Oregon Diploma,

educators believed that the time for multiple Oregon Diplomas has passed. In discussing the

history of these diplomas, educators shared that before these diplomas existed some students

with disabilities did not have access to a diploma but were tracked to Alternative Certificates

and could spend their entire K−12 career in life skills classes. Development of the Modified and

Extended Oregon Diplomas, therefore, provided access to a diploma for more students.

However, overall, educators indicated that a single Oregon Diploma would be preferable if it

were accessible to all students through multiple pathways. Discussion of multiple pathways

indicated that there continues to be much uncertainty about how that would and could be

implemented, how ambitious expectations could be maintained for all students, and when and

how pathway decisions would be made and changed. Educators also shared the importance of

ensuring that students understand and have a voice in the diploma decision-making process.

Toward this point, one educator shared the following:

“Knowing what a student can do with their diploma would be . . . powerful, especially if

they are required to do some kind of career pathway. If a student knew what those

pathways would allow them to do in their future, [it] would be even more powerful. It

would be great to [make diploma requirements] not just be a checklist for graduation. How

wonderful it would be if a student knew what their diploma meant and what it could mean

for them. [A student could know] ‘I can go to an electrical apprenticeship, or I know I am

ready for a community college, or I know I am ready for a four-year [college or university].’

It would be great if students could have some say in what a diploma was for them.”

- Oregon Administrator

Equitable Graduation Outcomes

Educators were also concerned that any shift to a single diploma through multiple pathways be

flexible enough to allow for development of student interests over time. Such a diploma should

not be a rigid, fixed, one-time choice that tracks students. Implementation of a single diploma

would require careful planning.

Careful planning and implementation of multiple pathways to a single diploma. Given

educators’ concerns over the potential for harm from alternatives to the Oregon Diploma,

participants described Oregon’s future graduation requirements as ideally leading to only one

Oregon Diploma using multiple, flexible pathways. Graduation requirements would maintain

high expectations for all students but would also provide the support students need to meet

those expectations.

Educator concerns about a single diploma. Educators

were also concerned about having a single Oregon

Diploma. They noted, “uncertainty about what [a] single

diploma with multiple pathways would look like,” fears

that a single diploma would exclude some students from

having access to any diploma, and questions about how

its implementation may impact schools in accountability

efforts. They also discussed how implementation of

multiple pathways can have undesirable effects, citing one state’s implementation as resulting

in a, “college-bound track” and, “other track.” Educators shared a desire that multiple pathways

to a single diploma allow all students to earn a meaningful diploma that provides them, “access

to wherever they want to go even if they took different pathways.” Finally, educators felt that it

is critical that schools not be harmed by diploma decisions made in the best interest of students

(e.g., the appearance of lowered graduation rates due to longer pathways to a diploma).

Workforce and Industry Valued Skills

This section is written in response to the following text from Senate Bill 744:

(3) The review conducted under this section must include...

(d) The identification of the expectations of employers … related to the skills and

knowledge of persons who earn high school diplomas in this state

In 2020, the Workforce and Talent Development Board published a report for the Oregon

Governor’s Office and Oregon Legislature with recommendations related to the importance of

“[An] Oregon diploma should

mean access to wherever

they want to go even if they

took different pathways.”

- Oregon Counselor

Equitable Graduation Outcomes

essential employability skills for student success.

Essential employability skills, sometimes

referred to as professional skills or 21st century skills, are personal habits and traits that shape

how you work on your own and with others. Examples include integrity, effective

communication, open-mindedness, and teamwork. The report recommends additional work to

design, delivery, and evaluate statewide essential employability skill models.

In fall 2021, Dialogues in Action, in partnership with the Oregon Workforce Talent Development

Board and ODE, developed and administered an employer survey (See Appendix E for a link to

the report). Respondents to the survey answered the open-ended question: “The Oregon

Department of Education is evaluating its graduation policies and requirements pursuant to

Senate Bill 744 and will make recommendations to the legislature and the State Board of

Education about a possible redesign. What values and skills should be prioritized in the Oregon

Diploma?”

Responses of 443 Oregon workforce representatives (including 244 individuals employed in the

education and training sector) were classified into one or more of 21 broad categories, and

following the data analysis procedures described for K–12 educator feedback. The categories

were ordered by the percentage of workforce representatives who valued the knowledge or

skill. The five most often cited values and skills are

listed below:

● Work ethic: ability to initiate and follow

through on tasks.

● Professionalism: responsible and respectful

of people and processes.

● Communication skills: listens and speaks to

others effectively, communicates in a

variety of mediums, writes for authentic

purposes, and reads critically.

● Life skills: financial literacy, foundational understanding of government and civics,

knows how to self-advocate and seek out help, knows how to access educational and

community resources.

● Collaboration: engages effectively with a team, has good interpersonal communication

skills, and has conflict resolution skills.

Oregon Workforce and Talent Development Board. (Accessed August 2, 2022). WTDB Report: Essential

Employability Skills. (https://www.oregon.gov/workforceboard/data-and-reports/Documents/WTDB-Essential-

Employability-Skills-Report-FINAL.pdf)

“Time management and follow

through. Does it matter if a child

can memorize answers when we

all have them at our fingertips

online? But having a task/plan and

being able to execute on it is

huge.”

- Oregon Workforce

Equitable Graduation Outcomes

“Critical thinking demonstration; collaboration; work ethic; time management; anti-racist,

anti-hate, diverse, multicultural ways to see all people in the world, empathy and self-

awareness.”

- Oregon Workforce Representative

“The old fashioned basics are still needed - literacy (reading and writing), math, history, civics.

Many employers are struggling with the poor writing skills of today's high school graduates.

Many employers find today's high school graduates are poor readers, which really limits an

employee's ability to follow instructions and do the job well.”

- Oregon Workforce Representative

Higher Education Valued Skills

This section is written in response to the following text from Senate Bill 744:

(3) The review conducted under this section must include...

(d) The identification of the expectations of … postsecondary institutions of

education related to the skills and knowledge of persons who earn high school

diplomas in this state;

A total of 148 educators representing 25 Oregon postsecondary institutions addressed the

question: “In your professional experience, what should the high school diploma include (the

required teaching, learning and assessment that school districts must provide to all students) to

support students’ success in education and training beyond high school?”

After all responses were coded following the data analysis procedures described above, the

categories were ordered based on the percentage of higher education representatives who

valued the knowledge or skill. The five categories most often cited by the postsecondary

partners are listed below (See Appendix F for an overview and link to the complete report):

● Critical thinking and information literacy: analyze problems and explore alternatives;

independently access and evaluate the validity of information; articulate and support

ideas coherently; focus on thinking, not rote regurgitation of facts.

● Knowledge and skills in traditional/basic academic subjects: demonstrate skills in

reading, writing, and mathematics.

● Communication skills: listen and speak to others effectively; communicate in a variety

of media; write for authentic purposes; read critically.

Equitable Graduation Outcomes

● Career-related learning skills: employability skills; community based experiential

learning; knowledge of career and educational opportunities and how to get there.

● Life skills: financial literacy; foundational understanding of government and civics; how

to self-advocate and seek out help; how to access educational and community

resources.

“[High School] should involve more diverse writing experience, not just exposition.

Math and basic literacy are emphasized to such a degree that much of what inspires

students to excellence is being squeezed out of the high school experience. In my

opinion we need less emphasis on final assessments and accountability criteria, and

more emphasis on creating a climate that motivates exploration and self-

development.”

- Oregon Postsecondary Professor

“Critical thinking, reading, and writing skills along with core mathematical ideas and

scientific thought and knowledge are all necessary for university success. Both

algebraic foundations (through Algebra 2) and quantitative literacy (data and ethics)

are critical for students.”

- Oregon Postsecondary Math Instructor

“I think there are certain life skills that ALL students need, including financial literacy,

understanding of career opportunities and how to get there, ability to work with

diverse perspectives, communication (oral and written). I believe these skills serve

both those who are college-bound or career-bound. College-bound students should

also be able to think critically and analytically to meet the expectations of professors.”

– Oregon Postsecondary Advisor

Workforce and Industry and Higher Education Determination

This section is written in response to the following text from Senate Bill 744:

(3) The review conducted under this section must include...

(d) The identification of the expectations of employers and postsecondary

institutions of education related to the skills and knowledge of persons who earn

high school diplomas in this state;

Equitable Graduation Outcomes

(e) The determination of whether the skills and knowledge expected to be

attained by persons who earn high school diplomas in this state, as identified in

paragraph (d) of this subsection, align with the requirements for high school

diplomas in this state

Input from workforce and higher education representatives suggests that students who earn an

Oregon Diploma should be confident that the skills and knowledge they learned while earning

that diploma will help them reach their postsecondary goals. They feel that the Oregon Diploma

should align with what students’ future employers and postsecondary institutions will expect

them to know and be able to do. Unfortunately, their input suggests that this expectation is not

being sufficiently met.

The skills that Oregon employers and postsecondary partners see as most important include

work ethic, professionalism, communication skills, and life skills.

Employer survey recipients were asked about their perception of how prepared current high

school graduates are with essential employability skills when entering the workplace. Sixty

percent responded, “just a little” or “not at all.” Thirty-five percent reported “close to

sufficiently.” Four percent reported “sufficiently,” and none reported “extensively.”

Oregon’s current diploma requirements do not fully align with the skills that Oregon employers

identified as most important. Some of the requirements, such as the Career-Related Learning

Experiences and the Extended Application, could be a place where these skills are being taught

to some students in some districts, however, the delivery of these requirements varies widely

across school districts.

Additionally, there is evidence that the Oregon diploma does not align with the expectations of

postsecondary education representatives. The group of respondents was comparably smaller

than the group of workforce partners and educator professionals, and not all postsecondary

institutions or regions were represented among the respondents. The results of the survey

should still be useful, but it is important to recognize that the survey responses are not

generalizable to all postsecondary partners in the state. As with the other analysis, they

represent a targeted engagement to gauge some themes and perceptions present in 2022. The

skills that postsecondary education representatives see as most important include:

Equitable Graduation Outcomes

Aside from basic knowledge of academic subjects, the skills most valued by higher education

show substantial overlap with the ones valued by employers, particularly in the area of

communication and career-related experiences. These groups also both emphasized work ethic

and professionalism as important. Again, input suggests there is a misalignment with Oregon’s

current graduation requirements regarding mastery of specific subjects, and also life skills

around technology, finances, job searching, etc.

Regarding academic skills, there is evidence that Oregon graduates do not fully meet this

expectation either. High school graduates in Oregon often require remediation or

developmental courses in college. According to a National Center for Education Evaluation and

Regional Assistance 2015 study for those going to community college that number is nearly

75%; for four-year colleges it drops to 52%. This number alone shows a mismatch between the

basic academic skills expected by postsecondary education and those required by Oregon for

graduation.

Hodara. (2015, May). What predicts participation in developmental education among recent high

school graduates at community college? Lessons from Oregon (REL 2015–081). U.S. Department of Education.

(http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/edlabs)

"The idea that public school is to serve the needs of employers is a major oversight. That is

not the primary purpose of education. These are human beings not robots to be conditioned

and reconditioned. High school should have multiple tracks, where students must survey

each area and can choose and change areas of emphasis.”

- Oregon Workforce Representative

“Respondents described academic subjects, especially mathematics, reading and

writing as essential to preparing high school graduates for postsecondary education

and training success. They also identified professional skills, transition strategies,

information literacy, financial literacy, and multicultural and intercultural

competencies, and awareness as necessary to be not only successful in higher

education, but also in careers and adult life.” - Oregon Postsecondary Partner

Equitable Graduation Outcomes

GRADUATION DATA REVIEW

This section is written in response to the following text from Senate Bill 744:

(3) The review conducted under this section must include…

(g) The determination of whether the requirements for high school diplomas in

this state have been applied inequitably to different student populations.

This section provides an analysis and determination regarding how graduation requirements

have been applied to student populations

Overview of Oregon Graduation Rates Over Time

Oregon’s official graduation rates have steadily increased since 2009, the first year in which

Oregon published official cohort graduation rates,

though there are some changes that do not

make results prior to 2013–14 perfectly comparable to those after that change in calculation

methodology

(See Figure 5). 2020 has the highest graduation rate Oregon has experienced

(83%). By contrast, in 2009 the four-year graduation rate was 66%. In 2021, there was a slight

decline in cohort graduation rates, which is likely attributable to the impact of the COVID-19

pandemic. While this trend toward higher graduation rates reflects increased opportunities and

supports for students, as well as tremendous efforts by school and district staff, and is

emblematic of greater student learning, there are concurrent increases in the number of

Modified Oregon Diplomas and the rates at which work samples have been used to

demonstrate Essential Skills proficiency that are analyzed here. These increases represent

inequitable pathways to graduation, as they have been accessed disproportionately by specific

student groups (i.e., by race/ethnicity, IEP status, and EL status).

Rates from years before 2008–09 use a substantially different methodology and are not comparable.

Beginning in 2013–14, modified Oregon Diploma recipients were included as graduates. Prior to 2013–14, only

Oregon (regular) Diploma recipients had counted as graduates. Also in 2013–14, students who had met the

requirements to receive a diploma but had elected to delay receipt of that diploma (for example, in order to

participate in early college programs) began to be counted as graduates. Prior to 2013–14 ODE did not collect data

on this second group of students.

Equitable Graduation Outcomes

Figure 5

Oregon’s Four-Year Official Graduation Rates

Note: *The methodology change shows when the modified diploma rate was included as part of

Oregon’s official graduation rate, beginning in 2013–14. Other changes this year, including the

new reporting and inclusion of students who met diploma requirements on time but remained

enrolled for additional years of high school education, mean that this rate is not perfectly

comparable to either previous rate shown.

Rates above, and throughout this section, reflect four-year cohort graduation rates,

which are

the percentage of students who graduated within four years of their first high school

enrollment, adjusted for students transferring into or out of Oregon’s K–12 education system.

While the four-year rate is used for federal accountability purposes, students who need

additional time to complete their diploma may remain in high school for a fifth or more years as

needed.

In a typical year, 4% to 5% of students in a cohort remain enrolled for a fifth year,

and the majority of them complete a diploma or other completion credential during that year.

Oregon Department of Education. (Accessed August 2, 2022). Cohort graduation rate.

(https://www.oregon.gov/ode/reports-and-data/students/Pages/Cohort-Graduation-Rate.aspx.)

Subject to statutory age limitations.

Equitable Graduation Outcomes

Oregon, like other states, adopted the cohort graduation rate in 2008–09 in an effort to bring

increased uniformity and comparability to graduation rates nationally. Oregon strictly follows

the Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (ACGR) requirements published by the United States

Department of Education and has maintained open, transparent, and rigorous expectations in

high school graduation rate reporting. This commitment makes comparisons with other states

difficult, or even misleading, because other states do not strictly follow these practices. For

example, substantial differences between states are more likely to be driven by varied policies

regarding reporting requirements, such as practices that count students as transfers out of the

cohort (Oregon requires official documentation from the receiving school confirming the

student’s enrollment in another state); minimum length of enrollment before students are

counted in the cohort (Oregon counts students in the cohort after as little as one half-day of

enrollment); and the range of students served by a state’s education system (some state

systems do not serve students in hospitals, long-term care facilities, or rehabilitation centers, or

do not serve incarcerated students). On each of these fronts, Oregon’s interpretation is among

the most inclusive (casting a wider net in building the denominator), thus contributing to a

graduation rate that is lower than it would be if Oregon included fewer students in the cohort

(used a smaller denominator), as other states have done.

According to Brookings, audits have found that states have removed students from the cohort

without documentation that they were enrolled elsewhere, transferred students unlikely to

graduate on time out of the system, and awarded diplomas to students who did not meet

requirements

Oregon’s graduation rates by race and ethnicity

As shown in Figure 6, the gap in four-year graduation rates between Oregon’s historically

underserved populations (which include Black/African American, Hispanic/Latino/a/x, Native

Hawaiian/Pacific Islander students, and students who are American Indian/Alaska Native tribal

citizens) and state averages for all students has been shrinking. While this appears to be an

encouraging trend, it is worthy of additional scrutiny. One area of concern is that certain

Oregon schools have been increasing their use of the Modified Oregon Diploma. There is also

an increasing pattern across the state of higher percentages of students who have traditionally

been underserved students (including Black/African American, Hispanic/Latino/a/x, Native

Hawaiian/Pacific Islander students, and students who are American Indian/Alaska Native tribal

Dynarski, Mark. (2018, May 3). Is the high school graduation rate really going up?

(https://www.brookings.edu/research/is-the-high-school-graduation-rate-really-going-up/)

Equitable Graduation Outcomes

citizens) using work samples to meet their Assessment of Essential Skills requirements,

compared to white students.

Figure 6

Oregon’s Official Four-Year Graduation Rates by Race/Ethnicity

Note: Dotted lines represent a change in methodology as seen in Figure 5: The methodology

change shows when the modified diploma rate was included as part of Oregon’s official

graduation rate, beginning in 2013–14. Other changes this year, including the new reporting

and inclusion of students who met diploma requirements on time but remained enrolled for

additional years of high school education, mean that this rate is not perfectly comparable to

either previous rate shown. See Figure 5 for details.

