ORS 329.095: School district and school self-evaluations; local district continuous improvement plans; technical assistance.

(1)(a) The Department of Education shall require school districts and schools to conduct self-evaluations and to periodically update their local district continuous improvement plans. Except as provided by paragraph (b)(C) of this subsection, the department may not require school districts or schools to conduct self-evaluations or to update their local district continuous improvement plans more frequently than biennially. (b) The department may require a school district to: (A) File, periodically, or at the department’s request, its local district continuous improvement plan with the department; (B) Notify the department of any substantial changes, as defined by rule of the State Board of Education, to the school district; or (C) Update its local district continuous improvement plan when there has been a substantial change, as defined by rule of the board, to the school district. (c) The self-evaluation process conducted as provided by this subsection shall involve the public in the setting of local goals. The school districts shall ensure that representatives from the demographic groups of their school population are invited to participate in the development of local district continuous improvement plans to achieve the goals. (2) As part of setting local goals, school districts shall undertake a communications process that involves parents, students, teachers, school employees, the educational equity advisory committee and community representatives to explain and discuss the local goals and their relationship to programs under this chapter. (3) At the request of the school district, department staff shall provide ongoing technical assistance in the development and implementation of the local district continuous improvement plan. (4) The local district continuous improvement plan shall include: (a) Goals to implement the following: (A) A rigorous curriculum aligned with state standards; (B) High-quality instructional programs; (C) Short-term and long-term professional development plans; (D) Programs and policies that achieve a safe educational environment; (E) A plan for family and community engagement; (F) Staff leadership development; (G) High-quality data systems; (H) Improvement planning that is data-driven; (I) Education service plans for students who have or have not exceeded all of the academic content standards; and (J) A strong school library program; (b) A review of demographics, student performance, staff characteristics and student access to, and use of, educational opportunities; (c) A description of district efforts to achieve local efficiencies and efforts to make better use of resources; and (d) A needs assessment, which shall: (A) Be conducted in a manner that is inclusive of school employees, students from student groups identified in ORS 327.164 (11) and parents of those students. (B) Address the following priorities: (i) Reducing academic disparities for students from student groups identified in ORS 327.164 (11); (ii) Meeting students’ mental or behavioral health needs; (iii) Providing equitable access to academic courses across the school district or public charter school, with specific emphasis on access by students from student groups identified in ORS 327.164 (11); (iv) Allowing teachers and staff to have sufficient time to: (I) Collaborate with other teachers and staff; (II) Review data on students’ grades, absences and discipline, based on school and on grade level or course; and (III) Develop strategies to ensure that at-risk students stay on track to graduate; and (v) Possible partnerships with other organizations, federally recognized Indian tribes, school districts, education service districts, regional achievement collaboratives, post-secondary institutions of education, education partners or nonprofit programs and community-based programs that have demonstrated achievement of positive outcomes in work with students from student groups identified in ORS 327.164 (11). [Formerly 326.760; 1995 c.660 §11; 2007 c.858 §7; 2009 c.840 §2; 2011 c.311 §1; 2019 c.122 §21; 2021 c.493 §4; 2025 c.406 §19]