<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:m="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2004/12/omml" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40">
<head>
<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=us-ascii">
<meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 15 (filtered medium)">
<!--[if !mso]><style>v\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
o\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
w\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
.shape {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
</style><![endif]--><style><!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:Wingdings;
panose-1:5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0;}
@font-face
{font-family:"Cambria Math";
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:Calibri;
panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;}
a:link, span.MsoHyperlink
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:blue;
text-decoration:underline;}
a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:purple;
text-decoration:underline;}
p.MsoListParagraph, li.MsoListParagraph, div.MsoListParagraph
{mso-style-priority:34;
margin-top:0in;
margin-right:0in;
margin-bottom:0in;
margin-left:.5in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-add-space:auto;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;}
p.MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst, li.MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst, div.MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst
{mso-style-priority:34;
mso-style-type:export-only;
margin-top:0in;
margin-right:0in;
margin-bottom:0in;
margin-left:.5in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-add-space:auto;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;}
p.MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle, li.MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle, div.MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle
{mso-style-priority:34;
mso-style-type:export-only;
margin-top:0in;
margin-right:0in;
margin-bottom:0in;
margin-left:.5in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-add-space:auto;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;}
p.MsoListParagraphCxSpLast, li.MsoListParagraphCxSpLast, div.MsoListParagraphCxSpLast
{mso-style-priority:34;
mso-style-type:export-only;
margin-top:0in;
margin-right:0in;
margin-bottom:0in;
margin-left:.5in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-add-space:auto;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;}
p.msonormal0, li.msonormal0, div.msonormal0
{mso-style-name:msonormal;
mso-margin-top-alt:auto;
margin-right:0in;
mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;
margin-left:0in;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;}
span.EmailStyle19
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;
color:windowtext;}
span.EmailStyle20
{mso-style-type:personal-reply;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
font-size:10.0pt;}
@page WordSection1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}
/* List Definitions */
@list l0
{mso-list-id:723067820;
mso-list-type:hybrid;
mso-list-template-ids:1784943392 67698689 67698691 67698693 67698689 67698691 67698693 67698689 67698691 67698693;}
@list l0:level1
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\F0B7;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l0:level2
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:o;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:"Courier New";}
@list l0:level3
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\F0A7;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l0:level4
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\F0B7;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l0:level5
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:o;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:"Courier New";}
@list l0:level6
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\F0A7;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l0:level7
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\F0B7;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l0:level8
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:o;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:"Courier New";}
@list l0:level9
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\F0A7;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:Wingdings;}
ol
{margin-bottom:0in;}
ul
{margin-bottom:0in;}
--></style><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapedefaults v:ext="edit" spidmax="1026" />
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapelayout v:ext="edit">
<o:idmap v:ext="edit" data="1" />
</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]-->
</head>
<body lang="EN-US" link="blue" vlink="purple">
<div class="WordSection1">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.5pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><img width="641" height="155" style="width:6.677in;height:1.6145in" id="Picture_x0020_9" src="cid:image001.jpg@01D378A6.D54E0240" alt="cid:image001.jpg@01D342AD.BDB94F10"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1F1F1F">NEWS RELEASE</span></b><b><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1F1F1F"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1F1F1F">December 19, 2017</span><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1F1F1F">Media Contact: Tricia Yates</span><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black">,
</span><a href="mailto:tricia.yates@state.or.us"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">tricia.yates@state.or.us</span></a><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1F1F1F">State audit validates work under way to improve Oregon graduation rates<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><i><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><i><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">(Salem, Ore.)</span></i><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"> – An audit released today from the Oregon Secretary of State highlights the important work
under way at the Oregon Department of Education (ODE) to improve Oregon’s graduation rate and provides recommendations to build on that work and help prepare more students for graduation with a plan for their future.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">“We appreciate the Secretary of State and the Audits Division staff for spending time on this topic and sharing thoughtful recommendations to further our work to
improve high school graduation rates,” Acting Deputy Superintendent Colt Gill said. “Many of the themes raised in the audit are consistent with what we have been identifying in recent years, and we look forward to continuing to develop and implement a variety
of strategies to help more students graduate.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">Among the audit recommendations are tactics like providing targeted support to students in specific groups with lower graduation rates, such as highly mobile students
who transfer between schools and districts, economically disadvantaged students, and middle school students. Another is to provide support to schools with mid-range graduation rates rather than emphasizing focus on schools with the lowest graduation rates.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">ODE has focused its work on disparities in outcomes experienced by many student groups, including American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) students, African-American/Black
students, Hispanic/Latino students, students with disabilities, students experiencing economic hardship and English language learners. The department has worked with stakeholders to develop success plans for these groups of students. Although outcomes have
improved for African-American/Black students and Hispanic/Latino students, there are still sizable gaps that exist for many groups.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">“Addressing opportunity gaps between student groups is an ongoing priority, and we look forward to building upon recent success in narrowing those gaps,” Gill said.
“This work includes providing guidance to districts on best practices to making schools a welcoming place for all students to get a relevant, well-rounded education.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">Other audit recommendations include developing initiatives and collecting data about middle schoolers, identifying strategies to better support economically disadvantaged
students, and providing better support to districts on using data and continuous improvement plans. Some examples of programs and policies either already in place or expected to be implemented soon consistent with the audit’s recommendations are:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="text-align:justify;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2">
<![if !supportLists]><span style="font-family:Symbol"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span></span><![endif]><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">The Oregon Framework for School Counseling, which provides intentional focus on advocacy and socially just outcomes by embodying the Oregon Equity Lens to ensure the creation of a
data-informed, equity-based school counseling program that helps close achievement, opportunity and attainment gaps and access for all students.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align:justify;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2">
<![if !supportLists]><span style="font-family:Symbol"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span></span><![endif]><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">The High School Success Fund (Measure 98), which allows districts to spend up to 15 percent of their allocation on 8<sup>th</sup> grade, which can help keep middle school students
engaged in school and ease the transition to high school.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="text-align:justify;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2">
<![if !supportLists]><span style="font-family:Symbol"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span></span><![endif]><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">Guidance on the use of Early Indicator and Intervention Systems, which helps districts use data to identify students that need more supports before they get too far behind on their
path to graduation.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"># # #<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
</div>
</body>
</html>