This trend is concerning for several reasons. First, there is not a concurrent increase in student

scores on the state’s summative assessments in reading and writing (English language arts) and

mathematics. It is possible that graduation rates are increasing because the system incentivizes

graduation, not because students are experiencing high quality learning opportunities. The

second concern involves the disproportionate use of work samples. Though it is possible to

design and implement work samples in an appropriate way that better honors student identity

and agency in comparison to other state assessment options, ODE does not have evidence that

Equitable Graduation Outcomes

this is occurring. It is also the case that work sample performance, though compared to official

state scoring guides, is locally scored and may not be reliable. Because ODE does not have

capacity to implement a monitoring system to help ensure that those work samples are being

scored reliably, they may be a source of educator biases. Additionally, in many schools students

that meet the Essential Skills requirements using work samples do so by enrolling in classes

dedicated to this purpose, often at the expense of another elective course. Finally, there have

been no related increases noted in statewide performance on Oregon’s summative

assessments in English language arts and mathematics, which would be a confirming signal of

increased student learning in these content areas.

These factors, in addition to the fact that Oregon’s graduation rates for students who are

American Indian/Alaska Native, Black/African American, Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander, and

Hispanic/Latino/a/x are still below the average for other students. This data suggests barriers

within Oregon’s education systems may be maintaining disparate outcomes for students of

color and students who are Indigenous.

Oregon’s graduation rates by gender

Oregon has consistently seen a gap of up to 9 percentage points between graduation rates for

male and female students, as shown in Figure 7. The gap has narrowed in recent years, but still

remains around 5 percentage points. Some of these differences may be explained in part by

disparate treatment within schools (for example, male students are substantially more likely to

be served through an IEP or Section 504 plan,

and experience substantially higher rates of

exclusionary discipline

), but even controlling for these factors, male students are significantly

less likely than female students to graduate on time,

with a greater disparity among male

students who are chronically absent, experience school discipline, and fall behind academically,

or do not complete a full course load. Gender gaps also exist for all racial and ethnic groups,

though their magnitude varies significantly (See Appendix G for more details).

Jacoby, Section 504 Plans.

Oregon Department of Education. (Accessed August 2, 2022). Oregon Statewide Annual Report Card 2018-

19. (https://www.oregon.gov/ode/schools-and-districts/reportcards/pages/statewide-annual-report-

card.aspx)

Jacoby, Predictors.

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Figure 7

Four-Year Cohort Graduation Rates by Gender

Note: Dotted lines represent a change in methodology as seen in Figure 5: the methodology

change shows when the modified diploma rate was included as part of Oregon’s official

graduation rate, beginning in 2013–14. Other changes this year, including the new reporting

and inclusion of students who met diploma requirements on time but remained enrolled for

additional years of high school education, mean that this rate is not perfectly comparable to

either previous rate shown. See Figure 5 for details; ODE began allowing students to report

non-binary gender identification in 2018–19. Graduation rates for these students will be

published beginning with on-time graduates in the year 2021–22, once four years of this

indicator have been collected.

Oregon’s graduation rates for students navigating poverty

On-time graduation rates for students navigating poverty remain about 10 percentage points

below the rates for those not navigating poverty. Students are identified as navigating poverty

if they were eligible for meals at no or reduced charge at any point during high school. Over this

time period, the qualifications for participating in these meal programs have shifted in order to

provide meals to more students in need, which may be a contributing factor to the rates shown

below. In 2008–09, students navigating poverty made up 43% of the cohort―in 2019–20, they

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made up 57% of the cohort. Additional meal program expansions due to the COVID-19

pandemic caused this rate to increase to 65% for the 2020–21 graduating cohort.

Figure 8

Oregon’s Four-Year Graduation Rate for Students Navigating Poverty

Note: Dotted lines represent a change in methodology as seen in Figure 5: the methodology

change shows when the modified diploma rate was included as part of Oregon’s official

graduation rate, beginning in 2013–14. Other changes this year, including the new reporting

and inclusion of students who met diploma requirements on time but remained enrolled for

additional years of high school education, mean that this rate is not perfectly comparable to

either previous rate shown. See Figure 5 for details.

“Offerings differed drastically among schools in low-income and high-income

neighborhoods. The "college information" at [one school] was two books…while [another

school] has a fully staffed college prep research room. Also, why, in this day and age, isn't

it mandatory to learn to use a keyboard?”

- Oregon Resident

Equitable Graduation Outcomes

Oregon’s graduation rates for students with disability

Additionally, Oregon’s students with disabilities (served through IEPs (Individualized Education

Programs)) continue to experience disparate graduation outcomes, as displayed in Figure 9.

Figure 9

Oregon’s Four-Year Official Graduation Rates for Students with IEPs (Individualized Education

Programs)

Note: Dotted lines represent a change in methodology as seen in Figure 5 the methodology

change shows when the modified diploma rate was included as part of Oregon’s official

graduation rate, beginning in 2013–14. Other changes this year, including the new reporting

and inclusion of students who met diploma requirements on time but remained enrolled for

additional years of high school education, mean that this rate is not perfectly comparable to

either previous rate shown. See Figure 5 for details.

Only 45% of Oregon’s students with disabilities who are served through an IEP are graduating

within four years with an Oregon Diploma (an additional 23% are receiving a Modified Oregon

Diploma, for a total of 68% graduating on time in spring 2020). These rates dropped slightly in

2021, as shown in the chart above.

Another group of students with disabilities, those served through Section 504 Plans, graduate at rates similar to

those of students without disability accommodation plans.

Equitable Graduation Outcomes

Oregon’s graduation rates for English learners

Though there is some cause to celebrate the

achievement of Oregon’s students who are

former English learners, who are graduating at

rates higher than their peers who were never

English learners, students who enter high school

identified as English learners are graduating at

rates far below the average for all students, as

evidenced in Figure 10. Only 64% of Oregon

students who are identified as English learners

while in high school are experiencing successful

graduation outcomes within four years (i.e., being

awarded either an Oregon Diploma or Modified

Oregon Diploma). Students who are identified as

English learners while in high school also earn

modified Oregon diplomas at disproportionate

rates―more than 10% of this cohort was

awarded a modified Oregon diploma in recent

years, compared to about 4% overall.

Figure 10

Oregon’s Four-Year Official Graduation Rates for Students who are English Learners

“Making sure our Migrant/[English

Learner] students are prepared for

higher education…I have seen our

students "pass" their core classes

and still not be at a level where

they could be successful in higher

education if that was their goal

after graduating. Nothing is more

sad to me [than] seeing graduated

seniors come back and tell me they

had to drop out of college their first

year because they weren't at the

level they needed to be in math,

reading, and writing.”

- Oregon Migrant Education

Specialist

Equitable Graduation Outcomes

Oregon’s graduation rates for students experiencing mobility

Students who experience within-year mobility, meaning that they transition between high

schools, either within or across districts, or experience enrollment gaps, are roughly half as

likely to graduate on time as those who do not. Note that while mobility is strongly associated

with taking a longer time to graduate, the relationship may not be causal. For example,

students who are already struggling or not receiving the support they need to graduate in a

school may be more likely to leave that school early or to transfer to another school mid-year.

On the other hand, the transfer may be the result of the student’s family making relocation

decisions for a variety of reasons, including financial reasons or, in the case of refugee students,

out of necessity, and the student’s academic success may not be a primary consideration during

a family emergency. Education systems should seek to make transitions smooth and seamless

for students and only seek to reduce mobility in as much as it is the result of students feeling

unsupported or having inadequate access to resources in their original school.

Figure 11

Four-Year Cohort Graduation Rates by Within-Year Mobility, 2018–19

For more information on student mobility and graduation rates, please see the Student Mobility in Graduation

Accountability Data Brief. (https://www.oregon.gov/ode/reports-and-

data/Documents/databrief_mobility_graduation.pdf)

Equitable Graduation Outcomes

Note: Students are counted as mobile within a given school year if they met at least one of the

following criteria: multiple schools (enrolled in more than one school during the year), late

entry (first enrolled in Oregon public K–12 after the first school day in October), early exit (left

K–12 enrollment before the first school day in May), or significant gap (a period of more than

10 weekdays between reported enrollment spans, during which no enrollment was reported for

the student). Students are counted in Figure 11 if they met at least one of the mobility criteria

during at least one of their four years of high school. Students may be included in more than

one of the mobility sub-categories. Between-year mobility (students changing schools from one

school year to the next, students who were not enrolled for an entire school year) is not

included in the definition of mobility used in Figure 11.

Oregon graduation rates by diploma type

As mentioned above, there has been a steady increase in the percentage of students who are

being awarded Modified Oregon Diplomas, which accounts for some of the increase in

graduation rates over the past decade. Figure 12 shows that Modified Oregon Diploma rates

have effectively doubled since 2009. As of 2020, 3.8% of Oregon students were awarded

Modified Oregon Diplomas, compared to less than 2% in years before the credential was

counted as a graduation and these diploma holders became eligible for federal financial aid

upon enrollment in postsecondary programs. In the 2013–14 school year, approximately 750

students earned Modified Oregon Diplomas. That number has increased by about 150 students

per year and was close to 1,750 students in 2020. A very low percentage of Oregon students are

awarded Extended Oregon Diplomas (0.2%) or Alternative Certificates (0.5%).

Equitable Graduation Outcomes

Figure 12

Percentages of Students Awarded a Modified Oregon Diploma/Extended Oregon Diploma or

Alternative Certificate, or a GED (Four-Year Rates)

Oregon’s education system is graduating students

with different diploma types in ways that are

patterned by race/ethnicity, as conveyed in Figure

13 below. When reviewing the four-year cohorts

who graduated with modified diplomas, students

who are American Indian/Alaska Native tribal

members are over-represented when compared

to peers.

“Most of my students and their

families do not understand the

difference between a modified and a

standard and are scared that it will

affect them after graduation if they

don't have the standard. But the

requirements for the standard are

above their abilities. I'm confused

why, when we already had inequity

among graduation rates, etc.; our

state decided to split graduation

types, etc. in the first place.”

- Oregon Educator

Equitable Graduation Outcomes

Figure 13

Percentages of Students Awarded a Modified or Extended Diploma, or an Alternative Certificate,

by Race/Ethnicity (2019–20 Four-Year Cohort)

As shown in Figure 14, students navigating poverty (roughly 26,000 students per cohort, or 56-

57% of the cohort in 2015-16 through 2019-20

) are more than three times as likely to be

awarded a Modified Diploma than students not navigating poverty during high school, and

nearly three times as likely to be awarded an Extended Diploma.

The number of students navigating poverty, measured as the number of students eligible for lunch at

no/reduced charge at any point during high school, increased substantially in the 2020-21 as a result of pandemic

food assistance programs.

Equitable Graduation Outcomes

Figure 14

Percentages of Students Awarded a Modified or Extended Diploma, or an Alternative Certificate,

by Poverty (2019–20 Four-Year Cohort)

Students with disabilities (served through IEPs while in high school) typically comprise 14–15%

of the cohort (6,000-7,000 students) and are awarded around 8% of on-time Oregon Diplomas.

They are far more likely, however, to earn other credential types, as shown in Figure 15.

Figure 15

Rates at Which Credentials Are Awarded to Students with Disabilities (Percentage of Each

Credential Awarded to Students with Disabilities; Four-Year Cohort)

Equitable Graduation Outcomes

The Extended Oregon Diploma was originally created to serve students with significant

cognitive disabilities, and it has consistently been awarded almost exclusively to students with

disabilities, as seen above (99% of students who earned an Extended Diploma were students

with IEPs). Relatively rare, it is awarded to an average of 112 students per year in each of the

years shown in the chart above, and slightly more during the fifth year of high school.

The Alternative Certificate is a district-defined credential. Award rates vary substantially by

district, likely in a reflection of varying district policies, but in recent years it too has primarily

been awarded to students with disabilities. It is possible that a student earns an Alternative

Certificate and a diploma.

The Modified Oregon Diploma was originally awarded almost exclusively to students with

disabilities served by IEPs, but since its recognition as “substantially similar” to the Oregon

Diploma for purposes of postsecondary federal financial aid and graduation rate calculations, it

has been increasingly awarded to students who were not served by IEPs. In 2019–20, 11% of

the graduates with this credential were not served on an IEP at any point during high school.

As shown in Figure 16, modified diplomas are

disproportionately awarded to students in every

primary disability category, and to those who

were served on an IEP earlier in their education

but had exited that IEP before entering high

school.

“Despite [extended diplomas and alternative certificates] not being recognized as ‘as

‘real diplomas’ by the state or potential employers, many of these students are still able

to be placed in meaningful, gainful and appropriate employment opportunities that

contribute to the community and a sense of personal well-being. My hope is there would

be some way to document these outcomes in ways that reflect the hard work of these

students, sped teachers and school districts.”

- Oregon Resident

“I have worked with many families

who have a child with a hearing

loss. The school district has been

rather quick in pushing a modified

diploma instead of ensuring the

students had access to general ed

and a standard diploma.”

- Oregon Resident

Equitable Graduation Outcomes

Figure 16

Modified Diploma Award Rates by Primary Disability (2018–19 Four-Year Graduates)

Note: The student group identified as deaf-blind is omitted here due to the small n-sizes in

order to protect privacy.

Postsecondary Profile by Diploma Type

The type of diploma that a student is awarded is associated with differences in student

postsecondary profiles. Colleges and universities report that access to postsecondary programs

is not contingent on the diploma type (Modified, or Regular) but rather the courses that

students take. Modified Diplomas have different course requirements and thus these students

are less likely to have taken the courses required for admission to colleges and universities.

Figure 17 shows the rates at which students who are awarded an Oregon Diploma engage in

postsecondary opportunities within a year of graduation. It should be noted that the gray areas

may include extended diplomas, adult basic education diplomas, and GED completion, or other

modes that are not counted in Oregon’s official graduation rate. Approximately 31% of Oregon

students who are awarded an Oregon Diploma go on to a four-year college, while 30% attend

two-year programs or other postsecondary options. Of the students who are awarded an

Oregon diploma, 39% do not take any college courses within one year after graduation.

Equitable Graduation Outcomes

Figure 17

Postsecondary Profile for Students Who Are Awarded Oregon or Modified Diplomas, within One

Year of On-Time Graduation

In contrast, students who are awarded a

Modified Oregon Diploma are not going on to

four-year or two-year colleges at comparable

rates. Only 1% of students who are awarded a

Modified Oregon Diploma go on to a four-year

college, while 14% attend a two-year program or

other postsecondary courses. Approximately

86% of students who are awarded a Modified

Oregon Diploma do not pursue any college

education within one year of high school

graduation. These disparities remain constant

even after controlling for disability (IEP)

status―both students with and without

disabilities are substantially less likely to enroll in postsecondary education if they are awarded

a Modified Oregon Diploma. Additional investigation, including consultations with students and

postsecondary admission officers, would be needed to understand the barriers faced by

students who earn Modified Oregon Diplomas.

“I know that alternate types of

diplomas can negatively impact

students' acceptances to colleges. It

seems encouraging may be a flawed

attempt to provide options while

actually being a trapdoor to long

term disparities that are even harder

to recover from if BIPOC students

take them.”

- Oregon Resident

Equitable Graduation Outcomes

In addition to the postsecondary enrollment

data shown in Figure 17, ODE conducts follow-

up surveys of students who were served

through IEPs at the time they left high school.

These surveys revealed similar gaps in

postsecondary enrollment by diploma type, and

also found gaps in employment rates. The

results showed that among students with IEPs

who exited in 2019–20, 84% of those who had

earned an Oregon Diploma were enrolled in

postsecondary education or training, or

employed, compared to only 69% of those who

had earned a Modified Oregon Diploma.

Fifth-Year Graduation Profiles

ODE reviewed fifth-year graduation data for students who did not graduate with their four-year

cohort. The data show that student graduation profiles are complex, involving an intersection

of areas in which requirements have not been met (credit requirements, Assessment of

Essential Skills requirements, and Extended Application, Education Plan and Profile, and Career

Related Learning Experiences). Most students who were fifth-year graduates needed to meet

additional diploma requirements beyond the Assessment of Essential Skills, as conveyed in

Figure 18 (an average of 52% of students, across the years shown). Students who had not

demonstrated proficiency in the reading, writing, and math Essential Skills within four years of

beginning high school may have also needed additional credits or other requirements to

graduate, and conversations with school and district leaders indicated that this is frequently the

case.

“I felt like I graduated but not really

because I had gotten a modified high

school diploma. Even with this I was

left alone and asked for the help. I still

did not get it because that teacher

was too busy with other students. I

felt like I could not go to college

because of this diploma. It is hard to

go to any college with what I had

heard from my counselor.”

- Oregon Student

Experiencing Disabilities

Equitable Graduation Outcomes

Figure 18

Fifth-Year Graduate Profiles

The slight decrease in the percentage of

students who demonstrated proficiency

in the reading, writing, and math

Essential Skills within four years of

graduation correlates with a decrease in

the percentage of students who

graduated during their fifth year, as

more students graduated with their

four-year cohort over time. This

suggests that the apparent decrease is

actually the result of students who were

closer to meeting diploma requirements

by their fourth year receiving additional

support to graduate within four years,

which would then remove them from

the dataset above.

“Things that I see as barriers for my students

revolve around poverty, home supports,

housing/food access, internet access, etc.--

they are not tied directly to graduation and

they are barriers for my students generally.

My experience over the past 12 years

working with seniors is that I have not once

seen a student not receive an Oregon

diploma exclusively because of the essential

skills requirement; students who haven't

met essential skills have always also failed

to meet diploma credit requirements.”

- Oregon Educator

Equitable Graduation Outcomes

There are additional differences in this dataset by student group, with Black/African American

and English learner/emerging bilingual students at higher likelihood of needing at least one

essential skill during their fifth year. Only about one in four of the fifth-year graduates in these

two groups had met all essential skill requirements by their fourth year.

Causes of Disparities

This section is written in response to the following text from Senate Bill 744:

(3) The review conducted under this section must include…

(f) The identification of the causes of disparities that have resulted from the

requirements for high school diplomas in this state

Graduation is the culminating event of a student’s public school experience, and, as such,

graduation rates reflect both the opportunities and the disparities in access and services faced

by students across 13-plus years of public schooling, as well as those present in the larger social

environment beyond schools. The causes of these disparities are complex and rooted in the

historical context of the education system as well as the context of individual student lives, and,

as such, are not simple to parse.

While it may not be possible to fully

understand if graduation requirements

solely or directly resulted in disparities in

graduation rates in Oregon, it is possible to

outline some of the factors that research

shows impact graduation rates, and to

explore which graduation requirements

ODE’s engagement partners perceive as

impacting graduation outcomes for groups

of students.

What the literature says about the causes

for graduation disparities: Exclusion and

inequity have been present from the start

- our schools were not designed to

welcome, include, and serve all students.

“We should ensure that college

preparation does not act as the

foundation of graduation requirements.

Not every high school student should go

to college. Trying to force that to happen

serves College Board…and private loan

companies. It does NOT serve

marginalized students, especially when

there are a lot of good paying careers

that don't require four years of college,

and therefore don't need to be on a

‘college prep’ track.”

- Oregon Counselor

Equitable Graduation Outcomes

It is important to consider historical context when attempting to understand the conditions of

graduation disparities in the present moment. Reliable knowledge of what happened in the

past informs understanding of the present and helps to construct meaning in current

conditions. The expectation of universal enrollment in high school for all students is a success

story of the last 100 years, but the lasting impact of longer term historical disparities in access

to high-quality education for historically and currently marginalized students is a significant

factor that impacts graduation outcomes

. Figure 19 shows the relative percentages of

students of color in the United States who lacked access to public education itself until recently.

Snyder, 120 Years of American Education. (https://nces.ed.gov/pubs93/93442.pdf)

“I felt totally outmatched when I got to college. I felt like I was not well prepared for college

level work or how to work through it. I wasn’t confident or feeling empowered. I had to find

outside sources of support to keep going. I wish I’d had more focus on my personal

development and confidence before going to college.”

- Oregon Resident

Equitable Graduation Outcomes

Figure 19

Percent of 5- to 19-Year-Olds Enrolled in School, by Race, 1850–1991

Source: U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census, Historical Statistics of the United

States, Colonial Times to 1970; and Current Population Reports, Series P-20, School

Enrollment—Social and Economic Characteristics of Students, various issues.

Students with disabilities were not assured of a free appropriate public education in the least

restrictive environment until the passing of Public Law 94-142, now known as the Individuals

with Disabilities Education Act, in 1975. In 1970, public schools in the United States educated

only one in five students with disabilities

. Many students were not served in their

neighborhood schools but were placed in state institutions for those with intellectual

disabilities or mental illness. Family members often had little to no say about how their child

was supported or educated

For example, students who are newly arrived, immigrant English language learners arrive in

Oregon’s public schools every year. Research shows that these students require time to adjust

to their new educational surroundings and they often report feelings of fear and isolation,

partially stemming from differences in their education backgrounds.

Individuals with Disabilities Act, “A History.” (https://sites.ed.gov/idea/IDEA-History)

Osgood, R. L. (2008). The history of special education: A struggle for equality in American public schools. Praeger

Publishers/Greenwood Publishing Group.

Short and Boyson, Helping Newcomer Students.

Equitable Graduation Outcomes

Cultural identity and feeling of belonging is another factor that can impact graduation rates.

Student’s sense of belonging at school can have a large impact on achievement. A recent meta-

study examined 82 separate studies of student belonging, and described a sense of belonging

as a prerequisite to a successful high school experience

. That sense of belonging can be

supported by courses like ethnic studies, which are designed to support students’ cultural

identity through the study of the humanities.

A recent study found that participation in a single ethnic studies course in 9th grade had an

impact on student achievement. Students who participated in a 9th grade ethnic studies class

had, on average, passed 6 more classes then the comparison group by their 4th year of high

school, 90% of them graduated from high school, and they were 15% more likely to enroll in

postsecondary education

For some communities, that need for cultural support and belonging is particularly acute. The

United States government has a unique federal trust responsibility, noted by the Supreme

Court in the United States v. Mitchell, 1983 decision

, which stems from the treaties signed

between sovereign Tribes and the U.S. government beginning in the 1800s. While these treaties

promised Tribes access to education (in exchange for land, resources, and rights) educational

opportunities were not always equitable and this continues to today. The egregious history of

the boarding school era, wherein students were taken from their families and communities to

attend boarding schools far from their homes, stripped of their clothing, culture, language, and

religious practices, often experiencing physically, mental, verbal, medical and sexual abuse,

while being trained for menial positions, caused historical generational trauma still felt today in

Native communities across America. A new federal study showing that more than 500 students

died at Native American boarding schools only rekindles old wounds from this historical

trauma

A review of federal reports from 1928

, 1969

, and 2014

shows that the U.S. education

system has been attempting to correct these conditions for at least ninety-four years.

According to the 2014 Native Youth Report, Executive Office of the President, Native children

Korpershoek, et al., “Relationships between school belonging,” 641-680.

Sade, Dee, and Penner, “Ethnic Studies.”

United States vs. Mitchell, 463 US 206. (https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/463/206/)

KXLY, “Burial sites.” (https://www.kxly.com/report-burial-sites-found-at-53-native-american-boarding-schools/

National Indian Law Library, Meriam Report.

National Indian Law Library, Indian Education: A National Tragedy - A National Challenge (Kennedy Report).

(https://www.narf.org/nill/resources/education/reports/kennedy/toc.html)

Executive Office of the President, 2014 Native Youth Report.

(https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/sites/default/files/docs/20141129nativeyouthreport_final.pdf)

Equitable Graduation Outcomes

are far more likely than their non-Native peers to grow up in poverty, to suffer from severe

health problems, and to face obstacles to educational opportunity. These conditions are

systemic and severe and must be addressed through increased resources.”

The assimilation practices led to trying to indoctrinate children into mainstream culture and

destroy their lifeways. American Indian/Alaska Native students are in ethnocentric and racist

systems that leave them at odds with their elders and cultural teachings. Currently, some

policymakers and leaders recognize the trauma that generations of children and communities

have faced resulting from these assimilation policies and are moving toward strengthening

better educational policies and practices through government-to-government relationships at

the federal, state, and Tribal levels. A good summary of what education should be is found in

this passage by Polingaysi Qoyawayma:

“[Indians] should be regarded as valuable assets to the nation and to the world, for that

is what they can be, once their talents and special abilities are recognized and

encouraged.

But don’t ask them to peel off their brown skins and become white men. Peel though

they might, there’d always be another layer of brown underneath. No. Rather, ask them

to be themselves, help them to realize the value of their own heritage. Too much time

has been spent trying to teach them to cast aside the Indian in them, which is equivalent

to asking them to cease being. An Indian can no more be a white man than a white man

can be an Indian. And why try? There is infinite good in the Indian culture pattern. Let’s

look at this thing objectively, understanding each other with charity; not disparaging the

differences between us, but being gratefully aware of the good qualities we may adopt,

one from the other.”

Students who immigrate to the United States as adolescents contend with a unique set of

systemic challenges. The extent to which their schools can systematically evaluate international

schooling experiences varies, and the evaluation of international transcripts often is left to

counselors and registrars with little to no formal training in the evaluation of international

transcripts.

This can result in limited transfer of credits that count toward graduation

requirements and repetition of coursework covering content students have already mastered.

Executive Office of the President, 2014 Native Youth Report.

(https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/sites/default/files/docs/20141129nativeyouthreport_final.pdf)

Qoyawayma, No Turning Back, 173-174.

Greenberg Motamedi, et al., Welcoming, Registering, and Supporting.

(https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED610689.pdf)

Equitable Graduation Outcomes

Students who are designated as English learners may find their schedules filled with English

language development courses that count as elective credit and diminish their access to other

courses. These students may also be tracked into content courses (such as ELA (English

Language Arts) and math) that are designed just for English learners, where they are segregated

with other English learner students, and have limited opportunities to develop relationships

with students from other backgrounds.

This also lessens their opportunities for developing

friendships with English speakers, which is a strong predictor of academic success.

Students who are refugees may experience additional challenges related to the trauma of

migration and the circumstances that caused them to leave their home country. Conditions in

their home country may make it difficult to access prior schooling records.

Research shows that racism is “fundamental to racial disparities in educational attainment.”

Oregon’s data shows that districts consistently graduate students identifying as

Hispanic/Latino/a/x, Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander, Black/African American, and American

Indian/Alaska Native, and Multi-Racial at a lower rate than their White peers, though the gap is

narrowing over time. Many Oregon schools are only recently attempting to attract a culturally

and linguistically diverse professional teaching core and provide culturally responsive

instruction. This contributes to Black/African Americans having higher than average rates of

absenteeism in elementary school, near average in middle school, then much higher than

average in high school.

In Oregon, about twice as many African American/Black students are

disciplined than White students or the student population as a whole.

National research has

found that there are no differences in the frequency of disruptive behaviors across

demographic groups, yet, “African American students, low-income students, and students

attending high-poverty urban schools are more likely to be referred to school officials,

suspended, or expelled.

These disparities likely contribute to graduation disparities, not just

within the African American/Black student group but across many of Oregon’s other

demographic groups.

Dabach, “I Am Not a Shelter!”(https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10824669.2014.954044);

Callahan, “Tracking” (https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.3102/00028312042002305); Gandara, “Overcoming.”

(https://www.ascd.org/el/articles/overcoming-triple-segregation)

Suarez-Orozco, Suarez-Orozco, and Todorova, Learning a New Land.

Merolla, “Completing the Educational Career,” 294.

Oregon Department of Education, African American/Black Student Success Plan.

(https://www.oregon.gov/ode/students-and-

family/equity/AfricanAmericanBlackStudentEducation/Documents/aabsSuccessPlan.pdf)

Oregon Department of Education, African American/Black Student Success Plan.

(https://www.oregon.gov/ode/students-and-

family/equity/AfricanAmericanBlackStudentEducation/Documents/aabsSuccessPlan.pdf)

Skiba, et al., “The Color of Discipline.”

Equitable Graduation Outcomes

In Oregon, students who identify as Latino/a/x make up nearly 25% of the total population of

students across the state. Some districts are majority Latino/a/x, making up over 50% of the

student population.

However, data collected through reading and math assessments in the

4th and 8th grades show Latino/a/x students are lagging behind average performance of

peers.

While the broader problem racism poses to educational access is much larger than

graduation requirements, several graduation requirements are likely implicated in this

disparity, including the Essential Skills requirements, access to high-quality credit offerings, and

the quality of the learning experience within the credit.

The implementation of the Assessment of Essential Skills requirements in reading, writing, and

math yielded several inequitable outcomes in the diploma options that our education system

made available to students, as well as how students demonstrated proficiency in relation to the

requirements (i.e., which assessment option was leveraged). These outcomes yielded patterns

that are concerning when evaluated by race/ethnicity (American Indian/Alaska Native tribal

citizens, Black/African American, Hispanic/Latino/a/x, Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander, Asian,

and White), disability status, and English learner status.

Additionally, districts graduate students

experiencing disability at a lower rate than

students who do not experience disability

[Oregon’s Four-Year Graduation Rates for

Students with IEPs, ODE 2022)]. Districts also

graduate students who are English learners at a

lower rate than students whose home language

is English (Oregon’s Four-Year Official

Graduation Rates for Students who are English

Learners)]. Each of these Oregon trends in

graduation rates are mirrored in national U.S.

data (NCES, 2022),

and these trends are

rooted in larger patterns of societal inequity. Issues of school quality and school environment

are most likely linked to disparities in graduation rates in Oregon. Schools with high

concentrations of students living in poverty are more likely to have undertrained and under-

resourced teachers who are more likely to report students for behavioral reasons.

These

Oregon Department of Education, Latino/a/x and Indigenous Student Success Plan.

National Center for Education Statistics, “Fast Facts.”

Glazerman, Mayer, and Decker, “Alternative routes to teaching.”

“Elements like a plan and profile that

are often spread over years make it

incredibly hard for our school where

[many students enter in later

grades]...It needs to be simplified and

consider that marginalized students

often have high mobility and are

starting over.”

- Oregon School Administrator

Equitable Graduation Outcomes

differences in school quality play out in terms of graduation access through the quality of the

learning experience contained in each course or credit and the quality of support provided for

the non-credit graduation requirements, such as the Education Plan and Profile.

What engagement revealed about potential reasons for graduation disparities in Oregon

In direct engagement meetings and an online survey, educators in grades K–12 responded to

the question, “Reflecting on your experiences as an educator, are there ways in which the

current graduation requirements have created barriers for students? What could be done to

make graduation requirements more fair?” When classified into recurring themes, the majority

of identified barriers fell into the following five categories:

· Traditional mathematics pathway (i.e., three units beginning with algebra I);

· Essential Skills assessment requirements;

· Lack of flexibility in graduation criteria;

· Graduation requirements that are not responsive to post-high school plans; and

· Lack of understanding of requirements for different diplomas.

As with the targeted community engagement meetings conducted by Oregon’s Kitchen Table,

the K-12 educators viewed graduation barriers from a variety of perspectives that extended

beyond the current graduation requirements as posed in the question. Many cited educational

resource constraints that led to learning disparities before high school, language and cultural

barriers, traumatic experiences, poverty, houselessness, drug addiction, and the absence of

support systems in high school (See Appendix D).

Feedback about graduation access collected through statewide engagement (See Appendix C)

fell into six major categories. Students from historically marginalized communities feel

unwelcome, out of place, or unseen in school environments, which reduces learning.

Respondents indicated that low expectations for students from historically marginalized

“[Barriers include] lack of equitable access to resources to engage in courses/activities

required. Systemic approaches favoring white supremacy, middle class values, lack of

access to supports/resources.”

- Oregon Counselor

Equitable Graduation Outcomes

communities from educators, school, and community may be a barrier to graduation.

Respondents from historically marginalized communities noted the negative effect of explicit or

implicit messages that students from such communities are not successful in classes, tests, etc.

Restricted learning opportunities and limits on ways to demonstrate learning as potential

barriers to graduation was another theme from respondents. Additionally, respondents

mentioned that high teacher turnover or lack of teachers to fill certain positions limits the

ability of districts to offer instruction and, consequently, limits student opportunity to learn.

Currently, learning and demonstrations of mastery are expected to occur within scripted times

of day and on a standard four-year timeline. This could create barriers for students who learn at

a different pace, or whose access to time is impacted by outside factors (such as mobility).

Students who are required to demonstrate mastery in a language other than their “first,”

“home,” or “primary” language may be experiencing barriers to fully showing what they know

and can do. Oregon’s new Access to Linguistic Inclusion policy may help to reduce some of

these barriers.

The education system in America was not

designed for all learners. In order to redesign the

system so that all students will thrive, there

needs to be an intentional shift from

discriminatory, exclusionary practices, whether

intentional or not, to anti-racist and inclusive

practices. Taken as a whole, the learning gained

from listening to Oregon communities, looking at

historical trends in Oregon’s graduation rates,

and reviewing national research studies tells a

consistent story highlighting the disparities in

graduation outcomes for Oregon’s students who

belong to historically and currently marginalized

groups. This learning also reveals the relationship

between the historical inequities present within

Oregon’s education system, including its

graduation policies, and these disparate

outcomes for students. While patterns of providing historically and marginalized students with

inequitable graduation opportunities may not be isolated to Oregon, it is incumbent upon

For more information see Access to Linguistic Inclusion policy. (https://www.oregon.gov/ode/educator-

resources/standards/ELA/Documents/ALI Guidance and Explanation.pdf)

“I believe it is critical that Oregon

continues to wrestle with the reality

that traditional high school does not

work for a significant number of

students. The core issue is how can

we build accountability for

outcomes, but flexibility in how

those outcomes are obtained? The

significant percentage of students

whose lives are impacted by trauma

or poverty or homelessness will

struggle disproportionately with an

inflexible educational model.”

- Oregon Superintendent

Equitable Graduation Outcomes

Oregon’s education leaders to act with intent to build a new path forward that ensures

equitable opportunities for Oregon’s students of color, indigenous students, emergent English

learners, students with disabilities, students experiencing poverty, and mobile students that

recognize and build upon the diverse strengths of these students, their families, and

communities.

Equitable Graduation Outcomes

ASSESSMENT OF ESSENTIAL SKILLS ANALYSIS

This section is written in response to the following text from Senate Bill 744:

(2)(b) Review state requirements related to demonstrations of proficiency in skills or

academic content areas that are not related to career and technical education, with an

emphasis on demonstrations of proficiency in Essential Learning Skills….

(2)(b) Review state requirements related to demonstrations of proficiency in skills or

academic content areas that are not related to career and technical education, with an

emphasis on demonstrations of proficiency in Essential Learning Skills…

(5)(b)(C) Include an analysis of the effectiveness of requiring students to demonstrate

proficiency in Essential Learning Skills…

Oregon instituted the Assessment of Essential Skills requirements from 2012 to 2014 (first

reading, then writing, followed by mathematics). The Essential Skills policies were implemented

to ensure that all students in Oregon were graduating with the skill set required for pursuing

postsecondary education and training. As demonstrated above, the implementation of the

Assessment of Essential Skills as graduation requirements yielded several inequitable outcomes

in the diploma options that our education systems made available to students and how

students demonstrated proficiency in relation to the requirements (i.e., which assessment

option was leveraged). These outcomes show patterns that are concerning when evaluated by

race/ethnicity, disability status, and English learner status. Outcomes that yield such patterns

require interrogation to identify the barriers and sources of these inequities that exist in our

education systems so that they can be removed.

How Students Demonstrate Proficiency in the Reading, Writing, and Math Essential Skills

ODE conducted a review of state graduation rates for the Oregon Diploma, the Modified

Oregon Diploma, the Extended Oregon Diploma, and the Alternate Certificate as well as the

ways in which students demonstrated proficiency in the reading, writing, and math Essential

Skills. These data were evaluated with regard to student race/ethnicity, disability status

(students served through IEPs or Section 504 plans), and English learner/emerging bilingual

status, in order to address these questions. The data from these reviews are shared and

described below.

Historically, most Oregon students have used the state summative assessment to demonstrate

proficiency in the reading, writing, and math Essential Skills, though percentages who do so

have been steadily decreasing over time in math and reading. As shown by Figure 20 below, in

Equitable Graduation Outcomes

the last year for which demonstrations of proficiency in these three Essential Skills was

required, 72% of on-time Oregon Diploma recipients met their reading Essential Skill

requirement using the state summative assessment, while 68% did so in writing, and 54% used

the state summative assessment to meet their proficiency requirement in mathematics.

Figure 20

How Students Met Their Assessment of Essential Skills Requirements, On-Time Graduates in

2018–19

“These are not great indices for student success--right now, many of our students are simply

traumatized and struggling with depression, anxiety, and a sense of futility. In addition

many of them have too many work and family commitments to dedicate sufficient time to

school. They struggle with the costs of housing; many have food insecurity. If state officials

want to help students be successful in community college, fund our schools, so that we can

lower tuition and create wrap-around services to address student need (we do not have a

sufficient # of counselors to support students in crisis, for instance)”

- Oregon Postsecondary Partner

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Figures 21 through 23 below show how

students meet their reading, writing, and

mathematics Essential Skills requirements with

state-approved assessment options,

disaggregated by race/ethnicity. These figures

show that students who identify as

Black/African American, American

Indian/Alaska Native tribal citizens, and

Hispanic/Latino/a/x are participating in the

work sample option at rates that are much

higher than other student groups. These data

provide cause for some concern, as they may

indicate that systems do not support students

at the same level depending on how they

demonstrate their Assessment of Essential Skills

requirements or that the statewide test options

may be implemented inequitably. Work

samples can be wonderfully reflective of

culturally responsive assessment practices,

honoring student identity and agency, and may be leveraged appropriately by Oregon’s

education systems to reflect such a possibility. However, it may also be the case that students

are given work samples because disparate learning opportunities have not allowed them to

demonstrate proficiency in other ways. This is an area that requires additional engagement and

discussion to understand how student interests are being impacted.

“There is always a disconnect from

ODE's vision and school district's

implementation processes. As a

counselor I can tell you that we never

had a single senior who did not

graduate because of not passing

Essential Skills. What does that

mean? If they didn't clear it through

the SBAC, PSAT, SAT then they will

end up clearing it by the other forms

allowed, mostly writing or math

samples. The high school I worked at

had dedicated classes for seniors to

make sure they would [pass work

samples].”

- Oregon Counselor

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Figure 21

How Students Met Their Reading Proficiency Requirements by Race/Ethnicity, On-Time

Graduates in 2018–19

Note: Locally Developed Assessments are not shown because no student group was at more

than 1% for this method.

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Figure 22

How Students Met Their Writing Proficiency Requirements by Race/Ethnicity, On-Time

Graduates in 2018–19

Note: Locally Developed Assessments are not shown because no student group was at more

than 1% for this method.

Equitable Graduation Outcomes

Figure 23

How Students Met their Mathematics Proficiency Requirements by Race/Ethnicity, On-Time

Graduates in 2018–19

How Students Navigating Poverty Demonstrate Proficiency in the Essential Skills

As with other marginalized groups, students navigating poverty are more likely to use work

samples to demonstrate proficiency in the three measured Essential Skills, as shown in Figure

24 below.

Equitable Graduation Outcomes

Figure 24

How Students Navigating Poverty Meet Their Reading Proficiency Requirements, On-Time

Graduates in 2018–19

How Students Experiencing Disabilities Demonstrate Proficiency in the Essential Skills

Students experiencing disabilities, who are being served by IEPs, are also experiencing

disparate systems outcomes in the ways they demonstrate proficiency in the reading,

writing, and math Essential Skills. Figure 25 shows how students served by IEPs meet their

reading proficiency requirements. The same pattern is present in writing and mathematics.

Systems are graduating students served with IEPs using work samples at rates that are

disproportionate to peers who are not served by IEPs. Again, this may be due to appropriate

“The essential skills requirement has adversely impacted our students served by our [special

education] program and also those who are served by our [English Language learner]

programs. For some of our students, especially those on a modified diploma, they are not

sure why they have completed these additional tasks and an inordinate amount of time is

spent trying to help these students create a passing sample in order to graduate. The

greater challenge with this is the essential skills devalues the work that takes place in the

classroom. . Our teachers work hard to hold our students to high academic standards and

provide supports that are tailored to each student's learning needs. When a student earns

a passing grade…that grade reflects the work and accomplishment of that student.”

- Oregon Administrator

Equitable Graduation Outcomes

use of work samples. Because of the way the program was implemented, where scoring was

completed locally, it is not possible to determine whether work samples were being scored

reliably.

Figure 25

How Students with IEPs Meet Their Reading Proficiency Requirements, On-Time Graduates in

2018–19

How English Learners Demonstrate Proficiency in the Essential Skills

Students who are emerging bilinguals, federally identified as English learners, are also

experiencing disparate systems outcomes in the ways that they demonstrate proficiency in the

reading, writing, and math Essential Skills. Figure 26 shows how students who are federally

identified as English learners meet their writing proficiency requirements. The same pattern is

present in reading and mathematics.

Systems are graduating students who are federally identified as English learners using work

samples at rates that are disproportionately higher than their peers who are not so identified.

Equitable Graduation Outcomes

Figure 26

How Students who are English Learners Meet their Writing Proficiency Requirements, On-Time

Graduates in 2018–19

How Students Demonstrated Proficiency in the Essential Skills by Gender

Despite persistent inequities in graduation rates between male and female students, only small

differences are seen in the methods by which male and female students demonstrate

proficiency in the Essential Skills, as seen in Figure 27.

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100

Figure 27

Method of Demonstrating Proficiency in Essential Skills by Gender, On-Time Graduates in 2018–

How Students Experiencing Mobility Demonstrated Proficiency in the Essential Skills

Students who experienced within-year mobility during high school are substantially more likely

to use work samples to demonstrate proficiency in relation to the Essential Skills requirements,

and substantially less likely to use the statewide assessment. This may be related to decreased

educational opportunities afforded to these students, including potentially missing test

windows due to their mobility. Given the significant differences in graduation rates between

these groups (See Figure 11 above), comparisons of on-time graduates should be interpreted

with caution. More than half of students experiencing mobility did not graduate on time and

are therefore not included in Figure 28.

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101

Figure 28

Method of Demonstrating Proficiency in Essential Skills by Within-Year Mobility, On-Time

Graduates in 2018–19

Note: Students are counted as mobile within a given school year if they met at least one of the

following criteria: multiple schools (enrolled in more than one school during the year); late

entry (first enrolled in Oregon public K–12 after the first school day in October); early exit (left

K–12 enrollment before the first school day in May); or significant gap (a period of more than

10 weekdays between reported enrollment spans, during which no enrollment was reported for

the student). Students are counted in Figure 11 if they met at least one of the mobility criteria

during at least one of their four years of high school. Students may be included in more than

one of the mobility sub-categories. Between-year mobility (students changing schools from one

school year to the next; students who were not enrolled for an entire school year) is not

included in the definition of mobility used in Figure 28.

Analysis of Effectiveness of Reading, Writing, and Math Essential Skills

Proficiency Requirements

This section is written in response to the following text from Senate Bill 744:

(5)(b)(C) Include an analysis of the effectiveness of requiring students to demonstrate

proficiency in Essential Learning Skills and an explanation of the reasons the department

concludes that requirements related to demonstrations of proficiency in Essential

Learning Skills should be retained, modified or eliminated. If the department concludes

that demonstrations of proficiency of Essential Learning Skills should be retained, the

department shall provide recommendations for alternative methods for students to

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102

demonstrate proficiency in skills or academic content areas that are not related to career

and technical education.

Test purpose and design is critical in the analysis of the Assessment of Essential Skills policy.

Oregon’s state summative assessments are designed to be reliable at the student group level to

help inform systems-level decisions. They were not designed to be sufficiently reliable for high

stakes, individual student level decisions such as graduation. This same critique can be applied

to the other state-approved assessment options, as well. The other standardized assessments

were primarily assessments that were used for college entrance examinations (which is a use

that is becoming less common across the United States due to related equity and validity

concerns). The work samples approach was also subject to similar criticism with regard to

validity. Using these assessments for purposes for which they do not have explicit validity

evidence is not consistent with educational measurement standards.

Though it was not feasible to causally identify all the factors and barriers that account for the

disparities in graduation outcomes with extant data, ODE partnered with the Higher Education

Coordinating Commission (HECC) to review the impact of requiring assessments of the reading,

writing, and math Essential Skills on students’ postsecondary success. HECC staff conducted a

study comparing postsecondary outcomes for students by race/ethnicity, disability status, and

English learner status. The study looked at postsecondary success outcomes that included first

grade point average (GPA), retention, credits completed versus attempted, and college level

reading, writing, and math completion in the first year. The study identified no changes in

outcomes for these student groups after the assessment of reading, writing and math Essential

Skills began. The full study report is available in Appendix H.

HECC’s study concluded that most of the student success indicators considered either did not

change or declined during the period following the introduction of the Assessment of Essential

Skills (also referenced earlier in this report at demonstrations of proficiency). Retention rates

(the proportion of first year students returning for the following year) were flat during the

entire period considered for university students and declined slightly for community college

students. First-year grade point average (GPA) increased slightly for both groups over the

period, but the increases were steady, the trends began prior to the introduction of

Assessments of Essential Skills, and those did not appear to be associated with any inflection

points in the data.

Both attempt and completion rates for college-level reading and writing courses dropped

steadily among first-year university students during this period, with just 10% of students

attempting a college-level reading course and 48% attempting a college-level writing course in

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103

2020. Completion rates declined 5-6 percentage points over the same period. Among

community college students, attempt rates for reading were flat, attempt rates declined for

writing, but completion rates increased by 3-4 percentage points. College-level math course

taking, and completion rates, increased slightly, but HECC concluded that these increases were

not associated with the adoption of the math essential skill requirement.

The data displays presented above show that the Assessment of Essential Skills requirements in

reading, writing and math were implemented in a manner that led to disparate outcomes. In

addition, there is no evidence that the policy was effective in ensuring that Oregon students

were better positioned to pursue their postsecondary goals because of the implementation of

the policy. The study by HECC shows that the policy had no association with postsecondary

success outcomes for student populations of concern. Data that ODE reviewed regarding fifth-

year graduates also shows that the reasons why students do not graduate after 4 years are

complex and that the Assessment of Essential Skills requirements, on average, were not the

primary barrier for students. Nevertheless, the trend identified in those data shows that there

is reason to be concerned that the policy may be impacting students in a more negative way

over time.

Respondents to the Oregon’s Kitchen Table

engagement had mixed opinions about

external validation of students’ reading,

writing, and math skills. Respondents were

split nearly evenly on whether teachers

should decide whether students are ready to

graduate or if state testing is also needed.

Just over half of respondents (53%) felt that

credits and grades are sufficient evidence of

reading, writing, and math skills, while just

under half (47%) felt that some kind of

standardized test was an important source of

external validation. When asked how student

proficiency should be measured in order to graduate, respondents favored samples of student

work (38%) and teacher evaluation (33%). Statewide testing had less support at 20%.

Educators in grades K–12 responded to the survey question, “Both the Assessment of Essential

Skills and grades serve as a way to verify that students have the knowledge and skills that a

diploma should signify. In addition to grades, does there need to be a secondary validation

system? If yes, describe whether it should look like the Assessment of Essential Skills or take

“Grades are completely subjective and

an unreliable measure of student

growth and potential from one year to

the next. Grading is inconsistent from

teacher to teacher. Bias is heavily

present in grading ESPECIALLY at the

high school level. You will need to

regulate grades [in the absence of a

secondary validation system].”

- Oregon Superintendent

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104

another form.” Responses split equally regarding the need for a secondary validation system.

The second part of the question elicited a wide range of answers, with the Assessment of

Essential Skills requirements receiving support from only a third of those who advocated for a

secondary system for verifying student knowledge and skills. See Appendix D for a complete

description of the content analysis procedure and detailed survey results.

The Assessment of Essential Skills policy had substantial implications for students’ course

choices, as it was implemented. Students who were not able to meet the proficiency threshold

established for the state summative assessment in their junior year were placed into courses

designed to help them meet their Essential Skills requirements through work samples in their

senior year. Placement in these courses typically eliminated other elective course options for

students, resulting in opportunity costs that are difficult to estimate. Educators reported that

being assigned to these courses had a negative impact on student motivation to persevere at a

time when many were close to meeting their requirements.

ODE’s 50-state review revealed that states are moving away from high school exit

examinations, with many states issuing retroactive diplomas to make amends for the inequities

that the practice created for students during implementation:

• Only 11 states had graduation exit examinations in place for English language arts and

math in 2020 (FL, LA, MA, MD, MI, NJ, NM, NY, OH, TX, and VA).

• Twelve states recently ended graduation exit examinations (AR, AZ, CA, GA, ID, IN, MN,

NV, OK, RI, SC, and WA).

• One state placed an exit examination moratorium (PA).

• Seven states delivered retroactive diplomas (AK, AZ, CA, GA, NV, SC, and TX).

• One state was planning a new series of graduation examinations (CO).

“I do not believe that there should be a secondary validation system. Let's trust the teachers

that we hire to work with our children to determine if they have demonstrated the learning

in their classes at a level that is proficient.”

- Oregon Administrator

“They have been with our children for four years and know better than anyone who is

capable of going on and who may have the ability to make it through the requirements and

who is ready to graduate.”

- Oregon Resident (translated from Spanish)

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105

Oregon’s Assessment of reading, writing, and math Essential Skills approach was unique in

several ways when compared to these exit examination practices, as multiple assessment

options were available as well as multiple attempts, although it still constituted a single high

stakes requirement that state summative assessments in English language arts (reading and

writing) and mathematics, which evaluate systems level outcomes for student groups, were not

designed to support. The states where retroactive diplomas were awarded had exit

examinations that were the single way forward for students who wanted to graduate.

Based on these analyses, requiring students to demonstrate proficiency in Essential Skills does

not appear to be an effective policy for ensuring that all students have access to high quality

instructional programming in mathematics, reading, and writing.

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106

Determinations

After conducting an analysis of Oregon’s graduation requirements and their impacts, a review

of other states’ graduation requirements, and a substantial engagement process, ODE made

two determinations, pursuant to the requirements in SB 744 in sections 3(e) and 3(g).

The recommendations that follow denote how to implement those determinations in a manner

that is aligned with community voice, current research, and best practices in service of equity.

This section is written in response to the following text from Senate Bill 744:

(2) The Department of Education shall…

this state to reduce disparities and to ensure that every student will be on track

to earn one of the high school diplomas.

4(c) Develop recommendations for changes to the requirements for high school

diplomas:

(A) Based on data and the engagement process described in paragraph (b) of this

subsection; and

(B) With the goal of ensuring that the processes and outcomes related to the

requirements for high school diplomas are equitable, accessible and inclusive.

Determinations

In response to SB 744, Section 3(e), ODE submits the following determination:

Determination 1: ODE has determined that the skills and knowledge

expected by business, industry, and postsecondary education do not fully align with

the current requirements for the Oregon Diploma.

In response to SB 744, Section 3(g), ODE submits the following determination:

Determination 2: ODE has determined that the requirements for Oregon high

school diplomas have been applied inequitably to different student populations.

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5(b)(B) Recommend changes in legislation or administrative rules that will reduce

disparities and ensure that every student will be on track to earn one of the high school

diplomas offered in this state.

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108

Recommendations

The recommendations offered in this report extend from themes that emerged from the review

of Oregon’s Diploma requirements, the review of other states’ diploma requirements, the

diverse engagements regarding Oregon’s high school diploma requirements, and the analyses

of graduation data. Together, these efforts resulted in common themes about how the Oregon

high school diploma can address the changing landscape of education, workforce, and socio-

cultural contexts, while honoring the strengths and meeting the needs of students. The

engagement process also revealed that barriers to graduation arise across the entire K–12

education system, graduation requirements included.

Families and educators shared that their children and students experience inequitable

outcomes because they have inequitable access to high quality instructional programming

across their entire public education experience.

Updating the Oregon Diploma requirements to better reflect the values and needs of students,

communities, business and industry, and higher education is an important part of a bigger goal.

Changes to the graduation requirements must be a part of a larger effort to build an equitable,

accessible, and inclusive education system and pathway to graduation and future opportunity.

Realizing the Implementation of Recommendations

In considering the lessons learned from this process, ODE developed the following set of

recommendations to guide future work around graduation requirements and the Oregon

Diploma. It is important to note that while the recommendations are described as discrete

steps here, there will be a need for a coordinated implementation that is fully informed by deep

education and community partner engagement:

● Research, develop, and implement specific graduation requirements across multiple

pathways toward a single Oregon Diploma.

● Build capacity so that students have flexible access to all courses of instruction required

to meet graduation requirements.

● Generate deep understanding in students, families, and communities about the

meaning and value of an Oregon Diploma, options for achieving an Oregon Diploma, and

factors to consider in diploma pathway decision-making.

● Design and deliver education that supports students on their journey to earning an

Oregon Diploma and successfully transitioning to their next steps after graduation.

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In addition to technical solutions, such as

ensuring flexible access to courses, adaptive

changes are needed within our K–12 education

systems in order to transform them to better

reflect the values and priorities of the

communities they serve and the needs of our

changing world. Improving high school

graduation outcomes for students first involves

ensuring that all students in Oregon feel a

strong sense of belonging with their school,

among their peers, from their educators, and in

their communities.

Addressing this need for coordinated systems

transformation will take significant resources

and require dedicated staff time solely for this

purpose. A strong investment is needed in

order to meet the recommendations

established in this report. ODE would need to

develop a team dedicated to developing

graduation requirements and implementing the next generation of the Oregon Diploma.

The recommendations fall into three general categories: 1) credit requirements, 2) non-credit

requirements, and 3) recommendations related to school system structures. As mentioned

above, many of these recommendations are not intended to be discreet individual changes; the

graduation requirements are part of a system of expectations that are mutually supportive.

They should thus be undertaken together and provide for a reexamination of how schools

structure learning opportunities and support students in earning the Oregon Diploma.

Recommendations for Changes to Diploma Requirements

The recommendations offered below are directly related to feedback received from Oregonians

during the engagement process. ODE evaluated the policy implications and solutions that

would align with that feedback. For example, ODE heard from community and education

partners that financial literacy was critical for students’ future success. The engagement

process demonstrated that assessment of financial literacy as a diploma requirement was not

tenable as a non-credit requirement, where an assessment of financial literacy would have

been the policy solution. ODE was also aware that the State Board of Education already

“Critical thinking skills and the ability

to judge the veracity of media that

they come in contact with are

critical.”

- Oregon Resident

“As much as the content of the

courses matter (of course), I think the

most important things to learn are

skills that can be applied later on in

life to make informed decisions. For

example, if there was greater science

literacy and skills in critical thinking,

we would not have people afraid to

be vaccinated or ignorant to scientific

facts.”

- Oregon Resident

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adopted K–12 standards that require instruction in financial literacy. The recommendation ODE

proposes in this area thus took form as a credit requirement as the appropriate policy solution

to pursue. This process was used to develop all of the recommendations, which were also

evaluated for strengths and consequences by partners from higher education, business and

industry, and K–12 public education systems.

Throughout the engagement process, the most prevalent theme was that a one-size-fits-all

approach cannot meet the needs and postsecondary plans for all students. Nearly every

conversation, and many open-ended responses, mentioned the importance of providing

students with a wider range of opportunities (in credits and assessment). Even when

respondents agreed that all students need to learn the same set of basic skills, they also

highlighted that students may learn and demonstrate mastery of those skills in different ways.

Credit requirement recommendations

Because the quality of students’ learning experience is, in part, driven by the quality of courses,

engagement and research themes illuminated the importance of policies that focus on

increasing state-level accountability on schools and districts to provide high-quality learning

experiences that prepare students for postsecondary transitions.

Math credit requirement

How does this recommendation differ from the current requirement?

This recommendation retains the current 3-credit math requirement for an Oregon Diploma.

However, the current math requirement is for 1 credit of Algebra 1 and two credits beyond

algebra 1. This recommendation would align required math course taking with high school

math standards for math credit, which is the case in all other subject area credits except for

social sciences, following established statewide curriculum frameworks for high school course

sequences. Removing the specification about Algebra 1 provides schools and districts more

flexibility in planning for updated math course sequences aligned with Oregon State

Mathematics Standards.

Recommendation 1: Align the mathematics credit requirements with other content

area credit requirements by referencing the Oregon mathematics standards without

prescribing a specific course as a starting point.

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How does this recommendation align with ODE’s review and engagement processes and make

graduation requirements more equitable, inclusive, and accessible?

Many participants in the Oregon’s Kitchen Table engagement were interested in seeing math

requirements reflect students’ interests as well as have direct, practical application for careers,

education, and other paths in life after graduation. There was concern among educators and

community members that the current math requirements were creating barriers for students

and were applied in the same way to all students, regardless of postsecondary goals. In

response, this recommendation connects math course taking decisions with postsecondary

planning, thereby increasing relevance and allowing for more flexible options for students.

There are 12 states that establish mathematics credit requirements without defining which

courses students must take to earn them (and three states that have no statewide credit

requirements). This recommendation is thus consistent with the approaches taken by other

states.

This recommendation removes an unnecessary

barrier that creates substantial opportunity

costs for students. Algebra 1 is repeated more

than any similar math course and that results in

students having fewer elective credit

opportunities.

Redesigning the math requirements should also

allow students to participate in courses that

better align with their goals, making it more

inclusive and accessible. Making mathematics

more accessible promises to increase student

motivation to attempt and complete math

courses. Oregon’s math standards remain and establish ambitious learning expectations for all

students. All students are still required to take mathematics. All students still have the

opportunity to pursue advanced math courses. All students will demonstrate proficiency in

math through course grades and ODE maintains focus on student achievement through the

administration of our Grade 11 Oregon Summative Mathematics Assessments. ODE is working

with postsecondary partners to articulate math pathways opportunities for all students, as part

of the Oregon Math Project

, which includes work on Mathways.

ODE, Oregon Math Project (2022). (https://www.oregon.gov/ode/educator-

resources/standards/mathematics/Pages/Oregon-Math-Project.aspx)

“Ability to do

arithmetic…Fundamental

measuring skills, i.e., how many

ounces in a pound. Basic

knowledge like what

temperature water boils at.”

- Oregon Workforce

Representative (listing

values and skills that

should be prioritized)

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Note: The legislature incorporated ongoing funding to support Mathways in the 2021 session;

this initiative is working to build more relevant and flexible high school math course patterns.

Future Planning credit requirement

How does this recommendation differ from the current requirement?

While some schools support students in developing interview skills, resumes, applying for

financial aid, and completing employment and/or college applications, these are not currently

graduation requirements. This recommendation would establish dedicated time for all students

to receive such support.

Oregon social sciences content standards include learning targets related to financial literacy.

This new course in future planning would focus on the practical application of financial literacy

Recommendation 2: Add a 1.0 credit requirement for a Future Planning course

(within the existing 24 credit requirement) that includes financial planning,

interviewing, resume building, Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and

Oregon Student Aid Application (ORSAA) completion, and other post-secondary

preparation that will impact future success.

“I know math is a big struggle for a lot of students. I also think a lot of high school

math as is currently done is not applicable to future life, depending on the goals of the

student. Other math topics, such as budgeting, making large purchases (house, car),

credit, and other financial literacy are much more applicable to most students than

their ability to solve quadratic functions or the Pythagorean theorem.”

- Oregon Resident

“Mathematics for the high school diploma should prioritize development of

quantitative reasoning, involving contexts that can apply to students' current and

future interests. This should include understandings of algebra, geometry, and data

science that are meaningful to students, so that they expect to understand and

appreciate the mathematics they encounter beyond high school and become confident

in their own mathematical reasoning.”

- Oregon Postsecondary Educator

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113

standards as a part of planning for postsecondary transitions. Therefore, this course would be

complementary to the existing social science learning experiences.

How does this recommendation align with

ODE’s review and engagement processes and

make graduation requirements more

equitable, inclusive, and accessible?

A substantial theme during engagement was

that students need an opportunity to acquire

a variety of real-world skills. Providing time

for these skills will help students successfully

transition to career, college, and adult life.

This includes, for instance, helping students

understand financial burdens and

commitments they may be asked to take on for college or as part of adult life, which have been

found to inequitably burden disadvantaged populations.

Non-credit requirement recommendations

One concern that surfaced in engagement and research was that the non-credit graduation

requirements were creating barriers, were needlessly complicated, and unevenly implemented.

The recommendations below focus on streamlining and aligning these requirements and

providing districts with more support for their implementation.

Education plan and profile

How does this recommendation differ from the current requirement?

With this recommendation, schools would support students in their postsecondary planning

and navigation for up to two years after graduation to increase the likelihood of success. This

would be a new requirement.

Recommendation 3: Expand the Education Plan and Profile requirement to include

a two-year post-graduation plan; establish increased support and accountability for

schools to provide instructional time and support for students to complete the

Education Plan and Profile; revise the Education Plan and Profile to function as a

means of tracking all graduation requirements.

“I think students in high school…need a

class on personal finance and resume

writing. Quite a few students don't

understand what contracts, loans and

finances are. These are important when

they are renting apartments, living on

campus and borrowing money to fund

their education.”

- Oregon Postsecondary Staff

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Oregon Administrative Rule only requires reporting (annually) that the district adhered to the

graduation requirements rule in total. This recommendation would require districts to report

on individual graduation requirements separately to ensure that all are receiving appropriate

attention. This way the implementation of the Education Plan and Profile―including providing

time and support for implementation—could be more closely monitored and supported.

Currently, the Education Plan and Profile is mostly focused on tracking course taking and doing

postsecondary planning. This recommendation updates the Education Plan and Profile

resources to also include tracking the completion of other graduation requirements, such as

Extended Application and Career Related Learning Experiences.

How does this recommendation align with ODE’s review and engagement processes and make

graduation requirements more equitable, inclusive, and accessible?

The use of an Education Plan and Profile was supported by engagement sessions and research.

By using school advisors, schools interrupt inequities that spring from relying on access to

adults at home for postsecondary planning and graduation support. Some of Oregon’s most

disadvantaged students do not have the benefit of a consistent adult presence in their lives.

Additionally, by extending this support through the first two years after graduation, schools are

extending a safety net for students who may otherwise not have access to adult guidance for

decision making, changing their plans, and newfound independence.

The review and engagement processes showed that the Education Plan and Profile is seen as an

important guidance activity and a tool for student success, but the way that profile is

implemented matters. Accountability for use of the Education Plan and Profile should shift from

the student to the school, and ODE should give schools increased guidance and support in using

the tool.

Essential skills list and definitions

How does this recommendation differ from the current requirement?

The current definition of Essential Skills is that they are “process skills that cross academic

disciplines and are embedded in the content standards. The skills are not content specific and

Recommendation 4: Retain, but update the list of Essential Skills and definitions

and then integrate these skills into the Future Planning course credit, the Extended

Application diploma requirement, and the Career Related Learning Experience

diploma requirement as well as throughout the educational experiences across K–

12.

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can be applied in a variety of courses, subjects, and settings” (OAR 581-022-0102). The current

Essential Skills include nine skills that were determined to be central to learning nearly 15 years

ago. The definition will need to be updated to convey that the Essential Skills are embedded in

courses, the Extended Application, and Career Related Learning Experiences. Beyond that, the

list of skills will be updated to reflect current needs expressed by workforce, industry, and

higher education partners.

How does this recommendation align with ODE’s review and engagement processes and make

graduation requirements more equitable, inclusive, and accessible?

Given the rate of societal change, the definitions of the knowledge, skills, and dispositions

students need to pursue their postsecondary goals should be revisited. Oregon communities

will be necessary partners in this process. The process will require a strong equity lens to

ensure that changes interrupt existing inequities. Through focused development and

application of the skills thus defined in partnership with communities, more students would

succeed during and after high school. The skills could also be built into low-stakes tools that

educators could use to provide students with feedback while their learning is underway.

There are contemporary needs that the current Essential Skills do not address. Any update to

the Essential Skills must also be defined by community, as they may become vehicles for

perpetuation of cultural biases if there are not shared, inclusive understandings for terms (e.g.,

“work ethic” and “professionalism”). The skills must be placed on equal footing, where certain

skill sets are not emphasized over others by the requirements. Oregon has a critical opportunity

now, to re-focus attention on a well-rounded education that ascribes equal importance to the

revised Essential Skills and allows schools to integrate all of the skills across K–12 experiences.

Students will also be able to determine which skills they need to enhance most, depending on

their goals.

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116

Demonstration of proficiency in reading, writing, and math Essential Skills

How does this recommendation differ from the current requirement?

This recommendation eliminates the requirement that students complete an additional state-

approved assessment―beyond those provided as a part of their language arts or math course

credits―to demonstrate proficiency in reading, writing, and math Essential Skills. This also

eliminates the Essential Skills student-level data collection.

How does this recommendation align with ODE’s review and engagement processes and make

graduation requirements more equitable, inclusive, and accessible?

There was strong support for students building skills in reading, writing, and math, while there

was mixed understanding and support for a state assessment requirement to ensure

proficiency. Data about the Assessment of Essential Skills and feedback from educators and

community members indicate that policy around reading, writing, and math Essential Skills was

seen as an unnecessary barrier in the high school graduation process.

The assessment component of graduation was popular at the time Oregon adopted it. Since

then, most states have been moving away from this type of requirement. Feedback revealed

ambivalence and confusion about the requirement among students, parents, and educators in

Oregon. Educators suggested that the Assessment of Essential Skills requirements created a

recordkeeping burden for school counselors and restricted course options for students who use

local assessments rather than the statewide test; disproportionately reducing options for

electives for students from marginalized groups.

The review of statewide data shows this requirement does not benefit students in their

preparation for postsecondary transitions.

With elimination of the Assessment of Essential Skills requirements, students would still be

expected to be proficient in foundational academic subjects. It would be up to educators to

determine proficiency through the student’s course grades and non-credit requirements. Given

Recommendation 5: Maintain focus on demonstrating math, reading, and writing

proficiency through demonstration of knowledge and skills in courses; remove the

duplicative requirement for all students to demonstrate proficiency again through a

separate assessment (Assessment of Essential Skills). Develop reporting for systems

accountability that publicly reports targeted staffing and post-secondary outcomes.

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117

the lack of support and inefficacy of the Assessment of Essential Skills requirements, what

alternatives might be available to protect student interests?

Students need the support of educators, counselors, social workers, therapists, and nurses to

succeed and graduate. ODE could publicly report about the availability of these staffing

resources available at the district and school level.

ODE heard from students and educators that grades can be volatile and inaccurate; we also

heard that educator grades are the best representation of student achievement. Current

research shows that grade point average is the best single predictor of postsecondary success.

Standards-based grading practices, including efforts such as ODE’s equitable grading practices

work, could be expanded as part of a larger solution set for this challenge. ODE also supports

academic achievement testing at the 11th Grade level in English language arts, mathematics,

and science that provides a systems-level view of how well student group needs are being met,

when participation is at required levels.

There are other system indicators that could be publicly reported to help protect student

interests while not creating barriers or expending educator energy or instructional time. For

example, ODE could publish postsecondary outcome data for every high school, delineating, for

example, the percentages of graduates who attain meaningful employment or are enrolled in a

community college or university within the first year after graduation. ODE could also publish

high school grade point averages so the public could review and evaluate whether grade

inflation may be occurring.

Extended Application

How does this recommendation differ from the current requirement?

The Essential Skills will be revised based on information collected from workforce and industry,

higher education, and ODE’s review process. Once the Essential Skills are revised, the Extended

Application requirements and resources will need to be revised to align.

Oregon Administrative Rule only requires reporting that the district adhered to the graduation

requirements rule in total. This reporting process is completed annually. This recommendation

would require districts to report adherence to each respective graduation requirement

Recommendation 6: Revise the Extended Application requirements so they align

with the updated Essential Skills list and definitions; establish increased

accountability for schools to provide instructional time and support for students to

complete the Extended Application.

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separately within Division 22 to ensure that all requirements receive appropriate attention and

monitoring. This way the implementation of the Extended Application—including providing

time and support for implementation—could be more closely monitored and supported.

Increased support and guidance for the Education Plan and Profile would also include guidance

for documenting this project, therein reinforcing planning for this requirement as well.

How does this recommendation align with ODE’s review and engagement processes and make

graduation requirements more equitable, inclusive, and accessible?

The Extended Application is defined as “the application and extension of knowledge and skills in

the new and complex situations related to the student's personal career interests and post-high

school goals.” This aligns with engagement feedback regarding the value of students having

flexible means of showing what they know and having opportunities to practice the skills

necessary for later life. By connecting this learning experience to the Essential Skills, students

will be practicing in ways that connect to the student’s interest within the context of a rich

project.

Career-Related Learning Experiences

How does this recommendation differ from the current requirement?

The current Career-Related Learning Experiences requirement was not aligned with the

Essential Skills, academic standards, or CTE skill sets. This recommendation is to align them all.

Similar to the substantiation provided for Recommendation 6 above, this recommendation

would require districts to report adherence to each respective graduation requirement

separately within Division 22 to ensure that all requirements receive appropriate attention and

monitoring.

How does this recommendation align with ODE’s review and engagement processes and make

graduation requirements more equitable, inclusive, and accessible?

This recommendation aligns with feedback about the value of students having opportunities for

career exploration and for flexibility in their learning. Career-Related Learning Experiences are

Recommendation 7: Revise the Career-Related Learning Experiences requirement so

it aligns with the updated “Essential Skills” list and definitions, and academic

standards and/or continuing technical education (CTE) skill sets; establish increased

accountability for schools to provide instructional time and support for students to

complete the Career-Related Learning Experiences.

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based on fields and industries of interest to the students. By connecting this learning

experience to the revised Essential Skills, students will be practicing these valued skills within

the context of career exploration relevant to their field of interest. These experiences will also

help students visualize professions, which is especially important for students who do not have

access to broad professional networks.

Oregon Diploma Options

How does this recommendation differ from the current requirement?

Current practice allows students to work toward an Oregon Diploma, a Modified Oregon

Diploma, an Extended Diploma, or an Alternative Certificate (not a diploma). When

implemented, the Oregon Diploma would be the only diploma and it would be made accessible

through flexible pathways. Planning for this change would be informed by learning from work

underway in other states.

How does this recommendation align with ODE’s review and engagement processes and make

graduation requirements more equitable, inclusive, and accessible?

Currently only the standard Oregon Diploma provides course credit requirements designed for

access to the full continuum of postsecondary opportunities. Requiring all students to work

towards an Oregon Diploma and supporting their success will ensure every student has similar

opportunities after high school.

With the passage and implementation of the Every Student Succeeds Act (P.L. 114-95), states

were expected to prioritize student attainment of a regular high school diploma, which means

the “standard high school diploma awarded to the preponderance of students in the State that

is fully aligned with State standards, or a higher diploma” (Section 8101(43)). Though states are

allowed to maintain a state-defined alternate diploma for students with the most significant

cognitive disabilities, ODE engagement efforts revealed that alternate diplomas in Oregon are

seen as limiting opportunities after high school. These perceptions are corroborated by Oregon

data that shows that a Modified or Extended Diploma is associated with substantially lower

rates of enrollment in college credit courses within a year of high school graduation (See Figure

17). Engagement, research, and national trends all support carefully and intentionally moving to

a single Oregon Diploma, made available and accessible through multiple pathways.

Recommendation 8: Use practices and examples from around the nation on diploma

pathways to make a single Oregon Diploma accessible to all students.

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CONCLUSION

Senate Bill 744 presented the Oregon Department of Education with an historic opportunity to

connect with community and education partners whose voices have not been meaningfully

involved in prior policy development in the interrogation of current graduation policy and

practice. The transparent process implemented was designed to be equitable, accessible, and

inclusive. It was also designed to generate recommendations for the Legislature and State

Board of Education to consider in making Oregon’s graduation requirements mirror this same

commitment to equity, access, and inclusion.

Partnerships with higher education, workforce, industry, and Oregon’s Kitchen Table were

invaluable in accomplishing this task. While much progress has been made, further engagement

with community and education partners will be needed to bring these recommendations to

fruition and to ensure that any new policies that might be adopted do not create inequities in

implementation. ODE has articulated the changes that would be needed to relevant Oregon

Revised Statute (ORS) and Oregon Administrative Rules (OARs) should the recommendations in

this report be adopted by the Legislature and State Board, in Appendix I.

While the engagement process reviewed current graduation policy and practices in Oregon,

there was not an opportunity to engage with community and education partners in reviewing

potentially innovative practices that were garnered from the 50-state review. ODE has

compiled a Vision for Future-Ready Graduates in Appendix J, which outlines policies and

practices that could be incorporated into Oregon’s graduation conversation in the future based

on examples from other states. The department is committed to staying in that conversation

and supporting the implementation of graduation policies and practices that give all students

an ambitious and meaningful path to their respective futures.

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APPENDIX A: SENATE BILL 744

SECTION 1. (1) As used in this section, “high school diploma” means the high school diploma options offered

in this state under ORS 329.451, including a high school diploma, a modified diploma, an extended diploma

and an alternative certificate.

(2) The Department of Education shall:

(a) Review state requirements for high school diploma options offered in this state, as those requirements

are prescribed by ORS 329.451 and by rules adopted by the State Board of Education.

(b) Review state requirements related to demonstrations of proficiency in skills or academic content areas

that are not related to career and technical education, with an emphasis on demonstrations of proficiency in

Essential Learning Skills.

and to ensure that every student will be on track to earn one of the high school diplomas.

(3) The review conducted under this section must include:

(a) An evaluation of the use of alternative certificates and how the requirements for alternative certificates

compare to the requirements for other high school diplomas;

(b) An evaluation of the role of a school district or a public charter school when a student who has the

documented history described in ORS 329.451 (7)(b) or (8)(b) seeks to pursue a high school diploma with

more stringent requirements than a modified diploma or an extended diploma, as provided by ORS 329.451

(1)(c);

other states;

(d) The identification of the expectations of employers and postsecondary institutions of education related to

the skills and knowledge of persons who earn high school diplomas in this state;

(e) The determination of whether the skills and knowledge expected to be attained by persons who earn high

school diplomas in this state, as identified in paragraph (d) of this subsection, align with the requirements for

high school diplomas in this state;

(f) The identification of the causes of disparities that have resulted from the requirements for high school

diplomas in this state; and

(g) The determination of whether the requirements for high school diplomas in this state have been applied

inequitably to different student populations. Enrolled Senate Bill 744 (SB 744-B) Page 1

(4) When conducting the review and developing recommendations under this section, the department shall:

(a) Use a transparent process that is equitable, accessible and inclusive; (b) Enable and encourage meaningful

engagement with:

(A) Representatives from historically underserved students, including students who:

(i) Have a disability;

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(ii) Are from an immigrant or refugee population;

(iii) Are from racial or ethnic groups that have historically experienced academic disparities;

(iv) Are English language learners; or

(v) Are from a federally recognized Indian tribe of this state;

(B) Youth-led organizations that engage and empower youth; and

(A) Based on data and the engagement process described in paragraph (b) of this subsection; and

(B) With the goal of ensuring that the processes and outcomes related to the requirements for high school

diplomas are equitable, accessible and inclusive.

(5)(a) Not later than September 1, 2022, the department shall provide a report to:

(A) The interim committees of the Legislative Assembly related to education; and

(B) The State Board of Education.

(b) The report required under paragraph (a) of this subsection shall:

(A) Include a summary of the components of the review conducted as described in subsection (3) of this

section, including information on the comments gathered during the engagement process described in

subsection (4)(b) of this section.

(B) Recommend changes in legislation or administrative rules that will reduce disparities and ensure that

every student will be on track to earn one of the high school diplomas offered in this state.

Learning Skills and an explanation of the reasons the department concludes that requirements related to

demonstrations of proficiency in Essential Learning Skills should be retained, modified or eliminated. If the

department concludes that demonstrations of proficiency of Essential Learning Skills should be retained, the

department shall provide recommendations for alternative methods for students to demonstrate proficiency

in skills or academic content areas that are not related to career and technical education.

SECTION 2. Section 1 of this 2021 Act is repealed on June 30, 2023.

SECTION 3. Notwithstanding any rules adopted by the State Board of Education, a student may not be

required to show proficiency in Essential Learning Skills as a condition of receiving a high school diploma

during the 2021-2022, 2022-2023 or 2023-2024 school year. SECTION 4. This 2021 Act being necessary for the

immediate preservation of the public peace, health and safety, an emergency is declared to exist, and this

2021 Act takes effect on its passage.

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APPENDIX B: HISTORY OF OREGON DIPLOMA REQUIREMENTS

This appendix discusses the history of Oregon’s diploma requirements since the early 1990s,

when many states around the nation, including Oregon, transitioned to diploma requirements

that focused on the use of assessments to monitor and align performance standards of

students and schools. This period also marked a move toward creating consistent diploma

requirements across the state. A significant funding change occurred in 1990 as well, the shift

from the more stable property tax state revenue stream to a more dynamic income tax revenue

stream. Over time, and especially during the decade that followed national No Child Left Behind

legislation in 2002, the requirements related to funding for school districts became increasingly

driven by student achievement.

In 1991, the Oregon Legislature passed the Oregon Educational Act for the 21st Century (House

Bill 3565) with the intent to ensure that Oregon students would be prepared for the new and

changing economy by providing consistent performance standards across the state and

increasing educational focus on occupational study. The high school diploma requirements

associated with this law included the creation of optional Certificates of Initial Mastery (CIM)

and Certificates of Advanced Mastery (CAM). With this program, students who met grade 10

performance standards would receive a CIM, then select an area of interest to focus on in their

junior and senior years of high school to work towards their CAM. These interest areas included

arts and communications, business and management, health services, human resources,

industrial and engineering systems, and natural resource systems. With this law, the legislature

intended to blend school, work, and community learning experiences within a student’s area of

interest to authentically prepare students for postsecondary education or work after high

school. CIM participation reached its peak in the 2004–05 school year, with 37% of high school

graduates earning a certificate, but by 2006–07 had declined to 29%. During the years CIM was

operative, participation in the credential was much higher for students with high academic

achievement. Asian, White, and Multiracial/Multiethnic graduates were substantially more

likely to earn a CIM than graduates who were Black, Hispanic, or Native American.

The state never implemented the other half of the certificate program, the CAM. The legislature

delayed implementation of CAM in 1997, delayed it again in 2003, and then abolished both CIM

and CAM in 2007 before the state adopted policies for supporting or awarding CAMs.

In 2002, the Oregon Board of Education created four additional requirements for obtaining a

high school diploma. First, it required students to develop an Education Plan and Profile. The

Education Plan requires the student to identify personal and career interests, tentative

educational and career goals, and post-high school next steps; set goals to prepare for the

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transition to the student’s next steps; and design, monitor, and adjust a course of study that

meets the interest and goals of the student. This adjusted course of study may include in-class

learning, career-related learning, or other learning experiences that show a student’s ability to

apply knowledge and skills in new and complex situations. The Education Profile requires

students to monitor progress and achievement toward standards, including content standards,

Essential Skills, the extended application standard (discussed in more detail below), and other

standards where appropriate (e.g., industry standards). It also requires students to document

other personal accomplishments determined by the student or school district and review

progress and achievement in the above profile requirements at least annually.

Second, the state board required students to build a Collection of Evidence to demonstrate

Extended Application. Extended Application is a student’s application and extension of

knowledge and skills in new and complex situations related to the student's personal and

career interests and post-high school goals.

Third, the board required students to demonstrate career-related knowledge and skills in the

areas of personal management, problem solving, communication, teamwork, employment

foundations, and career development.

Fourth, the board required a Career-Related Learning Experience in which students were asked

to identify experiences they would like to have in high school related to personal and career

interests and goals. This exercise would be included in their Education Plan. As part of this

exercise students identified expectations for learning and the academic and career-related

learning standards they were preparing to meet and reflected on the learning experience to

determine if those expectations had been met, along with any additional local district

requirements.

The third requirement above was removed from the high school diploma when CAM was

abolished in 2007. Requirements one, two, and four remain.

In 2008, the board adopted the Essential Skills graduation requirement, which required

students to show proficiency in skills deemed essential for adult life in order to graduate. The

board designated nine skills as Essential Skills, but only three were ever required for graduation.

Those three Essential Skills were: reading and comprehending a variety of text (required for

students starting high school in or after 2008–09), writing clearly and accurately (2009–10), and

applying mathematics in a variety of settings (2010–11). The other six Essential Skills were:

listen actively and speak clearly and coherently; think critically and analytically; use technology

to learn, live, and work; demonstrate civic and community engagement; demonstrate global

literacy; and demonstrate personal management and teamwork skills. The board intended for

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all nine skills to eventually be embedded in educational content standards throughout the

state.

In theory, students could demonstrate proficiency in Essential Skills in a variety of courses,

subjects, and settings, but most students completed the requirement through standardized

assessments. The Essential Skills requirements and assessments were suspended in 2020 due to

COVID-19 and then paused in 2021 (SB 744) during the present review.

Credit requirements saw few changes over the last 30 years. In 2005, the legislature increased

the high school diploma credit requirement for students graduating on or after July 1, 2009,

from 22 to 24 credit hours, including three credits of math and four credits of English.

The

board then phased in new credit categories and minimum credits, including three credits of

science, three credits of social science, one credit of health, one credit of physical education,

three credits from career and technical education, arts, or a world language, and six credits of

electives. For students first enrolled in grade 9 during the 2010–11 school year or later it also

required that the three math credits would include one credit at the algebra I level and two

credits at a higher level. In 2021, the legislature added a half credit of civics but kept the total

credit count at 24.

While credit requirements were relatively stable during this period, Oregon did see the creation

of new types of diplomas that each have their own credit requirements. In 2008, the legislature

adopted the Modified Oregon Diploma and the Alternative Certificate to make diploma

requirements more flexible for students.

The Modified Oregon Diploma was intended for students with an “inability to maintain grade

level achievement due to significant learning and instructional barriers,” which includes, but is

not limited to, students experiencing disabilities. Like the regular diploma, the Modified Oregon

Diploma requires 24 credits. However, the Modified Oregon Diploma shifts the distribution of

the credits, requiring instead at least 12 credits in academic subject areas, including three

credits of language arts (with no written composition requirement), two credits of math (with

no algebra requirement), two credits of science, two credits of social science, one credit of

health, one credit of physical education, and one credit of career technical education, arts, or

languages. The remaining 12 credits could be tailored to the student’s needs as identified in

their plan. Students who are working toward the Modified Oregon Diploma may earn credit

House Bill 3129. This law also allowed students who did not meet the credit requirements to receive diplomas if

they mastered these subjects according to standards or otherwise demonstrated proficiency. The legislature then

removed this part of the law in 2011 due to a conflict with the statute and the requirements for earning credits in

OAR 581-022-1131.

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through regular education, with or without accommodations or modifications, and they can

earn credit for demonstrating proficiency. Between 2009 and 2012, Modified Oregon Diplomas

accounted for just under 2% of the high school graduating cohort. A slight increase occurred in

the following years: in 2019–20 the Modified Oregon Diplomas accounted for just under 4% of

the high school graduating cohort.

The Alternative Certificate is a high school completion document that may be earned by a

student who does not satisfy the requirements for the regular Oregon Diploma or Modified

Diploma. To be eligible for an Alternative Certificate, a student must have met the criteria

requirements as specified in district school board policies, which vary substantially between

districts. Between 2009 and 2019, the Alternative Certificate accounted for less than 1% of the

high school graduating cohort in Oregon.

In 2009, the legislature adopted a third graduation option, the Extended Diploma, which

requires 12 credits. In the original law, a student was eligible for the Extended Diploma if they

met two conditions: First, they needed a documented history of an inability to maintain grade

level achievement due to significant learning and instructional barriers or a medical condition

that creates a barrier to achievement. Second, they needed to participate in an alternate

assessment beginning no later than grade six and lasting for two or more assessment cycles or

they needed to have a serious illness or injury that occurred after grade eight that changed

their ability to participate in grade level activities and that resulted in their participation in

alternate assessments. In 2013, the legislature removed the alternate assessment requirement

because some students had Individual Education Programs that exempted them from

assessments, disqualifying them from receiving the Extended Diploma. The change expanded

the eligibility of the Extended Diploma to all students with instructional barriers, not just

students with disabilities defined by the Individuals with Disabilities Act. Between 2009 and

2019, Extended Diplomas accounted for less than 1% of the high school graduating cohort in

Oregon, and they were even less prevalent than the Alternative Certificate.

Realizing that the diploma requirements were not a full representation of what would be

necessary for students to successfully make postsecondary transitions, in 2014, the Oregon

Education Investment Board also adopted a College-and-Career-Readiness Definition.

100

For more information see College and Career Readiness Definition for Oregon.

(https://drive.google.com/file/d/1eDn9vQCOCF-hIx4keb9cjNYRdAKAaUKt/view)

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APPENDIX C: OREGON’S KITCHEN TABLE ENGAGEMENT REPORT

The Oregon’s Kitchen Table Engagement Report is a summary of engagement efforts conducted

via Oregon’s Kitchen Table, an organization that connects decision-makers and those working

on public projects with Oregonians of various backgrounds to share feedback, ideas, and

resources. The report summarizes ODE’s engagement process with Oregon’s Kitchen Table,

including who participated, which kinds of feedback were requested from ODE, and a summary

of responses.

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APPENDIX D: RESULTS FROM TARGETED EDUCATOR ENGAGEMENT

AND SURVEYS

Introduction

Between November 2021 and May 2022, three online surveys and four in-person engagement

meetings were conducted to solicit input on high school diploma questions. The questions

addressed to each respondent group and number of responses received are listed in Table E-1

below.

Table E-1 Data Sources

Respondent Group

Question

Method

Number of Responses

Workforce

representatives

[1]

The Oregon Department

of Education is

evaluating its graduation

policies and

requirements pursuant

to Senate Bill 744 and

will make

recommendations to the

Legislature and the State

Board about a possible

redesign. What values

and skills should be

prioritized in the Oregon

Diploma?

Survey

443

postsecondary

[2]

educators

In your professional

experience, what should

the high school diploma

include (the required

teaching, learning and

assessment that school

districts must provide to

all students) to support

students’ success in

education and training

beyond high school?

Survey

148

K-12 educators

[3]

As you think about the

rate of societal change,

new technologies

shifting employability

skills, and the role of

education, what

knowledge and skills

would you say are the

most important for

Survey

Targeted engagement

meetings

[4]

116

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Respondent Group

Question

Method

Number of Responses

Oregon graduates to

have as they leave our

K-12 system and

transition to their next

steps?

Reflecting on your

experiences as an

educator, are there

ways in which the

current graduation

requirements have

created barriers for

students? What could

be done to make

graduation

requirements more fair?

Survey

Targeted engagement

meetings

140

Both the Assessment of

Essential Skills and

grades serve as a way to

verify that students

have the knowledge and

skills that a diploma

should signify. In

addition to grades, does

there need to be a

secondary validation

system? If yes, describe

whether it should look

like the Assessment of

Essential Skills or take

another form.

Survey

Both Assessment of

Essential Skills and

grades serve as a way to

verify that students

have the foundational

knowledge and skills of

reading, writing, and

mathematics. In

addition to grades, does

there need to be a

secondary validation

system? If yes, describe

this validation system,

including what skills

and/or knowledge it

should measure and

Targeted engagement

meetings

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Respondent Group

Question

Method

Number of Responses

how it should measure

them?

Oregon has multiple

diplomas, including the

Oregon Diploma, the

Modified Diploma, and

the Extended Diploma,

as well as an Alternate

Certificate. Other states

have a single Diploma

with multiple pathways

that students can use to

earn that Diploma. What

would you hope to see if

Oregon revamps its

graduation

requirements?

Targeted engagement

meetings

A content analysis of responses to the open-ended questions was conducted to identify

recurring themes. The following tables list the response categories by frequency of occurrence,

limited to the most common within each group. Less frequently occurring response categories

are available as a resource for ideas as implementation of the recommendations in this report

proceeds.

Identification of Expected Values, Skills, and Knowledge of Diploma Recipients

The questions regarding valued skills, knowledge, and abilities of high school graduates elicited

a wide range of responses across the three groups surveyed or engaged in person. A few

expected differences between groups emerged: employers cited “work ethic” and

“professionalism” most often, while higher education responses were most frequently aligned

with “critical thinking and information literacy” and “knowledge and skills in traditional/basic

academic subjects.” K-12 educators’ responses most often were categorized under “life skills”

and “career-related learning skills.” Nevertheless, many categories were highly valued across

groups, including “communication skills,” “collaboration,” and “critical thinking and information

literacy.” The full text of the open-ended responses contains numerous insights into the

expected meaning of an Oregon diploma that applies to all students, regardless of their post-

high school plans.

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Table E-2 Workforce Representatives’ Most Important Values and Skills to be Prioritized in

the Oregon Diploma

Value and Skill Category

Number

Percent

Work ethic: ability to initiate

and follow through on tasks

101

22.8%

Professionalism: responsible

and respectful of people and

processes

21.2%

Communication skills: listens

and speaks to others effectively;

communicates in a variety of

media; writes for authentic

purposes; reads critically

21.0%

Life skills: financial literacy;

foundational understanding of

government and civics; knows

how to self-advocate and seek

out help; knows how to access

educational and community

resources

15.1%

Collaboration: engages

effectively with a team; has

good interpersonal

communication skills; has

conflict resolution skills

14.9%

Knowledge and skills in

traditional/basic academic

subjects

14.7%

Critical thinking and

information literacy: ability to

analyze problems and explore

alternatives; independently

access and evaluate the validity

of information; articulate and

support ideas coherently; focus

on thinking, not rote

regurgitation of facts

14.4%

Cultural awareness and

humility: Openness to learn

from people of different

backgrounds and beliefs

13.8%

Career-related learning skills:

employability skills; community-

based experiential learning;

knowledge of career

opportunities and how to get

there

12.6%

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Value and Skill Category

Number

Percent

Resiliency: Ability to bounce

back from difficulty

10.2%

Table E-3 postsecondary Educators’ Most Important Diploma Requirements to Support

Students’ Success in Education and Training beyond High School

Teaching, Learning, and

Assessment Category

Number

Percent

Critical thinking and

information literacy: ability to

analyze problems and explore

alternatives; independently

access and evaluate the validity

of information; articulate and

support ideas coherently; focus

on thinking, not rote

regurgitation of facts

24.3%

Knowledge and skills in

traditional/basic academic

subjects

24.3%

Communication skills: listen

and speak to others effectively;

communicate in a variety of

media; write for authentic

purposes; read critically

20.9%

Career-related learning skills:

employability skills; community

based experiential learning;

knowledge of career and

educational opportunities and

how to get there

16.2%

Life skills: financial literacy;

foundational understanding of

government and civics; how to

self-advocate and seek out help;

how to access educational and

community resources

14.2%

Time Management: Prompt,

ready, and responsive to

deadlines

12.2%

Cultural awareness and

humility: Openness to learn

from people of different

backgrounds and beliefs

11.5%

Digital fluency: Skilled with

technology

10.1%

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Teaching, Learning, and

Assessment Category

Number

Percent

Collaboration: engages

effectively with a team; has

good interpersonal

communication skills; has

conflict resolution skills

7.4%

Analysis solution mindset:

Eager and able to solve

problems

6.1%

Table E-4: K-12 Educators’ Important Knowledge and Skills for Oregon Graduates to Have as

they Leave Our K-12 System and Transition to their Next Steps

[5]

Knowledge and Skill Category

Number

Percent

Life skills: financial literacy;

foundational understanding of

government and civics;

knowledge of how to self-

advocate and seek help;

knowledge of how to access

community resources

21.5%

Career-related learning skills:

employability skills; community-

based experiential learning;·

knowledge of career

opportunities and how to get

there

20.0%

Communication skills: listen

and speak to others effectively;

communicate in a variety of

media; read critically; write for

authentic purposes

18.5%

Collaboration: knowledge of

how to engage effectively with

a team; good interpersonal

communication skills; conflict

resolution

13.7%

Critical thinking and

information literacy: analyze

problems and explore

alternatives; independently

access and evaluate the validity

of information; articulate and

support ideas coherently; focus

on thinking, not rote

regurgitation of facts

13.7%

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Knowledge and Skill Category

Number

Percent

Digital Fluency: Skilled with

technology

13.7%

Practical application of skills:

taught to meet the variety of

job requirements and adult

responsibilities

11.7%

Work ethic: ability to initiate

and follow through on tasks

11.2%

Analysis Solution Mindset:

Eager and able to solve

problems

9.8%

Professionalism: responsible

and respectful of people and

processes

8.3%

Identification of Barriers Created by Current Graduation Requirements

Both groups of K-12 educators viewed graduation barriers from a variety of perspectives that

extended beyond the current graduation requirements as posed in the question. Many cited

educational resource constraints that led to learning disparities before high school, language

and cultural barriers, traumatic experiences, poverty, houselessness, drug addiction, and the

absence of support systems in high school. Approximately 31 percent of online responses and

25 percent of targeted engagement responses cited systemic factors not directly related to

graduation requirements, suggesting that only changing graduation requirements would not

necessarily have a major impact on reducing disparities.

The five most frequently cited barriers created by current graduation requirements are listed in

Tables E-5 and E-6. The rank order is consistent for both types of engagement.

[6]

Table E-5: K-12 Educators Barriers Created by Current Graduation Requirements Identified in

Online Survey

Barrier Category

Number

Percent

Essential Skills assessment requirements

19.1%

Traditional mathematics pathway (i.e., three units beginning with algebra I)

11.2%

Lack of flexibility in graduation criteria (i.e., greater options for awarding

credit)

10.1%

Graduation requirements that are not responsive to post-high school plans

5.6%

Lack of understanding of requirements for different diplomas

[7]

4.5%

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Table E-6: K-12 Educators Barriers Created by Current Graduation Requirements Identified in

Targeted Engagement Meetings

Barrier Category

Number

Percent

Traditional mathematics

pathway (i.e., three units

beginning with algebra I)

11.4%

Essential Skills assessment

requirements

7.9%

Lack of flexibility in graduation

criteria (i.e., greater options for

awarding credit)

7.1%

Graduation requirements that

are not responsive to post-high

school plans

5.0%

Lack of understanding of

requirements for different

diplomas

4.3%

Recommended Verification of Knowledge and Skills

K-12 educators responded to variations of the question:

“Both Assessment of Essential Skills and grades serve as a way to verify that students have the

foundational knowledge and skills of reading, writing, and mathematics. In addition to grades,

does there need to be a secondary validation system? If yes, describe whether it should look

like the Assessment of Essential Skills or take another form.” The targeted engagement groups’

second part was worded: “If yes, describe this validation system, including what skills and/or

knowledge it should measure and how it should measure them?”

Content analysis of responses from each engagement method are summarized in Tables E-7

and E-8 below.

Table E-7: K-12 Educator Online Survey Respondents

Question

Response Category

Number

Percent

Part 1: In addition to

grades, does there need

to be a secondary

validation system?

Yes

41.6%

40.4%

No Response

16 18.0%

Part 2: If yes, describe

whether it should look

like the Assessment of

Essential Skills or take

another form.

Assessment of Essential

Skills

13 35.1%

Another form (see full

text of responses)

20 54.1%

No response

4 10.8%

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Table E-8: K-12 Educator Targeted Engagement Group Respondents

Question

Response Category

Number

Percent

Part 1: In addition to

grades, does there need

to be a secondary

validation system?

Yes

37.5%

30.6%

No Response 23

31.9%

Part 2: If yes, describe

this validation system,

including what skills

and/or knowledge it

should measure and

how it should measure

them.

Assessment of Essential

Skills

18.5%

Another form (see full

text of responses)

77.8%

No response 1

3.7%

As shown in Tables E-7 and E-8, both groups were fairly evenly divided regarding the need for a

secondary validation system to supplement course grades, with a slight plurality in favor. Of

those answering the equivalent of “Yes” to Part 1, the current system for assessing Essential

Skills was favored by 35.1 and 18.5 percent. A wide variety of alternative approaches to validate

foundational skills and knowledge was provided in the open-ended answers. As invited by the

question wording used with the in-person targeted engagement groups, the second part of the

question was interpreted more broadly than the assessment of reading, writing, and

mathematics. Examples include implementation of equitable grading practices, standards-

based proficiency demonstrations, portfolios, senior projects, work-based performance

assessments, and allowing student choice among the full range of Essential Skills.

SINGLE VS. MULTIPLE DIPLOMAS

Targeted engagement meetings with K-12 educators addressed the issue of single versus

multiple diploma system as posed in the following question:

“Oregon has multiple diplomas, including the Oregon Diploma, the Modified Diploma, and the

Extended Diploma, as well as an Alternate Certificate. Other states have a single Diploma with

multiple pathways that students can use to earn that Diploma. What would you hope to see if

Oregon revamps its graduation requirements?”

Responses were classified as either favoring the current multiple diploma system (43.1 percent)

or favoring a single diploma with multiple pathways (56.9 percent). Illustrative quotes from

each perspective:

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Comments favoring a single diploma with multiple pathways:

“I struggle with modified diplomas. I have heard and see people put emerging bilinguals on a

modified diploma to offer them access to electives. I do like having different options and

different ways we can give students different options for a diploma, rather than lower

expectations.”

“Knowing what a student can do with their diploma would be more powerful, especially if they

are required to do some kind of career pathway. If a student would know what those pathways

would allow them to do in their future would be even more powerful. It would be great to not

just be a checklist for graduation.”

“Seen systems that if there is a perception that they are on a modified diploma it can violate

their civil rights. Being on a modified diploma can send bad messages to students, families, and

educators working with those students.”

“How wonderful it would be if a student knew what their diploma met and what it could mean

for them. I know I can go to an electrical apprenticeship, or I know I am ready for a community

college, or I know I am ready for a 4-year. It would be great if students could have some say in

what a diploma was for them.”

“Could personalizing through multiple pathways lead to flexibility in student pacing and

possibly early graduation?”

“Multiple pathways would be tailored to the student’s abilities and a modified diploma

wouldn’t be needed.”

“Do multiple diplomas have the same requirements or different ones--students on modified

can’t access postsecondary options; could different pathways solve this? Where are there

options for flexibility?

“I really like the idea of pathways that lead to the same diploma—don’t want students to have

marginalized diplomas; rather vocational just as meaningful as any other path.”

“If we change the diplomas we need to be careful to not start tracking students; Oregon

diploma should mean access to wherever they want to go even if they took different

pathways.”

“How do we make systems more flexible to prepare students for what they want to do post-

HS? Room for students to explore paths that are interesting/feel right for them without being

locked in.”

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“How can we offer more credit opportunities earlier in their k-12 career to students? We have

seen a huge uptick in students asking for early graduation and 8th graders who want HS credit.”

“More inclusive grading practices can be included in the regular diploma.”

Comments favoring a multiple diploma system:

“Modified/extended were created because students on IEPs were being tracked into alternate

certificates and not being given any academic coursework in some cases (just lifeskills for the

entire K-12 experience).”

“Multiple diplomas preferred, gives a truer picture of student outcomes, haven’t seen lots of

confusion.”

“Putting students on a modified path feels like a relief; a more attainable path for them.”

“There can be a value to modified/extended diplomas. Gives some students a hope they can

leave with modified, something to work towards that will be of value to them after HS.”

“Validity to having different diploma types; but schools get dinged in graduation rates for

having different diploma types.”

“Nice about current: required to have core classes, decrease credits for modified, but still 24

credits. Allows schools to have high expectations for students while also providing support.”

“I love the multiple diploma system. Gives students different pathways.”

“WA state had one diploma and it felt like there were a lot of barriers there.”

“Son was classified as a non-completer impacted by autism. The fact that he is marked as a

non-completer doesn’t feel right.”

“Virtual school struggle - students who come in credit deficient. Don’t qualify for extended but

may not earn enough credits before aging out. Trying to get these students workforce ready - is

there an alternative credential that would be appropriate for them?”

[1]

Workforce representatives were surveyed by Oregon Workforce Talent Development Board and ODE as

reported in Appendix E.

[2]

Postsecondary educators were surveyed by the Higher Education Coordinating Commission as reported in

Appendix F.

[3]

K-12 educators were surveyed and invited to participate in targeted engagement meetings by ODE.

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[4]

Specific groups participating in the targeted K-12 educator engagement meetings were: COSA Administrators of

Color Network 3/16/22; OALA 4/8 Engagement Session; Counselor Engagement Sessions; OASSA Engagement

Sessions.

[5]

Counts are combined across both K-12 groups (online survey and targeted engagement).

[6]

Consistency across the two independent samples of K-12 educators provides evidence supporting

generalizability of the findings.

[7]

“Lack of understanding of requirements for different diplomas” is listed as a barrier created by current

graduation requirements due to the complexity of communication and decision-making around the choice of

diploma options.

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APPENDIX E: WORKFORCE AND TALENT BOARD SURVEY REPORT

In fall 2021, Dialogues in Action, in partnership with the Oregon Workforce Talent Development

Board and ODE, developed and administered an employer survey. Respondents to the survey

answered the open-ended question: “The Oregon Department of Education is evaluating its

graduation policies and requirements pursuant to Senate Bill 744 and will make

recommendations to the legislature and the State Board of Education about a possible

redesign. What values and skills should be prioritized in the Oregon Diploma?”

This is the link to the final Workforce and Talent Board Survey Report.

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APPENDIX F: HECC POSTSECONDARY PARTNER SURVEY REPORT

In 2021, the Oregon legislature passed Senate Bill 744, which directs the Oregon Department of

Education to review state requirements for high school diplomas and to report results of the

review to the interim committees of the Legislative Assembly related to education and to the

State Board of Education.

The Oregon Department of Education is using a multi-pronged approach to gathering both

quantitative and qualitative information regarding high school requirements to inform the

recommendations to the Legislative Assembly, including the history of high school diploma

requirements in Oregon, assessment of other states’ high school diploma requirements,

surveys of employers and postsecondary institutions, focus groups with community members in

regions throughout the state, and more. This report is a synthesis of the responses to a survey

sent to postsecondary partners in spring of 2022 regarding their experience with, and

perspectives of the high school diploma requirements. It summarizes the survey results,

including qualitative data using themes that emerged from open-ended questions. These

results will be included in the ODE report to the Legislative Assembly in September 2022.

This report was undertaken by staff in HECC’s Office of Research and Data, Academic Policy and

Authorization, Community Colleges and Workforce Development, and Diversity Equity and

Inclusion. As the single state entity responsible for ensuring pathways to higher educational

success for Oregonians statewide, the HECC sets state policy and funding strategies,

administers numerous programs and over $1.2 billion annually of public funding, and convenes

partners working across the public and private higher education arena to achieve state goals.

More information about HECC can be found at www.oregon.gov/highered. Questions about the

HECC should be directed to info.HECC@state.or.us, and questions about this report should be

directed to Erin Weeks-Earp, Alignment and Articulation Policy Specialist.

This is the link to the final HECC Postsecondary Partner Survey report.

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APPENDIX G: ON-TIME COHORT GRADUATION RATES FOR

ADDITIONAL STUDENT GROUPS

Student Group

Number of

Students in

Adjusted

Cohort

On-time

Graduation

Rate

2019–20

All students

45,679

82.6%

Students with experience of incarceration or

detention

101

948

33.1%

Recent Arrivers

102

743

66.9%

Students served through Section 504 Plans

103

3,078

84.2%

Students navigating houselessness

3,998

60.5%

Migrant Students

104

1,331

79.9%

Students identified as Talented and Gifted

4,134

96.1%

Male

23,542

80.0%

Female

105

22,072

85.5%

101

Students who had ever been enrolled in a Youth Corrections Education Program or a Juvenile Detention

Education Program in Oregon.

102

These are students who were born outside the US and US territories (including military bases) - anyone without

a US birth certificate who has had less than three cumulative years of education in the US at any point during high

school. Foreign exchange students are excluded from the calculation where possible.

103

For more information on this population, see Students on Section 504 Plans: Overview of a Potential Focal

Population.

104

Students served through the Migrant Education Program, which provides services for students whose families

move between Oregon districts or into Oregon due to agricultural or fishing employment. More helpful

information and further illustration of the experiences of these students is available in this

US federal program

manual.

105

A small number of students identified as non-binary in this data year. Due to small cell size and the recency of

this data element in ODE’s data systems, they are not included in public reporting for this data year.

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Poverty

Race/Ethnicity

Number of

Students in

Adjusted Cohort

On-time

Graduation

Rate

2019–20

Students not

Navigating

Poverty

American Indian/Alaska Native

164

72.6%

Asian

1,074

95.2%

Black/African American

225

80.0%

Hispanic/Latino/a/x

1,827

78.9%

Multiracial

1,190

89.8%

Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander

78.9%

White

15,266

90.4%

Students

Navigating

Poverty (while in

High School)

American Indian/Alaska Native

470

65.3%

Asian

808

88.2%

Black/African American

842

75.3%

Hispanic/Latino/a/x

8,795

79.6%

Multiracial

1,446

73.7%

Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander

245

75.9%

White

13,251

76.5%

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Figure 30- On-time Graduation Rates by Race/Ethnicity and Gender, 2018-19

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APPENDIX H: HECC POSTSECONDARY OUTCOMES STUDY REPORT

Preface: In 2021, the Oregon legislature passed Senate Bill 744, which directs the Oregon

Department of Education to review state requirements for high school diplomas and to report

results of the review to the interim committees of the Legislative Assembly related to education

and to the State Board of Education. The bill also suspends the requirements of demonstrating

proficiency in the reading, writing, and mathematics essential skills as a condition of earning a

diploma during the 2021-2022 and 2022-2023 school year.

The Oregon Department of Education is using a multi-pronged approach to gathering both

quantitative and qualitative information regarding high school requirements to inform the

recommendations to the Legislative Assembly, including the history of high school diploma

requirements in Oregon, assessment of other states’ high school diploma requirements,

surveys of employers and postsecondary institutions, focus groups with community members in

regions throughout the state, and more. This report is a component of the research agenda

gathered to develop the recommendations. It summarizes postsecondary education outcomes

among recent Oregon State high school graduates over the last decade; specifically assessing

whether student postsecondary outcomes in higher education improve with the

implementation of the assessment of reading, writing, and mathematics essential skills

proficiency requirements.

This report was undertaken in HECC’s Office of Research and Data, including staff in both the

Postsecondary Research and Data program and the interagency Oregon Longitudinal Data

Collaborative program. As the single state entity responsible for ensuring pathways to higher

educational success for Oregonians statewide, the HECC sets state policy and funding

strategies, administers numerous programs and over $1.4 billion annually of public funding, and

convenes partners working across the public and private higher education arena to achieve

state goals. More information about HECC can be found at www.oregon.gov/highered.

Questions about the HECC should be directed to info.HECC@state.or.us, and questions about

this report should be directed to the Director of the Office of Research and Data, Amy Cox, at

[email protected].

This is the link to the final HECC Postsecondary Outcomes Study report.

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APPENDIX I: RECOMMENDED POLICY CHANGES

329.451 High school diploma; modified diploma; extended diploma; alternative certificate;

grade level advancement. (1)(a) At or before grade 12, a school district or public charter school

shall award a high school diploma to a student who completes the requirements established by

subsection (2) of this section.

(b) A school district or public charter school shall award a modified diploma to a student

who satisfies the requirements established by subsection (7) of this section, an extended

diploma to a student who satisfies the requirements established by subsection (8) of this

section or an alternative certificate to a student who satisfies the requirements established by

subsection (9) of this section.

documented history described in subsection (7)(b) or (8)(b) of this section the opportunity to

pursue a diploma with more stringent requirements than a modified diploma or an extended

diploma for the sole reason that the student has the documented history.

(d) A school district or public charter school may award a modified diploma or extended

diploma to a student only upon receiving consent as provided by subsection (6) of this section.

(2)(a) In order to receive a high school diploma from a school district or public charter

school, a student must satisfy the requirements established by the State Board of Education

and the school district or public charter school and, while in grades 9 through 12, must

complete at least:

(A) Twenty-four total credits;

(B) Three credits of mathematics; and

(b) If a school district or public charter school requires a student to complete more than 24

total credits, as provided by paragraph (a)(A) of this subsection, the school district or public

charter school may only require the student to complete additional credits for:

(A) Subjects for which the State Board of Education has established academic content

standards under ORS 329.045;

(B) Courses provided as part of a career and technical education program; or

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education.

(c)(A) A school district or public charter school that requires students to satisfy any

requirements not specified by paragraph (a) of this subsection or by rule of the State Board of

Education must grant to a student a waiver of the requirements established by the school

district or public charter school if the student is or, at any time from grade 9 to 12, was:

(i) A foster child, as defined in ORS 30.297;

(ii) Homeless, as determined under rules adopted by the State Board of Education based on

standards adopted by the Department of Human Services;

(iii) A runaway, as determined under rules adopted by the State Board of Education based

on standards adopted by the Department of Human Services;

(iv) A child in a military family covered by the Interstate Compact on Educational

Opportunity for Military Children, as determined under rules adopted by the State Board of

Education;

(v) A child of a migrant worker, as determined under rules adopted by the State Board of

Education; or

(vi) Enrolled in the Youth Corrections Education Program or the Juvenile Detention

Education Program.

(B) For any student identified under subparagraph (A) of this paragraph, a school district or

public charter school must accept any credits earned by the student in another school district

or public charter school and apply those credits toward requirements specified by paragraph (a)

of this subsection or by rule of the State Board of Education if the credits satisfied those

requirements in that other school district or public charter school.

(3) A student providing work samples to demonstrate proficiency in Essential Learning Skills

as may be required under subsection (2) of this section must be allowed to use

accommodations described in the student’s individualized education program or the student’s

plan developed in accordance with section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, 29 U.S.C. 794.

As used in this subsection, the term “accommodations”:

(a) Includes, but is not limited to:

(A) Additional time to demonstrate proficiency.

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(B) The ability to demonstrate proficiency in an alternative location that is secure and

proctored.

(b) Does not include modifications that lower the proficiency standards or that are used

solely to earn modified credit.

(4) A student may satisfy the requirements of subsection (2) of this section in less than four

years. If a student satisfies the requirements of subsection (2) of this section and a school

district or public charter school has received consent as provided by subsection (6) of this

section, the school district or public charter school shall award a high school diploma to the

student.

(35) If a school district or public charter school has received consent as provided by

subsection (6) of this section, the school district or public charter school may advance the

student to the next grade level if the student has satisfied the requirements for the student’s

current grade level.

(46)(a) For the purpose of receiving consent as provided by subsections (1)(d), (4) and (5) of

this section, consent shall be provided by:

(A) The parent or guardian of the student, if the student:

(i) Is under 18 years of age and is not emancipated pursuant to ORS 419B.550 to 419B.558;

(ii) Has been determined not to have the ability to give informed consent regarding the

student’s education pursuant to a protective proceeding under ORS chapter 125; or

(B) The student, if the student is 18 years of age or older or is emancipated pursuant to ORS

419B.550 to 419B.558.

(b) For the purpose of awarding a modified diploma or extended diploma as provided by

subsection (1)(d) of this section or of awarding a high school diploma as provided by subsection

(4) of this section, consent must be received during the school year for which the diploma will

be awarded.

(57) A school district or public charter school shall award a modified diploma only to

students who have demonstrated the inability to meet the full set of academic content

standards for a high school diploma with reasonable modifications and accommodations. To be

eligible for a modified diploma, a student must:

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(a) Satisfy the requirements for a modified diploma established by the State Board of

Education; and

(b) Have a documented history of an inability to maintain grade level achievement due to

significant learning and instructional barriers or have a documented history of a medical

condition that creates a barrier to achievement.

(68) A school district or public charter school shall award an extended diploma only to

students who have demonstrated the inability to meet the full set of academic content

standards for a high school diploma with reasonable modifications and accommodations. To be

eligible for an extended diploma, a student must:

(a) While in grade nine through completion of high school, complete 12 credits, which may

not include more than six credits earned in a self-contained special education classroom and

shall include:

(A) Two credits of mathematics;

(B) Two credits of language arts;

(D) Three credits of history, geography, economics or civics;

(E) One credit of health;

(F) One credit of physical education; and

(G) One credit of the arts or a world language; and

(b) Have a documented history of:

(A) An inability to maintain grade level achievement due to significant learning and

instructional barriers;

(B) A medical condition that creates a barrier to achievement; or

serious illness or injury that occurred after grade eight.

(79) A school district or public charter school shall award an alternative certificate to a

student who does not satisfy the requirements for a high school diploma, a modified diploma or

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an extended diploma if the student meets requirements established by the board of the school

district or public charter school.

(810) A student shall have the opportunity to satisfy the requirements of subsection (7), (8)

or (9) of this section by the later of:

(a) Four years after starting grade nine; or

(b) The student reaching the age of 21 years, if the student is entitled to a public education

until the age of 21 years under state or federal law.

(911)(a) A student may satisfy the requirements described in subsection (7), (8) or (9) of this

section in less than four years if consent is provided in the manner described in subsection

(6)(a) of this section.

(b) The consent provided under this subsection must be written and must clearly state that

the parent, guardian or student is waiving the time allowed under subsection (10) of this

section. A consent may not be used to allow a student to satisfy the requirements of subsection

(7), (8) or (9) of this section in less than three years.

must be forwarded to the district superintendent.

(d) Each school district must provide to the Superintendent of Public Instruction information

about the number of consents provided during a school year.

(1012)(a) A student who qualifies to receive or receives a modified diploma, an extended

diploma or an alternative certificate shall:

(A) Have the option of participating in a high school graduation ceremony with the class of

the student; and

(B) Have access to instructional hours, hours of transition services and hours of other

services that are designed to:

(i) Meet the unique needs of the student; and

(ii) When added together, provide a total number of hours of instruction and services to the

student that equals at least the total number of instructional hours that is required to be

provided to students who are attending a public high school.

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(b)(A) The number of instructional hours, hours of transition services and hours of other

services that are appropriate for a student shall be determined by the student’s individualized

education program team. Based on the student’s needs and performance level, the student’s

Individualized Education Program team may decide that the student will not access the total

number of hours of instruction and services to which the student has access under paragraph

(a)(B) of this subsection.

(B) A school district may not unilaterally decrease the total number of hours of instruction

and services to which the student has access under paragraph (a)(B) of this subsection,

regardless of the age of the student.

access the total number of hours of instruction and services to which the student has access

under paragraph (a)(B) of this subsection, the school district shall annually:

(A) Provide the following information in writing to the parent or guardian of the student:

(i) The school district’s duty to comply with the requirements of paragraph (a)(B) of this

subsection; and

(ii) The prohibition against a school district’s unilaterally decreasing the total number of

hours of instruction and services to which the student has access.

(B) Obtain a signed acknowledgment from the parent or guardian of the student that the

parent or guardian received the information described in subparagraph (A) of this paragraph.

explains the reasons the student is not accessing the total number of hours of instruction and

services to which the student has access under paragraph (a)(B) of this subsection.

(d) For purposes of paragraph (a)(B) of this subsection, transition services and other services

designed to meet the unique needs of the student may be provided to the student through an

interagency agreement entered into by the school district if the individualized education

program developed for the student indicates that the services may be provided by another

agency. A school district that enters into an interagency agreement as allowed under this

paragraph retains the responsibility for ensuring that the student has access to the number of

service hours required to be provided to the student under this subsection. An agency is not

required to change any eligibility criteria or enrollment standards prior to entering into an

interagency agreement as provided by this paragraph.

(1113) A school district or public charter school shall:

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(a) Ensure that students have on-site access to the appropriate resources to achieve a high

school diploma, a modified diploma, an extended diploma or an alternative certificate at each

high school in the school district or at the public charter school.

(b) Provide literacy instruction to all students until graduation.

history described in subsection (8)(b) of this section, information about the availability of a

modified diploma, an extended diploma and an alternative certificate and the requirements for

the diplomas and certificate:

(A) Beginning in grade five; or

(B) Beginning after a documented history described in subsection (8)(b) of this section has

been established.

(1214) A school district or public charter school shall allow a student to participate in the

high school graduation ceremony with the class of the student and to wear:

(a) Native American items of cultural significance as provided by ORS 332.112; or

(b) A dress uniform issued to the student by a branch of the Armed Forces of the United

States if the student:

(A) Qualifies to receive a high school diploma, a modified diploma, an extended diploma or

an alternative certificate under this section; and

(B) Has completed basic training for, and is an active member of, a branch of the Armed

Forces of the United States. [2005 c.827 §1; 2007 c.407 §1; 2007 c.660 §12; 2009 c.618 §1;

2011 c.240 §1a; 2011 c.286 §1; 2011 c.313 §7; 2011 c.546 §1; 2013 c.15 §4; 2013 c.64 §1; 2013

c.761 §3; 2014 c.42 §§5,6; 2017 c.433 §1; 2017 c.726 §6; 2019 c.210 §1; 2021 c.45 §2; 2021 c.97

§24; 2021 c.178 §1]

Note: The amendments to 329.451 by section 1, chapter 175, Oregon Laws 2021, become

operative January 1, 2026, and first apply to high school diplomas awarded on or after January

1, 2026. See section 2, chapter 175, Oregon Laws 2021. The text that is operative on and after

January 1, 2026, is set forth for the user’s convenience.

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581-022-2000

Diploma Requirements

(1) Each district school board and public charter school with jurisdiction over high school

programs shall award diplomas to all students who fulfill all state requirements as described in

sections (2) to (8) of this rule and all local school district requirements as described in district

school board policies or all public charter school requirements as described in the policies or

charter of the public charter school.

(2) Unit of Credit Requirements for students who were first enrolled in grade 9 during the

2010–2011 school year:

(a) Each student shall earn a minimum of 24 units of credit to include at least:

(A) English Language Arts — 4 (shall include the equivalent of one unit in Written Composition);

(B) Mathematics —3; (shall include one unit at the Algebra I level and two units that are at a

level higher than Algebra I);

(D) Social Sciences 3 — (including history, civics, geography and economics (including personal

finance);

(E) Health Education — 1;

(F) Physical Education — 1;

(G) Career and Technical Education, The Arts or World Languages — 3 (units shall be earned in

any one or a combination).;

(H) Future Planning — 1.

(b) A district school board or public charter school with a three-year high school may submit

through the waiver process alternative plans to meet unit requirements;

specific areas, and may increase or decrease the number of elective units; however, the total

units of credit required for graduation shall not be less than 24;

(d) A district school board or public charter school must waive any additional district

requirements if students are or, were at any time from grade 9-12:

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(A) A foster child, a child receiving 24-hour substitute care for children placed away from their

parents or guardians and for whom the child welfare agency has placement and care

responsibility. This includes, but is not limited to, placements in foster family homes, foster

homes of relatives, group homes, emergency shelters, residential facilities, child care

institutions, and pre-adoptive homes. A child is in foster care in accordance with this definition

if the foster care facility is licensed and payments are made by the State, Tribal or local agency

for the care of the child, whether adoption subsidy payments are being made prior to the

finalization of an adoption, or whether there is Federal matching of any payments that are

made;

(B) Homeless, a child who lacks a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence; a child who

is sharing the housing of other persons due to loss of housing, economic hardship, or a similar

reason; is living in motels, hotels, trailer parks, or camping grounds due to the lack of

alternative adequate accommodations; is living in emergency or transitional shelters; or is

abandoned in hospitals; a child whose primary nighttime residence that is a public or private

place not designed for or ordinarily used as a regular sleeping accommodation for human

beings; a child who is living in cars, parks, public spaces, abandoned buildings, substandard

housing, bus or train stations, or similar settings; an unaccompanied youth not in physical

custody of a parent or guardian;

other person having legal custody of that child, leaves and stays away from the home or other

dwelling place provided for the child by that person;

(D) A child in a military family covered by the Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity

for Military Children;

(E) A child of a migrant worker, a worker that moved as a migratory agricultural worker or

migratory fisher due to economic necessity from one residence to another residence, and from

one school district to another; or

(F) Enrolled in the Youth Corrections Education Program or the Juvenile Detention Education

Program.

(e) A school district or public charter school must accept any credits earned by students

qualified for the additional district credit requirements waiver in another school district or

public charter school and must apply them toward the 24 Units of Credit Requirements for the

diploma.

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(f) A school district or public charter school may grant high school credit for courses taken prior

to grade 9 if students taking pre-grade 9 courses are required to meet performance criteria that

are equivalent to the performance criteria for students taking the same high school courses;

(g) Course syllabi shall be written for courses in grades 9 through 12 and shall be available to

students, staff, parents, the district school board and other interested individuals.

(3) Unit of Credit Requirements for students who were first enrolled in grade 9 during the

2022–2023 school year or first enrolled in grade 9 in any subsequent school year:

(a) Each student shall earn a minimum of 24 units of credit aligned to the Oregon State Board

adopted standards to include:

(A) English Language Arts — 4 (shall include the equivalent of one unit in Written Composition);

(B) Mathematics —3; (shall include one unit at the Algebra I level and two units that are at a

level higher than Algebra I);

(D) Social Sciences 3 — (shall include 0.5 unit of US civics credit in addition to at least 2.5 units

of credit aligned to the Oregon State Board adopted standards for U.S. history, world history,

geography, economics, and financial literacy);

(E) Health Education — 1;

(F) Physical Education — 1;

(G) Career and Technical Education, The Arts or World Languages — 3 (units shall be earned in

any one or a combination).;

(H) Future Planning — 1.

(b) A district school board or public charter school with a three-year high school may submit

through the waiver process alternative plans to meet unit requirements;

specific areas, and may increase or decrease the number of elective units; however, the total

units of credit required for graduation shall not be less than 24;

(d) A district school board or public charter school must waive any additional district

requirements if students are or, were at any time from grade 9-12:

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